DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Title: Code Number:

1.0 PURPOSE
1.1 To establish policy and procedure providing guidance to all Board employees regarding their
responsibility to timely report any spills or releases of substances to the environment to the DFW
Airport Operation Center (AOC).
2.0 DEPARTMENTS / PERSONS AFFECTED
2.1 All employees.
3.0 POLICY
3.1 In all cases where a Board employee observes spills or releases of substances to the
environment, the employee is required to report such occurrence(s) immediately to the AOC.
4.0 PROCEDURE
4.1 To report spills or releases, notify the AOC at 972-973-3112.
4.2 For immediate danger to life or health, notify the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 911.
4.3 In all cases of notification to the AOC, the AOC in turn notifies the DPS and the Environmental
Affairs Department (EAD). This procedure allows for DPS and EAD to respond to the spill or
release and notify the enforcement agencies as required by the laws and regulations listed under
section 6.0.
5.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
5.1 Airport Operation Center. Responsible for notifying DPS and EAD of reports of any spills or
releases of substances to the environment.
5.2 Department of Public Safety. Responsible for notifying the enforcement agencies of any spills
or releases of substances to the environment.
5.3 Environmental Affairs Department. Responsible for notifying the enforcement agencies of any
spills or releases of substances to the environment.
5.4 Employees. Responsible for reporting any spills or releases of substances to the environment
to the AOC or DPS. Failure to meet the responsibility as set forth by this policy may result in
disciplinary action, up to and including involuntary termination.
6.0 DEFINITIONS
6.1 Clean Water Act (CWA). Under Section 311 of the CWA, any person in charge of a vessel or
facility must notify the National Response Center (NRC) as soon as he or she has knowledge of
any harmful discharge of oil or hazardous substance into waters of the United States.
6.2 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).
CERCLA requires that any person in charge of a facility must, as soon as he or she has
knowledge of any release of a hazardous substance in excess of the reportable quantity
immediately report the release to the NRC. There are both civil and criminal penalties for failure
to timely comply with the notice requirements. Notifying the NRC does not fulfill any other state
or local reporting requirements.
6.3 Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). EPCRA has a number
of reporting requirements. Under Subtitle A, the owners or operators of facilities at which a
hazardous chemical is produced, used, or stored must, in certain circumstances, provide notice

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of the release of specified hazardous materials. Subtitle B has three additional reporting
requirements. Section 311 of EPCRA requires facilities at which hazardous chemicals are
present in excess of specified thresholds to submit emergency planning and response
authorities with copies of the MSDS, or a list of the substances for which they maintain MSDS
documents.
6.4 Leaking Storage Tanks. Owners and operators of storage tanks must report a suspected
release to the TCEQ within 24 hours if any of the following conditions are observed:
6.4.1 Discovery of a released regulated substance at the site;
6.4.2 Unusual operating conditions;
6.4.3 Monitoring results show a release; or
6.4.4 There is a breach in containment.
6.5 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). RCRA requires all persons who manage
hazardous wastes to maintain reports and records related to their activities. RCRA requires the
owner or operator of a facility that generates, stores, treats, processes, or disposes of hazardous
waste to:
6.5.1 Orally report any noncompliance, such as a spill, that may endanger health or the
environment within 24 hours of becoming aware of the incident; and,
6.5.2 Submit a written report describing the incident within five days.
6.6 Solid Waste. Solid waste spill regulations are promulgated by the TCEQ in Title 30 of the Texas
Administrative Code (TAC) and 30 TAC 327. Section 305.145 of the TAC requires reporting of
releases or discharges of solid waste from facilities operating under a solid waste storage,
processing, or disposal permit. The following information must be reported within 24 hours
pursuant to the standard solid waste permit conditions contained in 30 TAC Section 305.125(9):
6.6.1 The name, address, and telephone number of the facility;
6.6.2 The name, address, and telephone number of the owner or operator;
6.6.3 The date, time, and type of the occurrence;
6.6.4 The name and quantity of material(s) involved;
6.6.5 The extent of injuries, if any;
6.6.6 Actual or threatened harm to the environment; and estimated quantity and disposition
of recovered material that resulted from the incident.
6.7 Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 361 and Title 30, Texas Administrative Code.
Section 305.145 of Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code requires reporting of releases or
discharges of solid waste from facilities operating under a solid waste storage, processing, or
disposal permit to be reported to the TCEQ within 24 hours.
6.7.1 Follow-up notice is required within 30 days after the initial notice. The follow-up
notice should detail what actions were taken to remediate the spill. In addition, notice
must be given as soon as possible, but not later than two weeks after the spill to all
property owners or occupants whose property was adversely affected by the spill.
6.8 Texas Water Code Chapter 26. The Texas Water Code prohibits any discharge or release of
any pollutant, waste, or other hazardous substance into or adjacent to the waters of the state.
The Texas Water Code requires that any accidental discharge or spill of waste or other
substances that may cause pollution of waters of the State of Texas must be reported to the
TCEQ as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after the occurrence. (EADs notifying
TCEQ as soon as possible is one consideration that TCEQ will take into account, along with the

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speed and effectiveness of mitigation and response action, when deciding whether or not to take
enforcement action against the facility.)
6.9 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Section 8(e) of TSCA requires chemical
manufacturers and others to report to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) any indication
of adverse health effects caused by a chemical. Specifically, EPA must be informed whenever
information is obtained that reasonably supports the conclusion that such substance or mixture
presents a substantial risk of injury to health or the environment.
6.9.1 Section 6(e) of TSCA requires spills involving ten or more pounds of PCBs to be
reported immediately to the NRC. Primary TSCA reporting is to the NRC and EPA.
(EAD will notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in addition
to the EPA given EPA delegation of jurisdiction and authority to states occurs from
time to time and the TCEQ has local, fully staffed offices, that could provide timely
assistance where indicated based on the nature and extent of the spill or release.)
7.0 RESOURCES / FORMS
7.1 Not applicable.
8.0 REVISION HISTORY
8.1 03/01/2005 ES.001.00 Original document.
8.2 10/01/2011 ES.001.01 Minor revision.

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