With the start of hurricane season at the beginning of June, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a Hazardous Weather Release Prevention and Reporting alert to remind facility operators of certain regulations that require minimization of chemical releases during process shutdown operations.  

“Unlike some natural disasters, the onset of a hurricane is predictable and allows for early preparations to lesson its effect on a facility,” the EPA announced. Before hurricane force winds and associated storm surge flooding damage industrial processes, it’s recommended that preventative action be taken to safely shut down processes, or otherwise operate safely using emergency procedures. The alert specified operational releases minimization requirements and clarified reporting requirements, including exemptions. 

The alert and requirements can be found here.