SECTION 4: Management Measures

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4.6. FUELING STATION DESIGN

Management Measure for Fueling Station Design:

Design fueling stations to allow for ease in cleanup of spills.

Management Measure Description

The possibility of spills during fueling operations

always exists, and spills of gasoline and diesel fuel

during boat fueling are a common source of

pollution in marina waters. Most fuel dock spills

are small and result from overfilling boat fuel

tanks so that fuel splashes back at the nozzle onto

the deck, squirts out of the boat’s air vent line, or

drips from the nozzle as it is removed from the

boat and returned to the fuel dock. Therefore,

installation of equipment that can minimize the

occurrence of spills and taking precautions to

contain, absorb, and minimize the spread of

petroleum products spilled during fueling operations in navigable waters are prudent environmental practices at all marinas.

Congress passed the Occupational Safety and

Health Act (OSHA) to ensure worker and

workplace safety. Their goal was to make sure

employers provide workers a place of employment free from recognized hazards to safety and

health, such as exposure to toxic chemicals,

excessive noise levels, mechanical dangers, heat

or cold stress, or unsanitary conditions. OSHA

has various regulations governing employee

involvement in spill cleanups, including requiring

training for such activities. Facilities are encouraged to have employees attend hazardous

materials handling training or other appropriate

training.

A form of fuel loss that occurs rarely but is

particularly damaging is when fuel leaks from fuel

pipes and hoses between the fuel storage tank

and the pump. This leakage can result from dock

damage caused by a major storm or a collision

involving a large boat. Because boat fuels are

lighter than water, they float on the water’s

surface and are easy to capture if spill containment and absorption equipment is readily available

and used quickly.

The most effective way to minimize fuel spills and

petroleum hydrocarbon pollution at a marina is to

locate, design, build, and operate a boat fuel dock

or station so that most spills are prevented and

those that do occur are quickly contained and

cleaned up. An essential step in spill prevention

for both new and existing fuel docks is to identify

and locate possible sources of leaks or spills, such

as at joints in piping systems or between pipes and

storage tanks, and to address each one in the

facility’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (or SPCC) Plan. An SPCC plan is a

federal requirement (40 CFR Part 112) for any

marina that has more than 660 gallons of petroleum in a single aboveground container, an

aggregate of 1,320 gallons above ground, or more

than 42,000 gallons under ground. The regulation

requires that SPCC plans be certified by a professional engineer. Not all marinas are required to

prepare and submit an SPCC plan, but if fuel is

stored or transferred at a marina, even if only from

a portable gasoline container filled at a distant gas

station, being prepared to handle a spill is good

environmental practice.

Oil is defined in federal regulations to include

gasoline, diesel fuel, crude and refined oils, and

petroleum-derived products like turpentine.

Among the marine transportation-related facilities

considered to have the potential to cause “substantial harm” to the environment are “onshore

facilities capable of transferring oil to or from a

vessel with a capacity of 250 barrels or more and

deepwater ports.” A barrel of petroleum contains

42 gallons, so 250 barrels translates to 10,500

gallons.
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National Management Measures Guidance

Rules for underground storage tanks (USTs) and

UST systems (40 CFR Part 280) apply to all

owners and operators of UST systems, except as

noted in the regulations. Marinas with one or

more stationary fuel storage tanks, above or

below ground, with a combined storage capacity

of 1,100 gallons or more of petroleum products

are subject to federal and state bulk storage

regulations for registration, testing, monitoring,

replacement, reconditioning, closure, and/or

removal. Fuel storage is also subject to other

regulations, such as for occupational safety and

fire. To ensure compliance with all applicable

regulations, the state and local authorities should

be contacted. Underground tanks with a capacity

of 110 gallons or more are subject to federal

underground storage tank (UST) regulations. UST

regulations can be viewed on the EPA web site at

<www.epa.gov/swerust1/fedlaws/index.htm>.

The location and design of fueling facilities also

must meet applicable local, state, and federal

regulations.

Applicability

This management measure is applicable to new

and expanding marinas where fueling stations are

to be added or moved.

Best Management Practices

♦ Use automatic shutoffs on fuel lines and at

hose nozzles to reduce fuel loss.

A commercial fuel line shutoff can be located

between the fuel storage tank and the dockside

fuel pump. The shutoff automatically stops fuel

movement when the system senses passage of a

high volume of fuel through the line. The shutoff

can also be manually closed when the fuel dock is

not in operation or during emergencies. State and

local codes might require shutoffs in specific

locations.

Similarly, automatic shutoff fuel nozzles guard

against overfilling boat fuel tanks by automatically

stopping the flow of fuel from the pump. They are

an excellent way to guard against spillage where

marina patrons fill their own tanks. Fume return

lines can also be used on automatic shutoff

nozzles.

♦ Remove old-style fuel nozzle triggers that

are used to hold the nozzle open without

being held.

Old fuel nozzle triggers that hold the line open are

illegal in some states because they can result in

overfilling of fuel tanks and fuel loss out of air

vents. Most new fuel nozzles automatically shut

off when the tank fills. Check to see if the state

you are in requires their use.

♦ Install personal watercraft (PWC) floats at

fuel docks to help drivers refuel without

spilling.

Special docking facilities for PWCs can be

installed to stabilize them while they are at a fuel

dock (Figure 4-13). Docking PWCs while fueling

reduces fuel loss caused by the craft rocking on

the water while fueling. These docks have proven

popular with PWC operators and do reduce

spillage.

♦ Regularly inspect, maintain, and replace

fuel hoses, pipes, and tanks.

Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance is the

best source control for fuel loss from the fuel

storage and delivery system, and it is often less

costly than cleanup costs and fines levied for spills.

Many marinas are changing from underground

storage tanks (UST) to aboveground, lined tanks.

For EPA publications about USTs, call EPA’s

RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or

visit the EPA web site at <http://www.epa.gov/

swerrims/> (InformationServices link).

♦ Install a spill monitoring system

The U.S. Navy has designed a real-time monitoring system that can detect spilled crude and

petroleum-based products 24 hours a day in any

weather condition. The floating instrument detects

sheen as well as emulsion layers below the

surface, and it also determines the type of spill.

Either the instrument is hardwired or the data

from the instrument is telemetered to a base

station, where associated software distinguishes

between background levels and spills. The software can be set for continuous or discrete event

logging data storage, and if a spill is detected, the

base station automatically contacts authorities

until a response is made.
SECTION 4: Management Measures

4-47

♦ Train fuel dock staff in spill prevention,

containment, and cleanup procedures.

Marinas should have at least one key staff

member fully trained and certified in spill management, and this person should be designated to be

responsible for inspection, training, and control of

any spill. Hazardous materials response training,

such as 40-hour HAZWOPER training, is recommended. Contact the local agency responsible for

hazardous waste response or a fire department

for information. All staff members should know

the location of absorbent materials and how to use

them to remove the fuel immediately from the

water or ground. Regular practice drills ensure

that staff are familiar with the proper use of these

materials.

♦ Install easy-to-read signs on the fuel dock

that explain proper fueling, spill prevention,

and spill reporting procedures.

Most states and some federal agencies have

specific signage guidance. Signs with easy-tofollow instructions, perhaps using pictures, located

on or near fuel pumps and fuel delivery locations

can help expedite a cleanup if a spill occurs. It is

helpful to have signs that state the following

information:

• Step-by-step way to fuel a boat

• Requirements of the law and spill reporting

phone numbers

• Procedures to follow in the event of a spill

• Locations of absorbent materials

• Proper use and disposal of fuel-absorbent

materials

• Warnings against the use of detergents or

emulsifiers.

Spills should be immediately reported to either the

U.S. Coast Guard or EPA. The U.S. Coast Guard

is the lead response agency for spills in coastal

waters and deepwater ports, and EPA is the lead

response agency for spills that occur in inland

waters. Oil spills can be reported 24 hours a day

at 1-800-424-8802. On navigable waters, any oily

slick or sheen must be reported. More information

on laws and regulations related to spills can be

obtained at the U.S. Coast Guard web site:

<http://www.uscg.mil/>. EPA’s web site for oil

spill information is www.epa.gov/oilspill.

♦ Locate and design boat fueling stations so

that spills can be contained, such as with a

floating boom, and cleaned up easily.

A well-positioned and well-designed fueling

station allows for spill containment equipment,

such as booms, to be easily deployed to surround

a spill and any boats that may be tied to the fuel

dock if a spill occurs. Fuel storage tanks, the fuel

truck delivery area, and pipelines that deliver fuel

to the pump are also sites of potential spills.

Facilities that can be set back from the water

should be so placed, and spill prevention equipment located at all likely places where spills could

occur (such as at pipe junctions). Many marinas

are switching from underground fuel storage

tanks to aboveground tanks because the latter

make spill detection and control easier and the

capital costs are lower.

When a spill occurs at the boat fueling station,

there are three basic steps to take, which need to

Figure 4-13. Two PWC floating docks were installed

at Winter Yacht Basin, Inc. (New Jersey). The floats

are 4 feet by 10.5 feet and are connected to PVC

pipes to allow them to ride up and down with the

tide. Operators of PWCs can drive up onto the

platform, step off, and fill the tank from the dock.

The platform is stable enough to limit spilling during

fueling. This practice has also decreased conflict

between PWCs and larger boats at the fuel dock

and has increased fuel sales at the marina (USEPA,

1996: Clean Marinas—Clear Value).
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National Management Measures Guidance

be considered when planning or rebuilding a fuel

dock:

• Report the spill to the proper authorities (U.S.

Coast Guard, EPA, and the appropriate state

agency). Any spill can be reported by calling

the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Spill Response Hotline, 1-800-424-8802. Any petroleum spill onto the navigable waters of the

United States sufficient to cause a slick or

sheen on the water is a violation of section

311 of the Clean Water Act and must be

reported to the hotline.

• Contain the petroleum spill to prevent it from

spreading. Put a boom around and confine

diesel and other nonvolatile oils. The U.S.

Coast Guard recognizes that gasoline spills

pose an extreme explosion and fire threat and

recommends that small gasoline spills be

allowed to evaporate as quickly as possible

without a boom placed around them.

• Place materials on the water within the

contained spill area to absorb the petroleum.

If the spill is large, a commercial spill clean-up

contractor may be needed.

• Remove and dispose of the material at the

appropriate time. Contact the local spill

control authority, a fire department, or the

local U.S. Coast Guard for specific removal

and disposal guidance.

♦ Write and implement a fuel spill recovery

plan.

An SPCC plan is a first line of defense against

petroleum pollution and should be developed by all

marinas, whether required by regulations or not.

An example plan is appended to the Petroleum

Control Management Measure. An SPCC plan

should be written to apply to all locations in the

marina where fuel or oil is stored or transferred,

and it should clearly explain spill emergency

procedures, including health and safety, notification, and spill containment and control measures.

Marina personnel should be trained in spill containment and control practices. The plan should

address the following:

• Who: Clearly identify who is responsible for

taking what action. Action items will include

deploying the equipment and contacting the

emergency agencies and additional cleanup

services. The plan should contain a list,

updated periodically, of emergency phone

numbers to be used if a spill occurs. One

person on the marina staff should be designated the official spokesperson for the facility.

• What: Define what actions should be taken if

a fuel spill occurs and, based on likely threats,

what equipment should be deployed. Include

information on the type of spill equipment

available on-site and its characteristics and

capabilities. List emergency phone numbers

to be called, including the U.S. Coast Guard

and local fire department, when a spill is

discovered. Make sure dispersants are not

used on any spill.

• When: Clearly state when additional resources,

such as spill control services, should be called

for assistance. Plan when the marina’s spill

control equipment will be inspected and

replaced, if necessary. A maintenance schedule for the equipment and a training schedule

for staff should be established.

• Where: Show where the spill control material

is located in the facility. Make sure storage

lockers are clearly marked and easy to

access. Identify sources where additional spill

Cap Sante Boat Haven (Washington) uses

oil absorption booms anchored crosscurrent to capture floating oil. The booms

are changed twice a year. The marina also

uses about 800 oil absorption pads a year

at a cost of $200. Battery Park Marina

(Ohio) also uses an oil boom where the

fuel line joins the floating dock, in case the

connection leaks. These booms are

replaced every 6 months at a cost of $25

each. Cedar Island Marina (Connecticut)

keeps a pole with a small floating absorption boom attached at one end on its fuel

dock to be used quickly and effectively by

staff to sweep and mop the water surface if

any small spills occur during boat fueling

(USEPA, 1996: Clean Marinas— Clear

Value).
SECTION 4: Management Measures

4-49

response equipment can be obtained quickly if

necessary. Potential sources include commercial spill response companies, fire departments, or neighboring marinas that have fuel

spill response equipment. If a commercial fuel

spill response firm is to be used, establish a

prearranged agreement and cost estimates

with the firm.

• How: Explain how the spill control equipment

should be used and disposed of. To be sure that

marina personnel understand the response plan,

regularly conduct drills that simulate a fuel spill.

Evaluate the drill and share observa-tions with

all employees.

State and local regulations might have broader

applicability than federal regulations and might

even require an SPCC plan of any facility where

fuel is stored or transferred. Contact the appropriate state and local authorities to determine if the

facility needs to have a plan and for assistance in

preparing one.

An example of an oil spill response plan is contained in Appendix B. In order that it is clear what

type of information is to be entered for the plan,

the example is filled out with explanations of the

information to be filled in or as if it were for an

actual marina. Information specific to this fictitious marina is printed in Arial font. Where this

font occurs, the entries should be replaced with

information specific to the actual marina for

which the plan is being written, and the plan

should be updated as changes in procedure,

regulations, or the marina occur. Oil spill information is updated quarterly in EPA’s “Oil Spill

Program Update” on the Oil Program web site at

<www.epa.gov/oilspill>.

♦ Have spill containment equipment storage,

such as a locker attached or adjacent to

the fuel dock, easily accessible and clearly

marked.

Store the appropriate type and quantity of fuel

spill containment and control materials in a clearly

marked cabinet or locker that is easily and quickly

accessible at the fuel dock. The type and quantity

depend on the type of spill likely to occur and the

potential quantity of a spill. Place absorbent pads

and booms, a copy of the SPCC plan, and other

important petroleum spill equipment in the locker.

Effective fuel spill containment equipment is

readily available from commercial suppliers.

Booms can absorb up to 25 times their weight in

petroleum products and float even when they are

saturated. It’s best to have enough length of boom

to encircle the dock and the largest boat serviced,

or a length of boom about three times as long as

the longest boat serviced.

The following are examples of fuel/oil spill control

products currently available:

• Booms: Usually 10-foot floating sections that

interconnect to encircle the spill.

• Pads: Flat absorbent sheets that float; also

called diapers.

• Pillows: Short booms often used in bilge of

larger boats.

• Bilge sock: Small pillow for most boat bilges.

• Filter: Separates fuel from water.

• Bilge switch: Replaces float switch and shuts

off when floating fuel layer is reached.

BMP Summary Table 6 summarizes the BMPs

for Fueling Station Design mentioned in this

guidance.
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BMP Summary Table 6. (cont.) FUELING STATION DESIGN MANAGEMENT

contained, such as with a faster; reduces liability and environmental harm
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National Management Measures Guidance