When are notifications required?
NIH campus facilities house unique research laboratories which utilize products that can pose an adverse threat to natural environmental elements such as air, water, and soil. The following trigger mandatory notifications based on regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires reporting of particulate matter and emissions as prescribed in the Clean Air Act (CAA) to state and federal regulators as indicated in NIH operating permits. This includes accidental, or intentional, release of fossil fuels, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), compressed gases to the atmosphere, and exhaust from engines.
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NIH receives water from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) at the Bethesda campus and through water wells at the Animal Center in Poolesville, MD. Because the Animal Center in Poolesville produces its own water, it is a regulated water system and required to perform drinking water sampling per the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The results of these water samples are reported to the State based on a monitoring schedule decided by MDE. The SDWA requires water suppliers to provide public notice when there are problems with drinking water. The WSSC will issue notifications to the population on the Bethesda campus. NIH has sole ownership and responsibility for drinking water at the Animal Center and appropriately notifies the users as required by the SDWA.
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Contact Emergency Services if:
a) a flammable liquid (e.g., gasoline) is discharged onto an unpaved surface
b) a combustible liquid (e.g., diesel) is discharged onto a paved solid surface
c) Discharge threatens public health, welfare or the environment.
d) Discharge produces a sheen on water and/or threatens navigable waters. For example, an unknown substance enters a storm drain.
Report the following circumstance to MDE immediately, but not later than 2 hours after discovery:
a) Evidence of a spill, release, or discharge of oil;
b) Evidence of a spill, release, or discharge of a regulated substance from a UST system;
c) A release detection method, monitoring results, or investigation of an alarm indicates that a spill, release, or discharge may have occurred;
d) Investigation of an inventory variation reveals a leak;
e) A storage tank system is determined to have a leak;
f) Visual detection of free product.
Other relevant information to report to MDE:
a) Time and date of the spill.
b) Location of the spill.
c) Type and quantity of oil spilled, and the cause of substance spilled.
d) Contact information of the reporter, such as name, address, and phone number.
Call MDE at (410) 573-3442 or MDE’s 24-hour emergency response line at (866) 633-4686.