Pollution Prevention

FAQ
 
This page contains a downloadable FAQ that addresses all questions P2 Plan - including whether or not P2 Plans affect VRP eligibility, whether DEQ reviews and approves P2 Plans, and what steps are involved in the P2 Plan submission process.

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Media Links

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P2 Interactive Tool Box

Click here to access the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) Interactive Toolbox for help in developing Pollution Prevention Plans (P2 Plans).  

Currently this tool is not available.

Rule Adoption Information

This page contains a variety of useful documents regarding P2 Plan rule adoption information and procedures. 

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Why is the P2 Plan Rule Important?

Without the implementation of P2 activities after the effective date, owners/operations whose businesses store/generate/create contaminants will not be eligible to take advantage of the VRP and voluntarily cleanup contaminants.

The important benefits of the VRP (benefits that are not available through any other DEQ program) that are not accessible unless you implement the P2 Plan include the following:

  • Issuance of liability assurances after successful site cleanup
  • The possibility of calculating site-specific soil cleanup levels
  • The ability to petition for a Use Control Area, under certain circumstances.

All of these benefits are tremendously useful for site cleanup and restoration.


How can the P2 Plan Rules Benefit Your Business?

The P2 Plan Rules help prevent accidental releases of contaminants, which can have the following postiive outcomes:

  • Save money by not wasting materials
  • Save money that would otherwise be spent cleaning up the resulting contamination that can occur to soils, surface water and groundwater on your property or your neighbor's property - this can be VERY expensive and take months to years to accomplish
  • Prevent exposing employees and the public to the potentially harmful health effects resulting from contact with certain spilled chemicals      

Related Programs

The Pollution Prevention (P2) Plan exists to help prevent the release of dangerous pollutants and toxins, preserving the quality of Wyoming’s environment for its citizens and wildlife. 

During the creation of the Wyoming Voluntary Remediation Program, the Wyoming Legislature recognized the need for facility owners and operators to do everything possible to prevent contaminants from being released to the environment. As a result, in order to encourage pollution prevention activities, the Legislature added the requirement that facilities must implement a written P2 Plan, or “alternative minimum pollution prevention operating standards,” to be eligible for VRP participation.

To learn about why the P2 Plan Rule is important to Wyoming, and how it can benefit your business or organization, click below.

Why is the P2 Plan Rule Important?

Without the implementation of P2 activities after the effective date, owners/operations whose businesses store/generate/create contaminants will not be eligible to take advantage of the VRP and voluntarily cleanup contaminants.

The important benefits of the VRP (benefits that are not available through any other DEQ program) that are not accessible unless you implement the P2 Plan include the following:

  • Issuance of liability assurances after successful site cleanup
  • The possibility of calculating site-specific soil cleanup levels
  • The ability to petition for a Use Control Area, under certain circumstances.

All of these benefits are tremendously useful for site cleanup and restoration.


How can the P2 Plan Rules Benefit Your Business?

The P2 Plan Rules help prevent accidental releases of contaminants, which can have the following postiive outcomes:

  • Save money by not wasting materials
  • Save money that would otherwise be spent cleaning up the resulting contamination that can occur to soils, surface water and groundwater on your property or your neighbor's property - this can be VERY expensive and take months to years to accomplish
  • Prevent exposing employees and the public to the potentially harmful health effects resulting from contact with certain spilled chemicals      

What Constitutes the P2 Plan?

The P2 Plan Rule establishes two categories of “facilities,” each with a different level of required P2 Plan documentation as a condition of VRP eligibility. 

  • Large quantity generators (LQGs) of hazardous waste, regulated under Chapter 8 of the Wyoming Hazardous Waste Management Rules and Regulations
  • Required to have a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan

  • Required to have a DOT Response Plan or Emergency Response Plan

  • Subject to EPA's "Toxic Chemical Release Reporting" requirements

  • Regulated under Chapters 10 or 11 of the Wyoming Hazardous Waste Management Rules and Regulations (as an interim status or permitted waste treatment, storage or disposal facilities)

  • Regulated by the DEQ's Storage Tank Program (STP); VRP eligibility is applicable only for releases from sources other than the regulated tanks

To be considered for participation in the VRP, these Category 1 facilities will be required to be implementing a formal, written P2 Plan in accordance with the time frames established in the P2 Plan Rule.

  • Any other site or facility - storing, using or generating contaminants - that does not meet the threshold classifications listed in the Category 1 section above

To be considered for participation in the VRP, these Category 2 facilities must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the DEQ Administrator that they are implementing the alternative minimum pollution prevention operating standards (described in the rule) in accordance with the time frames established in the P2 Plan Rule.