Development of a national spill test facility data base. Topical report, February 1994--February 1995

In the United States, the production of gas, liquid and solid fuels and the associated chemical use accounts for significant volumes of material with the potential of becoming hazardous. Accidental spills or releases of these hazardous materials do occur, and action must be taken to minimize damage to life, property, and the environment. Because of the hazards of testing with chemical spills, a national spill test facility (STF) and an associated testing program have been established to systematically develop new data on the effects and mitigation of hazardous chemical spills Western Research Institute (WRI), in conjunction with the DOE, is developing a comprehensive national spill test data base. I The data base will be easily accessible by industry and the public on the Spill Research Bulletin Board System and will allow users to download spill test data and test descriptions, as well as an extensive bibliography. The 1990 Clean Air Act and Amendments (CAAA) requires that at least two chemicals be field tested at the STF and at least 10 chemicals be studied each year. The chemicals to be studied are chosen with priority given to those that present the greatest risk to human health. The National Spill Test Facility Data Base will include a common chemical data base covering the overlap of federal chemical lists and significant information from other sources. Also, the (CAAA) directs the DOE and EPA to work together with the STF and industry to provide a scientific and engineering basis for writing regulations for implementation of the (CAAA). The data base will be a primary resource in this effort