EPA RMP — Risk Management Program
40 CFR Part 68; Clean Air Act Section 112(r) · Chemical Accident Prevention Regulation
At a Glance
The EPA program requiring covered facilities with regulated substances above threshold quantities to plan for chemical accident prevention and emergency response coordination.
What This Means for Firefighters
EPA's Risk Management Program is built around prevention and emergency preparedness at facilities that use extremely hazardous substances above threshold quantities. For firefighters, the value is in pre-incident planning. RMP facilities often involve chemicals such as chlorine, anhydrous ammonia, flammable gases, refinery materials, or large refrigeration inventories where a single release can drive evacuation, shelter-in-place, plume modeling, and multi-agency command decisions.
The RMP rule is not a fire department certification program, but it should influence the department's target hazard list. Covered facilities must analyze hazards, maintain prevention programs based on their risk category, coordinate emergency response planning, and update their RMP submissions on a recurring cycle. The department should know which facilities in its district are covered, what substances drive the risk, and how facility plans connect with dispatch, LEPC, hazmat team, law enforcement, EMS, and public warning systems.
Fireground Impact
- RMP facilities should trigger early command expansion, hazmat notification, public protective action planning, and facility technical contact involvement.
- Worst-case and alternative release planning can help departments understand the scale of potential downwind consequences before the incident happens.
- RMP data should be treated as preplan intelligence, not as a substitute for live monitoring, weather, plume behavior, or current facility conditions.
Department Impact
- Maintain a current list of RMP-covered facilities and the regulated substances that place them in the program.
- Coordinate walkthroughs, tabletop exercises, and emergency contact updates with facility management and the LEPC.
- Build response plans around notification, isolation, evacuation or shelter-in-place decision points, access routes, water supply, and plume modeling support.
Key Requirements
- Hazard assessment for covered substances and release scenarios
- Program-level prevention requirements based on facility risk category
- Emergency response coordination and planning where applicable
- Five-year accident history reporting
- RMP submission, revision, and resubmission requirements
Who Must Comply
- Facilities with regulated toxic or flammable substances above threshold quantities
- Chemical manufacturing, petroleum, ammonia refrigeration, water treatment, wastewater, and agricultural chemical sites
- Fire departments and LEPCs that use RMP information for pre-incident planning
- Emergency managers coordinating off-site protective action planning
Records to Keep
- RMP facility list with emergency contacts and regulated substances
- Preplan notes, maps, access points, valve/control locations, and water supply limitations
- Exercise records with facility representatives, LEPC, dispatch, law enforcement, EMS, and public information functions
Source Notes
- EPA states that the RMP rule implements Clean Air Act Section 112(r) to improve chemical accident prevention at facilities.
- EPA notes that regulated facilities revise and resubmit RMPs every five years.
Compliance Checklist
Practical steps for working toward EPA RMP compliance. General guidance — verify against the official source for your jurisdiction.
- Identify which RMP facilities are in your response area
- Verify facility emergency contacts and after-hours access procedures
- Review regulated substances, threshold quantities, storage locations, and release scenario planning
- Coordinate RMP information with Tier II, preplans, dispatch CAD notes, and hazmat team response plans
- Exercise public protective action decisions before a real release occurs
Common Misunderstandings
- RMP coverage is based on regulated substances and threshold quantities, not simply whether a facility feels dangerous.
- Detailed RMP information may have access limits for security reasons; departments often work through facility contacts, LEPCs, and official access channels.
- An RMP plan is not a live plume model. Conditions at the incident still control tactical and protective action decisions.
Official Sources
Always confirm current text and applicability with the official source — this page is a training summary, not legal advice.