A spill of 20,000 gallons occurs in inland waters. What class is it?

A spill of 20,000 gallons occurs in inland waters. What class is it?

• A. MAJOR
• B. MINOR
• C. MEDIUM
• D. CRITICAL

Answer: (A)

A spill is classified by how large it is and the potential impact on the environment and public safety. Twenty thousand gallons in inland waters is well beyond what local resources can typically handle and poses substantial risk to water quality, aquatic life, and drinking water supplies, plus the need for coordinated, multi-agency response. That combination of high volume and significant ecological and public health risk places it in the major category. Smaller spills would be manageable with local resources and limited disruption (minor), while an even more extreme, catastrophic scenario would fall under a critical designation.

A spill is classified by how large it is and the potential impact on the environment and public safety. Twenty thousand gallons in inland waters is well beyond what local resources can typically handle and poses substantial risk to water quality, aquatic life, and drinking water supplies, plus the need for coordinated, multi-agency response. That combination of high volume and significant ecological and public health risk places it in the major category. Smaller spills would be manageable with local resources and limited disruption (minor), while an even more extreme, catastrophic scenario would fall under a critical designation.