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Frequently Asked Questions
General Compliance Assistance Questions
- What does the term compliance assistance mean?
- What does the term sector mean?
- Where can I find information about the environmental requirements that apply to businesses, facilities, and sectors?
- I am a small business owner, I need help understanding what EPA regulations apply to me and how I can comply. What do I do?
- How does EPA measure the results or impact of compliance assistance programs or activities?
- What is the National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse and how can it help me?
- What's the quickest way to learn about new compliance assistance products or tools that EPA is producing?
Agricultural Compliance Assistance Frequently Asked Questions
- Pesticide Security: Is your pesticide facility secure?
- Where can I find information about topics related to agriculture?
1. What does the term compliance assistance mean?
Compliance assistance is defined as activities or information that helps stakeholders understand their regulatory obligations for new and existing federal environmental regulations. Typically, EPA compliance assistance program is grouped into four general categories: (1) tools; (2) trainings and presentations, (3) Internet Web sites and telephone hotlines; and (4) on-site visits.
EPA's uses the following definition of compliance assistance:
Compliance assistance includes activities, tools or technical assistance that provides clear and consistent information for: 1) helping the regulated community understand and meet its obligations under environmental regulations; or 2) compliance assistance providers to aid the regulated community in complying with environmental regulations. Compliance assistance may also help the regulated community find cost-effective ways to comply with regulations and/or go "beyond compliance" through the use of pollution prevention, environmental management practices, and innovative technologies, thus improving their environmental performance. To be categorized as a compliance assistance project or activity, at least one objective must be related to achieving or advancing regulatory compliance.
You should visit the following Internet Web sites for additional information: National Compliance Assistance Centers, Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse, EPA Hotlines, and EPA Compliance Assistance Homepage.
2. What does the term sector mean?
A sector is a distinct part of the economy that shares common elements and environmental problems and either distributes goods or performs services. Sectors are broadly defined — construction, manufacturing or agriculture — or more narrowly defined — residential construction, automobile assemble or poultry production. Individual sectors frequently share information through trade associations, local chamber of commerces, and professional organizations.
EPA often provides compliance assistance on a sector-by-sector basis because of the shared environmental problems and communication channels. Sector-specific compliance assistance materials include industry profiles or "Notebooks" and web-based compliance assistance centers. You can find sector-based compliance assistance information at National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse.
3. Where can I find information about the environmental requirements that apply to businesses, facilities, and sectors?
EPA offers a wealth of information about the environmental requirements that apply to businesses, facilities, and sectors. The on-line resources of the Compliance Assistance Centers and the National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse are a good place to start. A wealth of environmental information is also available through a series of sector-specific "Notebooks."
The Centers offer easy-to-understand information and address real-world issues for ten business and government sectors. Through a partnership with EPA and its stakeholders, the Centers can help businesses, local governments, and federal facilities understand federal environmental requirements and save money through pollution prevention techniques.
The Clearinghouse is a web site that provides links to both private and public compliance assistance materials. Clearinghouse users gain immediate access to materials by topic, names of experts, and the ability to tell EPA their compliance assistance needs.
The Notebooks offer holistic, whole-facility compliance information. This is accomplished by integrating information on manufacturing processes, inputs of raw materials and pollution outputs, applicable regulations, and other relevant environmental and pollution prevention information.
Together the Centers, Clearinghouse, and Sector Notebooks are your resources for material on the environmental regulations that may apply to you.
4. I am a small business owner. I need help understanding what EPA regulations apply to me and how I can comply. What do I do?
EPA provides multiple services to assist small businesses understand EPA regulations and how to comply.
- The Small Business Home Page is your gateway to environmental information and contacts. This gateway can answer your questions and provide the names of people to contact for additional information.
- The National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse provides an extensive collection of compliance assistance materials and EPA and contacts. An extensive listing of EPA resources for small businesses is also available through the Clearinghouse.
- You can also find information directly from experts through a variety of telephone "hotlines").
- A Small Business Ombudsman can help you access EPA and facilitates communication with the Agency. The Ombudsman reviews and resolves disputes with EPA and works with EPA personnel to increase their understanding of small businesses in the development and enforcement of environmental regulations. You can contact the Small Business Ombudsman Help line at 1-800-368-5888.
5. How does EPA measure the results or impact of compliance assistance programs or activities?
EPA continually evaluates the results of the compliance assistance program. The program is evaluated in three broad areas: 1) awareness and understanding and regulatory requirements; 2) changes the regulatory community makes to improve environmental performance; and 3) direct reduction of emissions or discharges. Multiple methods are used to conduct these evaluations, including, phoned interviews, pre and post-tests for workshops and trainings, on-site revisits, and Internet posted and e-mailed surveys.
6. What is the National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse and how can it help me?
The National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse is a web site that provides links to both private and public compliance assistance materials. Clearinghouse users gain immediate access to materials by topic, names of experts, and the ability to tell EPA their compliance assistance needs. Developed jointly by EPA, states, and other stakeholders, the Clearinghouse also allows you to communication with your colleagues, add your compliance assistance tools to the Clearinghouse, and integrate Clearinghouse material into your Web site.
7. What's the quickest way to learn about new compliance assistance products or tools that EPA is producing?
The Compliance Assistance Activity Plan PDF 535Kis an annual effort to compile a comprehensive inventory of on-going and new planned compliance assistance activities throughout EPA. The Plan is designed to assist compliance assistance providers use resources more efficiently by (1) identifying opportunities for partnerships; (2) identifying gaps where compliance assistance needs are not being met; (3) coordinate similar efforts; and (4) avoid duplication of resources. The Plan allows compliance assistance providers, trade associations, regulated facilities, and the public to anticipate what compliance assistance will be available to them for each upcoming year.
The Plan is also available on the National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse.
Agricultural Compliance Assistance Frequently Asked Questions
1. Pesticide Security: Is your pesticide facility secure?
In light of recent terrorist events, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging all pesticide industry organizations and facilities to review existing security measures. As a precaution during this heightened state of alert, EPA is reaching out to those who manufacture, reformulate, sell, distribute, transport, store, or apply (aerially or by ground equipment) hazardous pesticides, urging everyone to be especially vigilant regarding the physical security of those pesticides and the equipment used in their application. The Office of Pesticide Programs has prepared a summary which has been tailored to the pesticide industry of the Chemical Safety Alert published by the EPA in February 2000.
For transporters, Department of Transportation
has produced a separate advisory which is available by contacting DOT at 202-366-6525.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Tips and Public Leads requests that you expeditiously report any threats or suspicious behavior to your local FBI field office.
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Pesticide Programs Communications Services Branch at 703-305-5017.
2.Where can I find information about topics related to agriculture?
The National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center (Ag Center) serves as the "first stop" for people in the agricultural community who need information on compliance with environmental regulations. With the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Ag Center offers comprehensive, easy-to-understand information about approaches to compliance that are both environmentally protective and agriculturally sound.
Growers, livestock producers, other agribusinesses, and agricultural information/ education providers can access the Center's resources easily—through a toll-free telephone line (1-888-663-2155), fax, mail, and the Internet. USDA and other agencies provide educational and technical information on agricultural production, but assistance in complying with environmental requirements has not been as readily accessible. The Ag Center is working with USDA and other federal and state agencies to provide the agricultural community with a definitive source for federal environmental compliance information.
Compliance Assistance
Information Resources