What Customers Should Expect

Whenever you contact the Agency, you should expect:

Good listeners...

listen with patience to clearly identify your needs and to ensure that EPA understands your message.
be accessible through many communication channels including the Internet, hot lines, information and assistance centers, phone and address locators, and telephone directories.
ask for your input through surveys and other feedback mechanisms.

Quick responses...

respond to your phone calls by the end of the next business day.
have current voice mail messages so you can know when to expect a response or who to call for faster help.
respond to all correspondence within 10 business days.
provide accurate information in a professional manner.
talk and write in plain English.

Accessible information...

make information accessible to the public in a variety of formats so you can select what works best for you - documents, fact sheets, on Internet, via fax, in EPA newsletters, booklets and brochures, at meetings/workshops/conferences, at drop-in centers, and more.
provide clear, timely, and accurate information.

Collaboration...

work with our partners to improve products, processes, and services.
seek help from our partners (traditional co-implementors of environmental protection such as other regulators, and our newer partners - industries, small businesses, and communities).
work with partners to try find common ground and together set goals to achieve better public health and environmental protection.

Involvement...

involve customers and use their ideas and input.
use a variety of techniques such as comment cards, focus groups, interviews, Internet feedback, surveys, meetings, and more to find out what people are thinking about EPA's services.
inform stakeholders early about policy issues that affect them.
to be recognized and publicly acknowledged for your success in voluntary programs.
provide opportunities for customers to be included in environmental decision making.

In all we do, we will act responsibly and take responsibility for being problem solvers.

When you contact the Agency concerning activity relating to the eight core processes, you should expect:

Public Access

EPA to be accountable for a satisfactory response mechanism (contact names, telephone numbers, or email addresses).
a telephone response by the close of the next business day if you called.
a written response (mail, fax or electronic) within 10 days of the receipt of your letter.
one address www.epa.gov to be a gateway to all EPA information on the Internet.
descriptions of electronic data (source & know quality of data).
We will ensure that our web site complies with requirements for accessibility.

Research Grants

Requests For Proposals to include a tentative timetable for the selection process.
notice of receipt of your proposal no more than 15 days after the cut off date for receipt.
if your application is complete and approved, your assistance agreement to be issued within 60 days.
requests for grant amendments to be processed within 28 days of receipt - if approved.

Permits

Pesticide Regulations

Partnership Programs

accurate, reliable information on products & services.
your inquiry to be referred to right office.
expeditious responses.
to be recognized and publicly acknowledged for your success in voluntary programs.
streamlined customer reporting requirements.

Enforcement Inspections & Compliance Assistance

compliance assistance field representatives to provide timely assistance, referrals and be technically knowledgeable.
compliance assistance tools that are responsive to your needs.
information to be made available through intermediaries and to be involved in the development of compliance assistance tools.
inspectors to be professional, courteous, technically knowledgeable, with appropriate understanding of federal requirements and agency compliance and enforcement policies.

Rulemaking Standards

opportunities to provide input into rule development.
plain English explanations of regulations and the problems they are designed to address.
ability to work and communicate with EPA.

State, Tribal, and Local Program Grants

your paperwork to be reduced by 25% through such activities such as consolidation of application and reporting requirements, electronic transfer, and multi-year grants.
acknowledgment that your grant application was received within 10 working days.
for established grant programs, expect EPA to award grants funds within 90 days after receipt of a complete grant application (provided that the responsible EPA office has received funding authorization).
EPA staff to consult with you, in a timely manner, throughout the development of all major grants policy and guidance documents.