2009 EPCRA Compliance Assistance Workshops
EPA New England will be conducting Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know ACt (EPCRA) Compliance Assistance Workshops throughout New England during May 2009 and June 2009. These free Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Compliance Assistance Workshops will cover important changes for 2008 reporting and using TRI-ME WEB. More information » |
EPA has finalized several changes to the EPCRA regulations for Emergency Planning (Section 320), Emergency Release Notification (Section 304) and Hazardous Chemical Reporting (Sections 311 and 312) that become effective on December 3, 2008. These changes include clarification on how to report hazardous chemicals in mixtures, and changes to Tier I and Tier II forms. Facilities subject to EPCRA reporting, SERCs, LEPCs, and local fire departments should become familiar with the changes. More information » |
Colleges
and Universities Site Security Awareness (PDF)
(4
pp., 230 KB, about
PDF)
Newsletter on security matters that may impact
your campus and your community |
Industry Security Awareness (PDF) (2 pp., 392 KB, about
PDF)
This
bulletin provides security suggestions and
increases awareness on security matters. |
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The
EPCRA Team, by building partnerships, serves, assists,
and empowers "the community" to prepare
and implement emergency planning and pollution prevention,
and provide access to every individual's "right-to-know."
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act (EPCRA) of 1986 establishes requirements for Federal,
State and local governments and industry regarding emergency
planning and "Community Right-to-Know" reporting
on hazardous and toxic chemicals. This law builds on
numerous Federal, State and local programs aimed at
helping communities to better meet their responsibilities
in regard to potential chemical emergencies. The Right-to-Know
provisions help to increase the public's knowledge and
access to information on the presence of hazardous chemicals
in their communities and releases of these chemicals
into the environment. Through this mechanism States
and communities, working with facilities, will be better
able to improve chemical safety and protect public health
and the environment.
Among the key provisions of EPCRA, Sections 311 and
312 require annual submission of chemical inventory
data (known as Tier II reports) by facilities to state
and local planning officials for incorporation into
ongoing emergency planning. Section 313 requires facilities
to quantify and submit annual releases of certain chemicals
for incorporation into a national data base known as
the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The primary purpose
of the TRI reporting requirement is to assist in research
and development of regulations, guidelines and standards
relating to routine discharges of chemical materials.
Tier II data is available to the public through local
emergency planning committees (LEPC); TRI data can be
accessed through the TRI web site of EPA's
Office of Environmental Information.
A comprehensive picture of Federal and State EPCRA activity
can be found at the web site of EPA's
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office.
Although EPCRA is a federal requirement, its output--development
of comprehensive emergency plans and availability of
chemical inventory and release data--is largely implemented
at the state and local level, notably those provisions
dealing with emergency planning. |