Frequent Questions

How do I order an EPA publication?
You can order a document using the electronic shopping cart, using the publications ordering phone service, by fax or mail. Complete instructions and information are available at: http://www.epa.gov/nscep/ordering.html#order

I'm having difficulty ordering documents. Now what? Shopping cart instructions (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/ordering.html#order) are available. You may be having difficulties using the order features because you do not have Cookies enabled on your web browser. Publication descriptions can be viewed and searched without Cookies enabled. However, in order to use the online Shopping Cart features, you must have cookies enabled in your web browser. See EPA’s web site cookies and cookie policy (http://www.epa.gov/eimdweb1/docs/cookiepolicy.html) for more information.

Who do I contact for help using this site?
- For assistance ordering publications, call 1-800-490-9198. Speak to an operator Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM, E.S.T. Leave an order 24-hours a day.
- For help with NSCEP/NEPIS web page related questions contact NSCEP/NEPIS Technical Support (nscep_nepis.tech@epa.gov).

I can't find my document in the catalog - now what? If the document is not available in paper copy and you cannot locate the on-line copy through the NSCEP database, please contact the National Technical Information Service, NTIS (http://www.ntis.gov) .

Is there a charge for my document? There is no charge for in-stock, paper publications provided by the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP). Copies of out of stock publications obtained through the National Technical Information Service (http://www.ntis.gov), or other government document repositories may charge a fee.

Where do I put my charge card information? There is no charge for publications by the National Service Center for Environmental Publications. Please do not forward credit card information. The NSCEP does not accept credit cards.

I need my document immediately. Can I get expedited shipment? Yes, we can send your order FedEx if you provide your Federal Express account number at the time you place your order. You can contact the NSCEP at 1-800-490-9198 between the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday, to place your order and provide account information to an operator. You can fax a copy of the order form with your account information to 301-604-3408, 24/7. Your order will be processed the first business day after receipt. Please include your phone number so that the operator can verify your account number and continue processing your request.

My Shopping Cart doesn't work. What's wrong?
You must have cookies and JavaScript enabled in your web browser to use the online Shopping Cart features of NSCEP.
Enabling JavaScript and cookies (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/enable_javascript_cookies.html)

I added items to my shopping cart but when I went back to it, it was empty. Was my order placed? Ensure you have selected the title and checked the box before going into the “shopping cart” function. If you continue to have problems, please contact the NSCEP at 1-800-490-9198.

How do I know that my order was received? Upon completion of your order, you should receive a confirmation/tracking number. If you do not see the number displayed on a thank you screen, your order was not processed. Please resubmit your information. If you continue having difficulties, please contact the NSCEP at 1-800-490-9198.

How many titles may I order? Routinely, you may order one copy each of up to five titles within a two week period. If you have a need for multiple copies, please contact the NSCEP at 1-800-490-9198 during the normal business hours of Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.

Are documents available online? In many instances, your documents will be available on line through the NSCEP’s electronic repository. Please go to the homepage and conduct a digital search to view over 23,000 full text titles in the on-line database. Selected documents are also available through individual program/regional web pages at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/publications2.htm

I'm having problems accessing the electronic documents in the electronic repository. Is there help available? Please refer to the Help page, (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/reference.html) for assistance. If you cannot resolve the problem and/or need more assistance , please forward the nature of your technical difficulties to Contact Us (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/comments.html#cont_form). You will receive a response within one business day.

How do I download or print one page or selected pages from the electronic database/repository? Save and/or print individual pages via your browser. Please refer to the help section (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/reference.html) if you require assistance. For printing larger segments of a document, it is recommended that you download in “PDF” format and use the PDF reader to select what pages to print. If you experience difficulties it may be because your bandwidth is insufficient. If this is the case, you may wish to print or download your document in smaller sections.

Are there paper copies of the on-line documents available to order? To confirm if a printed document is available, please contact the National Service Center for Environmental Publications, (NSCEP) directly (1-800-490-9198) or search the catalog. If the document is not available from the NSCEP, you can contact the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) (http://www.ntis.gov). The NTIS charges a nominal fee for copies of its publications.

I live outside of the United States. May I still order from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications? There are no restrictions on international orders. Please expect a delay in receiving your order as deliveries can take up to 10 weeks in some locations. Please feel free to place your order electronically at Ordering (http://www.epa.gov/nscep/ordering.html). You can also fax your order to 301-604-3408, or post your order to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/NSCEP, P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA 45242-2419.