&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (2201 A)
EPA 300-F-07-003 October 2007
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
INFORMATION SHEET
U. S. EPA Small Business Resources
If you own a small business, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers
a variety of compliance assistance resources such as workshops, training sessions, hotlines,
websites, and guides to assist you in complying with federal and state environmental laws. These
resources can help you understand your environmental obligations, improve compliance, and find cost-
effective ways to com ply through the use of pollution prevention and other innovative technologies.
Compliance Assistance Centers
(www.assistancecenters.net)
In partnership with industry, universities, and otherfederal
and state agencies, EPA has established Compliance
Assistance Centers that provide information targeted to
industries with many small businesses.
Agriculture
(www.epa.gov/agriculture or 1-888-663-2155)
Automotive Recycling Industry
(www.ecarcenter.org)
Automotive Service and Repair
(www.ccar-greenlink.org or 1-888-GRN-LINK)
Chemical Industry
(www.chemalliance.org)
Construction Industry
(www.cicacenter.org or 1-734-995-4911)
Education
(www.campuserc.org)
Healthcare Industry
(www.hercenter.org or 1-734-995-4911)
Metal Finishing
(www.nmfrc.org or 1-734-995-4911)
Paints and Coatings
(www.paintcenter.org or 1-734-995-4911)
Printed Wiring Board Manufacturing
(www.pwbrc.org or 1-734-995-4911)
Printing
(www.pneac.org or 1-888-USPNEAC)
Transportation Industry
(www.transource.org)
Tribal Governments and Indian Country
(www.epa.gov/tribal/compliance or 202--564-2516)
US Border Environmental Issues
(www.bordercenter.org or 1-734-995-4911)
The Centers also provide State Resource Locators
(www.envcap.org/statetools/index.cfm) for a wide range of
topics to help you find important environmental compliance
information specific to your state.
EPA Websites
EPA has several Internet sites that provide useful compli-
ance assistance information and materials for small
businesses. If you don't have access to the Internet at
your business, many public libraries provide access to the
Internet at minimal or no cost.
EPA's Home Page
www.epa.gov
Small Business Gateway
www.epa.gov/smallbusiness
Compliance Assistance Home Page
www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
www.epa.gov/compliance
Voluntary Partnership Programs
www.epa.gov/partners
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance: http://www.epa.gov/compliance
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Soy/Canola ink on paper that contains at least 30% post consumer fiber
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U.S. EPA SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES
Hotlines, Helplines & Clearinghouses
(www.epa.gov/epahome/hotline.htm)
EPA sponsors many free hotlines and clearinghouses that
provide convenient assistance regarding environmental
requirements. A few examples are listed below:
Clean Air Technology Center
(vwwv.epa.gov/ttn/catc or 1-919-541-0800)
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act
(vwvw.epa.gov/superfund/resources/infocenter/epcra.htm or
1-800-424-9346)
EPA's Small Business Ombudsman Hotline provides
regulatory and technical assistance information.
(www.epa.gov/sbo or 1-800-368-5888)
The National Environmental Compliance Assistance
Clearinghouse provides quick access to compliance assis-
tance tools, contacts, and planned activities from the U.S.
EPA, states, and other compliance assistance providers
(www.epa.gov/clearinghouse)
National Response Center to report oil and hazardous
substance spills.
(www.nrc.uscg.mil or 1-800-424-8802)
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
(www.epa.gov/opptintr/ppic or 1-202-566-0799)
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(www.epa.gov/safewater/hotline/index.html or 1-800-426-4791)
Stratospheric Ozone Refrigerants Information
(www.epa.gov/ozone or 1-800-296-1996)
Toxics Assistance Information Service also includes asbestos
inquiries.
(1-202-554-1404)
Wetlands Helpline
(www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/wetline.html or 1-800-832-7828)
State Agencies
Many state agencies have established compliance assis-
tance programs that provide on-site and other types of
assistance. Contact your local state environmental agency
for more information or the following two resources:
EPA's Small Business Ombudsman
(www.epa.gov/sbo or 1-800-368-5888)
Small Business Environmental Homepage
(www.smallbiz-enviroweb.org or 1-724-452-4722)
Compliance Incentives
EPA provides incentives for environmental compliance. By
participating in compliance assistance programs or
voluntarily disclosing and promptly correcting violations
before an enforcement action has been initiated,
businesses may be eligible for penalty waivers or reductions.
EPA has two policies that potentially apply to small
businesses:
The Small Business Compliance Policy
(www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/smallbusiness)
Audit Policy
(www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing)
Commenting on Federal Enforcement
Actions and Compliance Activities
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
(SBREFA) established an SBA Ombudsman and 10 Regional
Fairness Boards to receive comments from small businesses
about federal agency enforcement actions. If you believe that
you fall within the Small Business Administration's definition
of a small business (based on your North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) designation, number of
employees, or annual receipts, defined at 13 C.F.R. 121.201;
in most cases, this means a business with 500 or fewer
employees), and wish to comment on federal enforcement
and compliance activities, call the SBREFA Ombudsman's
toll-free number at 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247).
Every small business that is the subject of an enforcement
or compliance action is entitled to comment on the
Agency's actions without fear of retaliation. EPA
employees are prohibited from using enforcement or any
other means of retaliation against any member of the
regulated community in response to comments made under
SBREFA.
Your Duty to Comply
If you receive compliance assistance or submit comments
to the SBREFA Ombudsman or Regional Fairness Boards,
you still have the duty to comply with the law, including
providing timely responses to EPA information requests,
administrative or civil complaints, other enforcement
actions or communications. The assistance information
and comment processes do not give you any new rights or
defenses in any enforcement action. These processes
also do not affect EPA's obligation to protect public health
orthe environment under any of the environmental statutes
it enforces, including the right to take emergency remedial
or emergency response actions when appropriate. Those
decisions will be based on the facts in each situation. The
SBREFA Ombudsman and Fairness Boards do not
participate in resolving EPA's enforcement actions. Also,
remember that to preserve your rights, you need to comply
with all rules governing the enforcement process.
EPA is disseminating this information to you
without making a determination that your business
or organization is a small business as defined by
Section 222 of the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act or related provisions.
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