ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
EJ in New England
EPCRA
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Emergency Planning Community
Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
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U.S. EPA | ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT EPA NEW ENGLAND
EPA NEW ENGLAND'S ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE PROGRAM works to protect all people, regardless
of race, color, national origin or income, from environmental harms and
risks, and to involve all citizens in making decisions that affect their
environment. The program is designed to achieve environmental and public
health improvements for communities disproportionately burdened by the
impacts of pollution.
INTRO:
EPA New England's EPCRA Team, in partnership with local community officials, helps to assist and empower
"the community" in preparing and implementing the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the
Pollution Prevention Act. EPCRA is a powerful tool for protecting and alerting communities, and providing citizens access
to information on chemicals within their community. The region's EPCRA team works with a variety of private and public
entities to plan, prepare, and prevent chemical accidents and releases. The team assists industries in their annual chemical
inventory reporting requirements and facilities in their toxic chemical release and waste management reporting. They also
assist state and local agencies in developing and implementing preparedness and emergency response plans, and providing
individuals with "right-to-know" information about toxic and hazardous chemicals in their communities.
OVERVIEW:
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act of 1986 establishes requirements for federal, state
and local governments, Indian Tribes, and industry
regarding emergency planning and "Community Right-to-
Know" reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The
Community Right-to-Know provisions help increase the
public's knowledge and access to information to chemical
information found at individual facilities, their uses, and
releases into the environment. Information from these
provisions will help states and communities develop a
broad perspective of chemical hazards and toxics for
the entire community, aiding in the protection of public
health and the environment.
Among the key provisions of EPCRA, Sections 311 and
312 require an annual reporting of chemical inventory
data (known as Tier II reports) by facilities to the State
Emergency Response Commission (SERC), the Local
Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and the local
fire department for any hazardous chemicals stored or
used in the work place. EPCRA Section 313 (known as
the Toxics Release Inventory) requires certain facilities to
submit an annual Form R report for specified chemicals
that are released into the environment or managed as
waste. States and communities, working with facilities, can
use this information to improve chemical safety, prevent
pollution, and protect human health and the environ-
ment. Tier II data is available to the public through local
emergency planning committees (LEPC) or the local fire
department; and TRI data can be accessed through EPA's
TRI website at www.epa.gov/tri/. EPA New England's
EPCRA Program also includes Clean Air Act 112r which
regulates chemical accident prevention. A comprehensive
picture of federal and state EPCRA activity can be found
on EPA's Emergency Management Programs website at
www.epa.gov/emergencies/.
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 and
hazardous chemical reporting. The State Emergency
Response Commission contacts can be found at www.
epa.gov/osweroe1/content/epcra/serc_contacts.htm.
For additional information, please access the key
contacts provided, as well as: Len Wallace, EPA New
England Senior EPCRA Enforcement, (617) 918-1835,
and Jim Gaffey, EPA New England Preparedness Exercises,
(617) 918-1753, gaffey.jim@epa.gov.
KEY CONTACTS:
MARY JANE O'DONNELL
EPA New England
RCRA, EPCRA, Federal Programs
(617) 918-1371
odonnell.maryjane@epa.gov
DWIGHT PEAVEY
EPA New England
Senior Assistance & Coordinator,
Small Business Advocate,
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program
(617) 918-1829
peavey.dwight@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/region1/
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA 7341
LEARN MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/region1/
enforcement/epcra
L United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
© printed on 100% recycled paper, with a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste, using vegetable-based inks
EPA-901-F-11-008
April 2011
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