Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
EPA-300-B-17-001 June 2017
U.S. EPA Small Business Resources Information Sheet
The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides an array of resources to help small businesses
understand and comply with federal and state environmental laws. In addition to helping small businesses
understand their environmental obligations and improve compliance, these resources will also help such businesses
find cost-effective ways to comply through pollution prevention techniques and innovative technologies.
A EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business
Utilization (OSDBU)
www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-
small-and-disadvantaged-business-
utilization-osdbu
EPA's OSBBU advocates and
advances business, regulatory, and
environmental compliance concerns
of small and socio-economically
disadvantaged businesses.
EPA's Asbestos Small Business
Ombudsman (ASBO)
www.epa.gov/resources-small-
businesses/asbestos-small-business-
ombudsman or 1-800-368-5888
The EPA ASBO serves as a conduit
for small businesses to access EPA
and facilitates communications
between the small business
community and the Agency.
Small Business Environmental
Assistance Program
https ://nationalsbeap .org
This program provides a "one-stop
shop" for small businesses and
assistance providers seeking
information on a wide range of
environmental topics and state-
specific environmental compliance
assistance resources.
EPA's Compliance Assistance
Homepage
www.epa.gov/compliance
This page is a gateway to industry
and statute-specific environmental
resources, from extensive web-based
information to hotlines and
compliance assistance specialists.
Compliance Assistance Centers
www.complianceassistance.net
EPA sponsored Compliance
Assistance Centers provide
information targeted to industries
with many small businesses. They
were developed in partnership with
industry, universities and other
federal and state agencies.
Agriculture
www.epa. gov/agriculture
Automotive Recycling
www.ecarcenter.org
Automotive Service and Repair
www.ccar-greenlink.org or 1-888-
GRN-LINK
Chemical Manufacturing
www .chemalliance. org
Construction
www.cicacenter.org
Education
www.campuserc.org
Food Processing
www.fpeac.org
Healthcare
www.hercenter.org
Local Government
www.lgean.org
Surface Finishing
http: //www. ste rc. org
Paints and Coatings
www.paintcenter.org
Printing
www.pneac.org
Ports
www .portcompliance. org
Transportation
www.tercenter.org
U.S. Border Compliance and
Import/Export Issues
www.bordercenter.org
EPA Hotlines and Clearinghouses
www.epa.gov/home/epa-hotlines
EPA sponsors many free hotlines and
clearinghouses that provide convenient
assistance regarding environmental
requirements. Examples include:
Clean Air Technology Center
(CATC) Info-line
www.epa.gov/catc or 1-919-541-0800
Superfund, TRI, EPCRA, RMP, and
Oil Information Center
1-800-424-9346
EPA Imported Vehicles and Engines
Public Helpline
www.epa.gov/otaa/imports or
1-734-214-4100
National Pesticide Information Center
www.npic.orst.edu or 1-800-858-7378
National Response Center Hotline to
report oil and hazardous substance spills -
http://nrc.uscg.mil or 1-800-424-8802
Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse (PPIC) -
www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-
resources#ppic or 1-202-566-0799
Safe Drinking Water Hotline -
www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-
water/safe-drinking-water-hotline or 1-
800-426-4791
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Hotline
tsca-hotline@epa.gov or 1-202-554-1404
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

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U.S. Small Business Resources
Small Entity Compliance Guides
https://www.epa.gov/reg-flex/small-entitv-compliance-
guides
EPA publishes a Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG)
for every rule for which the Agency has prepared a final
regulatory flexibility analysis, in accordance with Section
604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).
Regional Small Business Liaisons
www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/epa-regional-
office-small-business-liaisons
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional
Small Business Liaison (RSBL) is the primary regional
contact and often the expert on small business assistance,
advocacy, and outreach. The RSBL is the regional voice for
the EPA Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman (ASBO).
State Resource Locators
www. envcap. org/statetools
The Locators provide state-specific contacts, regulations and
resources covering the major environmental laws.
State Small Business Environmental Assistance
Programs (SBEAPs)
https://nationalsbeap.org/states/list
State SBEAPs help small businesses and assistance
providers understand environmental requirements and
sustainable business practices through workshops, trainings
and site visits.
EPA's Tribal Portal
www. epa. gov/tribalportal
The Portal helps users locate tribal-related information
within EPA and other federal agencies.
EPA 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 such policies that may apply to small businesses:
EPA's Small Business Compliance Policy
www.epa.gov/enforcement/small-businesses-and-
enforcement
Commenting on Federal Enforcement
Actions and Compliance Activities
The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
(SBREFA) established a SBREFA 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 designation, number of employees or annual
receipts, as 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 a comment
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 or the 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.
EPA's Audit Policy
www .epa. gov/compliance/epas -audit-policy

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