SMALLBIZ@EPA
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR THE
SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ASBESTOS AND SMALL BUSINESS OMBUDSMAN
Fostering Partnerships • Improving Advocacy and Accessibility • Ensuring Compliance Assistance
APRIL 2020
Message from EPA's Asbestos & Small Business
Ombudsman
As the new Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman (ASBO)
for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), I am
pleased to provide this special edition of the Sma/IBiz a EPA
newsletter, focusing on EPA and other federal COVID-19
updates of particular interest to the regulated small business
community. During this unprecedented time for the nation, EPA's
ASBO Team continues to serve as an advocate and liaison for
small businesses in the EPA rule development and compliance
assistance process. With the devastating economic hardships
small businesses face as a result of this global pandemic, this special edition of
SmallBiza EPA includes information on EPA's temporary enforcement policy, EPA
events or activities impacted by the pandemic, and available federal small business
resources related to COVID-19.
The ASBO Team remains committed to providing this monthly newsletter as a platform to
share relevant and timely information with the small business community. Last month, the
ASBO Team launched a customer feedback survey to obtain stakeholder input on small
business communication and information needs. My sincere thanks to all of you who took the
time to complete the survey. The Team is currently in the process of analyzing the survey
results. Based on that analysis, in the coming months the ASBO Team will work to strengthen
the focus and relevance of the SimilIBi-a EPA updates, including a new look and feel. Please
stay tuned.
Finally, I am delighted to report that on March 16, 2020, the ABSO Team welcomed Lea
Carmichael to the ASBO Program. Lea comes to the ASBO Team from the Office of Chemical
Safety and Pollution Prevention, where she served as an Environmental Protection Specialist
with a focus on Asbestos and Mercury. Please feel free to reach out to Lea and any of the other
members of the ASBO Team. The members of the entire ASBO Team are as follows:
• Paula Hoaa. Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman
• Lea Carmichael. Program Analyst
• Elnora Thompson. Management Analyst
• Harriet Edwards. ASBO Hotline, Senior Environmental Enrollee
• Chester Eiland. ASBO Hotline Senior, Environmental Enrollee
Please stay safe and be well
SmallBizOEPA Bulletin
Welcome your
Submissions
Potential
Submission Topics:
Upcoming Events
Success Stories
New Assistance Tools
Technical Updates
Regulatory Updates
Stories to Reach the Small
Business Community
• Updated Contact
Information
Submission Guidelines:
• 150 words or less
• Provide a title for the article
• Include a link to more
information on the topic
• Include contact information
to be included in the article
submission
• Articles should be
submitted by the 15th of
each month.
• Submit your articles to
thompson.elnora@epa.gov
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EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman | Washington, D.C., 1-800-368-5888
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EPA Announces Enforcement Discretion Policy
for COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 26, 2020, Susan Parker Bodine, EPA's Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance provided the following announcement:
"As you know, ongoing efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 have created unprecedented challenges for the
regulated community. We remain mindful of the health and safety of the public, as well as our staff, and those of
other Federal Agencies, State and Local Governments, Tribes, Regulated Entities, Contractors, and Non-
governmental Organizations. We are taking these important considerations into account as we all continue our
work to protect human health and the environment. Accordingly, we have developed a temporary policy regarding
EPA enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EPA will assess the continued need for and scope of this temporary policy on a regular basis and will update it if
EPA determines modifications are necessary."
To read the temporary policy memo in full go to:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-03/documents/oecamemooncovidl9implications.pdf
Coronavirus and Drinking Water and Wastewater
There is no higher priority for EPA than protecting the health and safety of Americans. EPA is providing this
important information about COVID-19 as it relates to drinking water and wastewater to provide clarity to the
public. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk
to water supplies is low. Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual. EPA also
encourages the public to help keep household plumbing and our nation's water infrastructure operating properly
by only flushing toilet paper. Disinfecting wipes and other items should be disposed of in the trash, not the toilet.
EPA also supports states and cities that have already taken proactive measures to ensure continued access to clean
water for drinking and handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many drinking water systems are
discontinuing service cut-offs, restoring service to customers whose service was previously cut-off, and refraining
from imposing penalties for nonpayment.
For further information visit https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater
Available Disinfectants to Protect Against COVID-19
To help ease the production and availability of EPA-registered disinfectants the Agency will temporarily allow
manufacturers of certain already-registered EPA disinfectants to obtain certain active ingredients from any source
of suppliers without checking with the EPA first. This only applies to products on EPA's List N: Disinfectants for
3 Use Against SARS-CoV-2.
For the complete list go to: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman | Washington, D.C., 1-800-368-5888
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EPA Events and Activities Postponed
National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
2020 Annual Training
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What:
National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
2020 Annual Training
POSTPONED
Where:
Your Truly DC {formally The Wink Hotel)
1143 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-775-0800
Why:
The 2020 Annual Training, scheduled to take place May 5-7 in Washington DC., has been
postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. We are currently in negotiations with the hotel about
our options for rescheduling the conference and hope to announce the new date very soon.
Lodging:
If you made a hotel reservation at the Yours Truly (formally The Wink Hotel) your reservation
has been canceled and you should have received a cancellation notice.
Contact:
Please call 800-368-5888
httDs://nationalsbeap org/training
Pollution Prevention (P2) and Source Reduction Assistance (SRA)
The submission deadlines for the Pollution Prevention (P2) and Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) request for
applications have been extended. The new submission deadlines are as follows:
* P2 grant application submission deadline: April 30, 2020
(Link to P2 RFA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/202Q-01/documents/cfv 20-
21 p2 grant rfa final.pdf)
* SRA grant application submission deadline: May 15, 2020
(Link to SRA RFA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/202Q-
02/documents/general sra grant guidance.pdf)
Please contact Alex Peck, P2 Program, EPA Region 2 at 212-637-3758 if you have any questions.
EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman | Washington, D.C., 1-800-368-5888
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SBA's Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Affected by
the Coronavirus Pandemic Launches
The U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza launched the Paycheck Protection
Program, a $349 billion emergency loan program created with the President's signing of the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). The program provides forgivable loans up to $10
million to small businesses left financially distressed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The
loans, which will be administered at the local level by a national network of banks and credit unions, are
designed to maintain the viability of millions of small businesses struggling to meet payroll and day-to-
day operating expenses.
"These loans will bring immediate economic relief and eight weeks of financial certainty to millions of
small businesses and their employees," SBA Administrator Carranza said. "We urge every struggling
small business to take advantage of this unprecedented federal resource - their viability is critically
important to their employees, their community, and the country."
For additional resources about protecting your business, employees and customers go to:
http ://www. sba.gov/Coronavirus
Senate Committee Small Business Owner's Guide to the CARES Act
The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship issued a comprehensive Guide to help small
business owners and entrepreneurs better understand the new programs and initiatives authorized under the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed on March 27, 2020. It
includes information on:
• Paycheck Protection Program Loans
• Small Business Debt Relief Program
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans
• Emergency Economic Injury Grant
• Small Business Counseling
• Small Business Contracting
• Small Business Tax Provisions
The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Guide is accessible online here:
https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/guide-to-the-cares-act
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EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman | Washington, D.C., 1-800-368-5888
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National SBEAP COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 has brought with it much change and challenge, particularly for small businesses. In an effort to help
navigate these situations, the National SBEAP has assembled a COVID-19 webpage with news and resources
related to environmental changes, disaster relief assistance, health and safety tips, and more. This page will be
updated regularly with resources to help small businesses not only protect the environment, but their employees,
communities, and their own livelihoods as well. This will include news such as EPA's environmental enforcement
policy and OSHA's guidance onN95 respirators.
If you have questions or need information to help balance the environmental burden of your business against
concerns about the health of your employees and your community, contact your state SBEAP. or contact the
National SBEAP via SBEAP@ksu.edu or by calling 800-578-8898.
Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
SBEAP
Q's&A's
V
Dear Ask SBEAP:
I operate a small cabinet manufacturing shop and have recently heard that smoke from my burn pit may contribute to
COVID-19 respiratory health problems. I don't want to call my state regulatory office because I am concerned it will
tell me not to burn. I currently burn our wood remnants, sawdust, pallets and cardboard. Is my burning practice simply
a temporary concern due to COVID-19?
Sincerely, Leif Fyreburne
Dear Leif,
The short answer is "No, you should not burn your wastes." In most states this type of uncontrolled burning of
industrial wastes without a permit is called "open burning" and is prohibited. Some states will allow limited types
of industrial materials to be burned as a way of disposal using a pit, barrel or homemade incinerator, but you would
need written permission or a special permit from the regulatory authority to do this. Your state SBEAP should be able
to help you determine if the authority is your state environmental control agency or a local government entity such as
the city or county fire marshal. During this pandemic, it is important to recognize that COVID-19 is a respiratory
illness and the health impacts of open burning can increase the frequency or severity of respiratory distress, heart
disease and allergies. The National SBEAP has set up a COVID-19 resource page that may be helpful, but also
remember you can always contact your state SBEAP by email or calling 800-578-8898.
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Standards of Performance for New
Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential
Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/
04/02/2020-05961/standards-of-performance-for-
new-residential-wood-heaters-new-residential-
hvdronic-heaters-and
Federal Register: Vol. 85, No. 64,
Thursday, April 2, 2020/Rules and Regulations
AGENCY: EPA
ACTION: Final Rule
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is amending the 2015 New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) for New Residential
Wood Heaters, New Residential Hydronic Heaters
and Forced-Air Furnaces. This final action removes
certain requirements from the rule for pellet fuel to
meet certain specifications regarding density, size,
and content, while retaining a provision in the rule
that requires EPA-approved third-party
organizations to specify minimum requirements as
part of the pellet fuel certification process. Also, in
this final action, the EPA is deciding not to make
changes that it had proposed that would have allowed
a sell-through period for Step 1-certified residential
wood heating devices that are manufactured before
the May 2020 compliance date to be sold at retail
after that date. Finally, this preamble provides a
clarification of how the "prohibited fuels" provision
applies to pallets. The final rule came into effect
April 2, 2020.
For further information contact: Rafael Sanchez,
7 (202) 546-7028 email at sanchez.rafael@epa.gov
EPA FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES
Air Plan Approval and Air Quality
Designation; Connecticut;
Determination of Clean Data for the
2008 8-Hour Ozone Standard for the
Greater Connecticut Area
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/
03/27/2020-06273/air-plan-approval-and-air-
qualitv-designation-connecticut-determination-
of-deai^dafoi-for-ihe-2008
Federal Register: Vol. 85, No. 60,
Friday, March 27, 72020/Proposed Rules
AGENCY: EPA
ACTION: Proposed rule
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the
Greater Connecticut Serious 8-hour ozone
nonattainment area has attained the 2008 8-hour
national Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)
for ozone, based on certified 2016-2018 ozone data.
In addition, quality controlled and quality assured
ozone data for 2019 that are available in the EPA Air
Quality System, but not yet certified, do not conflict
with the conclusion that this area attains the 2008 8-
hour ozone NAAQS. If this proposed determination
is made final, the requirements for this area to submit
an attainment demonstration, a reasonable further
progress plan, contingency measures, and other
planning State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions
related to attainment of the 2008 8-hour ozone
NAAQS shall be suspended for so long as the area
continues to attain the ozone NAAQS. This action is
being taken under the Clean Air Act.
For further information contact: Elizabeth
Townsend, (617) 918-1614 email at
townsend.elizabeth@epa.gov.
EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman | Washington, D.C., 1-800-368-5888
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