EPA Publishes New AWIA Fact Sheet on Changes to EPCRA Spill Notifications and Chemical Data

EPA has published a new fact sheet entitled, “Amendments to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) – America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA): A Guide for State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Tribal Emergency Response Commissions (TERCs), and Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). This new legislation requires state and tribal emergency response commissions to notify the drinking water primacy agency of any reportable releases and provide community water systems with hazardous chemical inventory data. These requirements went into effect on October 23, 2018 when AWIA was signed into law.

For state drinking water programs, the fact sheet outlines the requirements for spill notifications starting at the bottom of page two. This AWIA amendment adds a new subsection to EPCRA requiring SERCs and TERCs to promptly notify the drinking water primacy agency of any reportable release and provide this agency with the information collected…from the initial release notification; and the follow-up written report… The drinking water primacy agency is then required to promptly forward all the information regarding the release to any community water systems whose source water is affected by the release.

The fact sheet also includes more details about why the EPCRA revisions are important (and how they impact) community water systems and how affected community water systems can access chemical inventory data (i.e. Tier II information) for facilities within their source water protection area upon request. To read the fact sheet, visit EPA’s website.