[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 71 (Monday, April 14, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 18115-18116] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-9579] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-5811-4] Notice of New Program AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is pleased to announce its Small Business Compliance Assistance Centers Program. This program is one of 25 regulatory reinvention initiatives proposed by President Clinton on March 16, 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Vendinello at 202-564-7066. You may also forward your questions via the Internetto: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Developed by EPA's Office of Compliance in partnership with industry, academic institutions, environmental groups, and other federal and state agencies, Compliance Assistance Centers are intended to help small and medium-sized businesses nationwide better understand and comply with federal environmental requirements. The centers also provide state and local government officials with industry-specific information on federal rules and pollution prevention technologies to help them improve their services to small businesses and to avoid duplication of effort among technical assistance providers. Four Compliance Assistance Centers are currently up and running, serving the printing, metal finishing, automotive services and repair, and agriculture industries. Over the next year, four additional compliance assistance centers will be opened for transportation, local government, printed wiring board manufacturers, and chemical manufacturers. In addition, EPA is expanding its metal finishing center to cover organic coatings. I. Why Compliance Assistance Centers Some industry sectors are populated with small businesses many of whom have fewer than 10 employees. It is often very difficult for these businesses to keep on top of their environmental requirements, especially since historically the EPA has produced regulatory guidance on a media-specific basis (e.g., air, solid wastes, water) rather than on a industry-specific basis. Recognizing this, EPA and states have begun to produce industry-specific compliance guides and tools. Facilitating the transfer of information to small businesses about these industry-specific regulatory guides and enabling them to get answers to their questions about regulatory requirements is a goal of the Compliance Assistance Centers. By offering access to information via the communications medium that small businesses are most comfortable with (i.e. telephone, fax/back, e-mail or the Internet), small businesses can readily access the information they need to better understand their environmental requirements. Similarly, state and local technical assistance providers and regulators are increasingly aiming to better understand [[Page 18116]] their business clients. They too are developing industry-specific compliance guides; however, an essential first step in developing industry-specific guides is knowing what has already been developed and what is underway. By serving as a focal point for the distribution and notification of sector-specific activities throughout the nation, the compliance assistance centers can potentially prevent the duplication of efforts of state and local assistance programs. II. What Do the Centers Provide Compliance Assistance Centers function as communication centers rather than physical ``walk-ins.'' Each center provides some or all of the following services via the Internet and toll-free telephone numbers:Easy access to industry-specific, multi-media federal regulations, interpretations, and compliance guides; also, certain state and local information; Compliance tools that can be used by small business, regulators, inspectors, and technical assistance providers to audit, determine emissions and wastes, and calculate the costs of compliance; Process-specific training for regulators and technical assistance providers who seek more in-depth knowledge of the businesses they regulate; A place to ask questions and get answers, through specialized conferences and forums, and access to experts who can answer compliance and technical questions; Databases of technologies and techniques that can help small businesses come into compliance, with an emphasis on pollution prevention methods that save money. III. How To Reach the Centers Following are the Internet addresses and contact names and telephone numbers for the four existing centers: a. National Metal Finishing Resource Center NMFRC provides technical assistance and information on environmental compliance and pollution prevention to the metal finishing industry. Internet: http://www.nmfrc.org Contacts: National Center for Manufacturing Science, Paul Chalmer, 313-995-4911; U.S. EPA, Scott Throwe, 202-564-7013. b. Printer's National Compliance Assistance Center PNEAC provides compliance assistance and pollution prevention information to the printing industry. Internet: http://www.hazard.uiuc.edu/pneac/pneac.html Contacts: Illinois Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center, Gary Miller, 217-333-8942; U.S. EPA, Doug Jamieson, 202-564-7041. c. GreenLinkTM--the Automotive Compliance Information Assistance Center. GreenLinkTM provides compliance assistance to the automotive service industry. To obtain voice, facsimile, or mailed information, call the center's toll-free number, 1-888-GRN-LINK. Internet: http://www.ccar-greenlink.org Contacts: U.S. EPA, Everett Bishop, 202-564-7032; Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair, Sherman Titens, 816-561-8388. d. National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center This Center provides information to help producers of agricultural commodities and their supporting businesses meet their environmental requirements; prevent pollution before it occurs; and reduce costs by identifying flexible, common-sense ways to achieve compliance. Internet: http://es.inel.gov/oeca/ag/aghmpg.html Contacts: U.S. EPA, Ginah Mortensen, 913-551-7207 (fax: 913-551- 7270). IV. How to Get Involved With Future Centers EPA has developed partnerships for the Transportation Compliance Assistance Center and the Printed Wiring Board Manufacturing Center. For more information, contact Virginia Lathrop (transportation) at 202- 564-7057 and Keith Brown (PWB manufacturing) at 202-564-7124. EPA is currently developing the Chemical Manufacturing and Local Government Centers. If you are interested in learning more about the Chemical Manufacturing Center please contact Emily Chow at 202-564-7071. For more information on the Local Government Environmental Network, which will provide a central location for state and local access to federally-developed compliance assistance information related to local governments, contact Wendy Miller at 202-564-7102 or John Dombrowski at 202-564-7036. Dated: April 4, 1997. Elaine Stanley, Director, Office of Compliance. [FR Doc. 97-9579 Filed 4-11-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P