Society of Environmental Journalists: Tipsheet item

TipSheet item

Publication date: Oct. 6, 2005

BYE-BYE TRI: NOTICE OF LOOMING BLACKOUTS HITS FED REGISTER

It's official. EPA's proposals to further reduce public information about companies' release of toxic substances into the air they breathe and water they drink were printed Oct. 4, 2005, in the Federal Register.

One proposal would reduce the current annual reporting requirements so that industries would only have to report their toxic releases to the environment every other year. The other lowers the qualifications for using the streamlined Form A, which gives the public less information and is meant for use only by companies making minor releases.

The Society of Environmental Journalists, through its First Amendment Task Force, is currently considering a formal protest on the regulatory docket, as well as other measures in response.

Any member of the public may comment on the Form A eligibility expansion on EPA's edocket website (refer to EPA docket number TRI-2005-0073). The biennial reporting change is a letter of notice to Congress, and is not currently open to public comment.

Previous Story: WatchDog of Sept. 21, 2005.
"Notice: Toxics Release Inventory 2006 Burden Reduction," US Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Register, October 4, 2005, pp. 57871-57872. This is the biennial reporting proposal.
"Proposed Rule: Toxics Release Inventory Burden Reduction," US Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Register, October 4, 2005, pp. 57822-57847. This is the Form A eligibility change.

Last revised January 22, 2013

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