Pollution prevention and compliance support for small businesses in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- PRC Environmental Management, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (United States)
- Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources, Harrisburg, PA (United States)
- Pennsylvania Dept. of Commerce, Harrisburg, PA (United States)
The 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act (CAA90) require all states to develop an outreach program to help small businesses comply with CAA90. Each state is required to designate a small business ombudsman to assist small businesses in that state in complying with CAA90. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (DER) has initiated a program that emphasizes pollution prevention and technology transfer. Through adoption of such measure,s businesses can save money on both ends of their processes (less product used in the beginning and less cost for waste disposal), and they may exempt themselves from regulation. The technical assistance program includes: identifying small businesses that will be affected by CAA90; establishing a toll-free information hotline and computerized bulletin board system for use by small businesses and their trade associations; providing to small businesses free educational seminars and industry-specific manuals; assisting small businesses with preparation of permits; establishing and maintaining 28 resource centers throughout the state from which small businesses can obtain documents and learn more about compliance; providing friendly audits or site visits to advise businesses of areas of noncompliance and steps necessary to attain compliance. This approach is founded on the belief that the overall goal of compliance more likely will be met if small businesses understand what they must do to come into compliance. Simply passing new regulations or requirements and then sending out inspectors to enforce them may not achieve as much compliance overall.
- OSTI ID:
- 124520
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940499--; ISBN 1-56590-014-6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Partnering with industry to promote compliance: The Texas EnviroMentor program
An innovative approach to helping business and the environment