What does EPA regulate?

EPA enforces federal environmental laws including the Clean Air Act (air emissions, Title V permits), Clean Water Act (NPDES wastewater and stormwater permits), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA hazardous and solid waste), Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA / Superfund), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA chemicals), Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA pesticides), Safe Drinking Water Act, and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Implementation is in 40 CFR.

What are the maximum EPA penalties?

Penalties under 2026 inflation-adjusted amounts: RCRA hazardous waste violations up to $99,681 per day per violation; Clean Air Act violations up to $109,024 per day; Clean Water Act NPDES violations up to $59,114 per day per violation; EPCRA reporting failures up to $69,733 per day; CERCLA violations vary by section, with response cost recovery often exceeding $1 million per case. Criminal violations carry imprisonment in addition to civil penalties.

What documents prove EPA compliance?

Required documents vary by program. RCRA: hazardous waste determinations, manifests, training records, biennial reports, contingency plans. SPCC: Plan with PE certification (or self-certification for Tier I/II), inspection records, training records, spill incident reports. EPCRA: Tier II reports, Section 302 EHS notifications. NPDES: SWPPP, permit application/NOI, inspection records, discharge monitoring reports. UST: walkthrough inspections, release detection records, operator training records.

What is the difference between EPA and OSHA?

EPA regulates environmental impact — air, water, soil, hazardous waste, chemicals released to the environment. OSHA regulates worker safety inside the workplace — exposure to hazardous chemicals, physical hazards, training, equipment safety. Many facilities have both EPA and OSHA obligations: a manufacturing plant manages chemical exposure under OSHA HazCom (29 CFR 1910.1200) AND emissions under EPA Title V (40 CFR Part 70). Programs are independent but the documentation often overlaps (e.g., SDS inventory used for both).

How long do I have to retain EPA records?

Retention varies: hazardous waste manifests (3 years per 40 CFR 262.40); SPCC inspection records (3 years per 40 CFR 112.7); EPCRA Tier II (5 years per 40 CFR 370); NPDES permit records (varies, typically 3-5 years from sample/monitoring date); UST records (1 year for walkthrough inspections, 3 years for release investigations, life of system for corrosion protection); used oil shipping records (3 years per 40 CFR 279.22(d)).

Are state EPA programs different from federal?

Most states have authorized state environmental agencies that implement EPA programs. State requirements must be at least as stringent as federal but may go further. Common variations: lower air emission thresholds for major source designation, stricter hazardous waste rules, additional state-specific permits beyond federal NPDES. Multi-state operators must layer state-specific rules on top of federal requirements.

Who must file EPCRA Tier II reports?

Facilities required to maintain a Safety Data Sheet under OSHA HazCom for any chemical that exceeds EPCRA threshold quantities (typically 500 pounds for Extremely Hazardous Substances or 10,000 pounds for other hazardous chemicals) at any point during the calendar year. Common filers include manufacturers, gas stations (gasoline above 75,000 gallons), agricultural operations, schools, hospitals, and fuel distributors. Reports are due March 1 each year.

What software supports EPA compliance?

EPA compliance tooling includes: hazardous waste tracking platforms (Encamp, Sphera, ERA Environmental), SPCC and stormwater compliance trackers, air emissions inventory systems, SDS management (VelocityEHS, Quentic), and document management with regulator-specific rule packs (FileFlo). The largest manufacturers use enterprise EHS platforms; smaller operators commonly combine specialized tools with document management.

EPA Environmental Compliance: The Complete Operator's Guide

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance covers a wide span of federal regulations under 40 CFR — hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), oil pollution prevention through SPCC plans, chemical inventory reporting under EPCRA, water discharge permits under the Clean Water Act NPDES program, air emission permits under the Clean Air Act, underground storage tank rules, and used oil management. Manufacturers, healthcare facilities (medical waste generators), energy operators, transportation businesses, and many service industries all face overlapping EPA obligations. RCRA hazardous waste violations carry penalties up to $99,681 per day per violation under 2026 inflation-adjusted amounts, and other EPA penalties scale similarly. This guide covers the operational compliance framework for EPA-regulated businesses.

EPA Programs Covered

RCRA Hazardous Waste (40 CFR 239–282) — up to $99,681/day/violation
SPCC Oil Pollution Prevention (40 CFR 112) — up to $59,114/day/violation
EPCRA Tier II Reporting (40 CFR 370) — up to $69,733/day/violation
Stormwater NPDES (40 CFR 122) — up to $59,114/day/violation
Title V Air Permits (40 CFR 70/71) — up to $109,024/day/violation
Underground Storage Tanks (40 CFR 280) — up to $25,000/tank/day
Used Oil Management (40 CFR 279)

EPA Compliance Topics

Run a free EPA compliance audit →

Free check — no signup, no credit card. See your gaps in 3 minutes.

Free: 14-page EPA Tier II Filing Calendar + RCRA Generator Status Worksheet

Tier II March 1 deadline calendar, generator status determination flow, SPCC plan-review checklist, stormwater inspection log.

Delivered free to your inbox · No commitment, no sales calls without your permission · Unsubscribe anytime