Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), As Amended (Renewal)

The Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7) requires EPA to promulgate reasonable regulations and appropriate guidance to provide for the prevention and detection of accidental releases and for responses to such releases. The regulations include requirements for submitting a risk management plan (RMP) to EPA. The RMP includes information on off-site consequence analysis (OCA) as well as other elements of the Risk Management Program. On August 5, 1999, the President signed the Chemical Safety Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act (CSISSFRRA), which required the President to promulgate regulations on the distribution of OCA information (CAA section 112(r)(7)(H)(ii)) to the public. The President delegated to EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) the responsibility to promulgate regulations to govern public dissemination of OCA information. The final rule was published on August 8, 2000 (65 FR 48108) and imposed minimal information collection and record keeping requirements. The Federal government established 55 reading rooms at Federal facilities geographically distributed across the United States and its territories. At a reading room the public can read, but not mechanically copy or remove, paper copies of OCA information for up to 10 stationary sources per calendar month. The public also has access to OCA information that the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) in the requestor’s local area (where the individual lives or works), is authorized to provide. State agencies are permitted to provide the same public access to paper copies of OCA information that a person would receive at their local agency. EPA also established a Vulnerable Zone Indicator System (VZIS) which indicates whether an address in any state is within the vulnerable zone of one or more stationary sources, according to the data reported in RMPs. The VZIS is available on the internet, which is the method used by all requestors of the data.

The latest form for Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), As Amended (Renewal) expires 2029-06-30 and can be found here.

Individuals and Households

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Environmental Management - Pollution Prevention and Control