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ECHO Notify

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ECHO Notify provides weekly email notifications of changes to enforcement and compliance data in ECHO. Notifications are tailored to the geographic locations, facility IDs, and notification options that you select.

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Table of Contents

Programs Covered by ECHO Notify

AcronymStatuteDescription

CAA

 Clean Air ActThe Clean Air Act seeks to protect human health and the environment from emissions that pollute ambient, or outdoor, air. The Title V program regulates air emissions from stationary sources, which are often major sources that emit or have the potential to emit 100 tons per year of any regulated pollutant, plus stationary and area sources that emit or have potential to emit lesser specified amounts of hazardous air pollutants. ECHO Notify provides information on stationary sources. 
CWAClean Water ActThe Clean Water Act is the primary federal law that regultes discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulates the quality standards for surface waters. The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program regulates pollution from point-sources, such as industrial facilities, municipal governments (particularly sewage treatment plants), and some agricultural facilities, such as animal feedlots. ECHO Notify provides information on point-sources.
RCRAResource Conservation and Recovery ActThe Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the law governing the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. The Subtitle C program regulates hazardous waste, which includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. ECHO Notify provides information on  hazardous waste handlers. 
SDWASafe Drinking Water ActThe Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) protects public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. SDWA authorizes the US EPA to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. ECHO Notify provides information on public water systems.
All Statutes

ECHO Notify provides information on EPA-led enforcement only for the following environmental laws:

  • Clean Air Act (CAA)
  • Clean Water Act (CWA)
  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
  • Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
  • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
  • Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
  • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
  • Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
  • Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Note: Enforcement information is organized at the case level.

Dictionary of Terms

AcronymTermDescription
CSVCompliance Schedule ViolationFailure to complete a required activity by the date specified in a permit or enforcement action.
EJ80Environmental Justice Indexes Above 80th PercentileEJScreen is EPA’s screening tool for identifying areas of Environmental Justice (EJ) concern. There are twelve EJ Indexes and EJ80 is the count of indexes that are above the 80th percentile nationwide (i.e., only 20% or less of U.S. population has a higher index value). The higher the count, the greater the “excess risk”, calculated at the census block group level. Learn more about EJScreen.
EFVEffluent ViolationFailure to abide by pollutant discharge limits established in a permit or enforcement action. Effluent limitations serve as the primary mechanism in NPDES permits for controlling discharges of pollutants to receiving waters.
EWNEarly Warning NotificationPublic water systems for which, barring no formal or resolving enforcement actions in the current quarter, will be designated as an Enforcement Priority at the end of the quarter. For more information on what defines an Enforcement Priority and formal/resolving enforcement actions see: EPA's Drinking Water Enforcement Response Policy (PDF).
FEAFormal Enforcement Action

Formal enforcement is taken to address more serious violations. Formal actions include:

  • Civil Administrative Actions – non-judicial enforcement actions taken by EPA or state under its own authority, often in the form of an administrative order (with or without penalties)
  • Civil Judicial Actions – formal lawsuit filed in court against persons or entities that failed to comply with statutory or regulatory requirements, an administrative order, or Superfund obligation
  • Criminal Actions – violations that are willful, or knowingly committed. A court conviction can result in fines or imprisonment.
FRVFederally Reportable Violation

Violations of federally enforceable CAA requirements that state, local, and tribal agencies are to report to EPA according to EPA’s FRV Policy (PDF). Such violations include: 

  • Violations of any emission limitation, emission standard or surrogate parameter
  • Procedural violations including:
    • Failure to maintain reports and underlying records
    • Failure to timely test (e.g., performance test) or conduct valid monitoring
    • Failure to timely report (e.g., annual compliance certifications)
    • Failure to construct, install, or operate facility/equipment.

 

FWGFederal Waste Generator Category UpdateA generator is any person who produces a hazardous waste. EPA has established three categories of generators in the regulations: very small quantity generators, small quantity generators, and large quantity generators, all measured per month, with different corresponding stipulations.
HBVHealth Based ViolationViolations of maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) or maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs), which specify the highest concentrations of contaminants or disinfectants, respectively, allowed in drinking water; or of treatment technique (TT) rules, which specify required processes intended to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water. MCLs, MRDLs, and treatment technique rules are all health-based drinking water standards.
HPVHigh Priority ViolationA subset of Federally Reportable Violations (FRV) that are likely to result in impacts that pose a significant risk to human health and the environment from direct or indirect release of air pollutants or may impede the ability to implement the CAA program. An FRV is designated as an HPV if it meets any one of six criteria according to EPA’s HPV policy (PDF).
IEAInformal Enforcement ActionAn enforcement action that is generally intended to address small or isolated problems. Informal enforcement often takes the form of a notice of violation or warning letter.
MCLMaximum Contaminant LevelThe highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MRDLMaximum Residual Disinfectant LevelAn MRDL is a level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer's tap without an unacceptable possibility of adverse health effects.
NAICSNorth American Industry Classification SystemThe North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.
NEPNew Enforcement PriorityPublic water systems designated as priority candidates for formal enforcement due to unresolved serious, multiple, and/or continuing violations. For more information on what defines an Enforcement Priority and formal/resolving enforcement actions see: EPA's Drinking Water Enforcement Response Policy (PDF).
NPEPNewly Persistant Enforcement PriorityPublic water systems that have been designated as priority candidates for formal enforcement for more than two consecutive quarters. For more information on what defines an Enforcement Priority and formal/resolving enforcement actions see: EPA's Drinking Water Enforcement Response Policy (PDF).
PSVPermit Schedule ViolationFailure to complete a required activity by the date specified in a permit.
SEVSingle Event ViolationThese are all other violations not categorized as effluent, schedule, or Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) non-receipt violations. Included are violations identified during a compliance monitoring activity such as an inspection and self-reported violations such on an annual program report. These violations are generally not automatically flagged by the data system.
SMDUSynthetic Minor Designation UpdateSynthetic-minor sources, which are facilities that have the potential to emit regulated pollutants at or above major-source thresholds but that agree to enforceable restrictions to limit their emissions below these thresholds to avoid being subject to more stringent major-source requirements. Such enforceable restrictions, also called limitations, are included in a facility’s air permit. 
SNCSignificant Non-Compliance/Complier

A subset of violations (CWA) or violators (RCRA) considered to pose a greater risk to human health and the environment.

For CWA, SNC designations are made in accordance with the relevant policy (PDF). Most SNC designations are based on an automated analysis of Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) that permitted facilities are required to submit monthly. The compliance designation is done using a mathematical formula that takes into account the amount, duration, and frequency of discharges in comparison with permit levels. In some instances, facilities may be manually designated as SNC, even if the data system does not automatically designate them as such.

For RCRA, SNC determinations are also made in accordance with the relevant policy (PDF). A site can be designated as a SNC if any of the following are found to exist: the site has been determined to cause actual exposure or has a substantial likelihood of causing exposure to a hazardous waste or constituent; is a chronic or recalcitrant violator; or deviates substantially from the terms of a permit, order or agreement, or from RCRA statutory or regulatory requirements.

TTTreatment TechnologyAn enforceable procedure or level of technological performance which public water systems must follow to ensure control of a contaminant.
ViolViolationAn environmental violation occurs when an activity or an existing condition does not comply with an environmental law or regulation.

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