January 20, 2022 — North Carolina Emergency Management works with local governments, industry, and residents to mitigate and manage hazardous materials incidents following guidelines outlined in the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Clean Air Act. These laws require companies to report certain threshold quantities of chemicals for use by first responders, residents, the state, and local government. The collaboration created through these reports opens channels for communities to be informed and better prepare for chemical hazards.
Facilities that housed certain quantities of chemicals on site for more than 24 hours in the previous calendar year must submit a Tier II report from January 1 to March 1, 2022. For more information about the Hazardous Materials Facility Fee, please visit the Chemical Safety and Reporting Section of the NCEM webpage at www.ncdps.gov/emergency-management/hazardous-materials/chemical-safety-reporting.
Tutorial videos detailing how to create an E-Plan account, how to file a Tier II report, and how to pay Tier II fees are available at www.ncdps.gov/emergency-management/hazardous-materials/epcra-tier-2. The Tier II reporting period opened on January 1st. All facilities are encouraged to file early to ensure ample time to complete the required report. Your Tier II Report will not be completed until all filing fees have been paid. Payments will be accepted using Visa, MasterCard, or electronic check (eCheck). A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Tier II reporting are available at www.ncdps.gov/emergency-management/hazardous-materials/epcra-tier-2.
Note that the reports for EPCRA Section 311 chemical inventory are accepted throughout the year and are required when a facility brings a new chemical on site in an amount exceeding a threshold quantity. When you log in to submit a new Section 311 report, you will notice that the chemical information on your Tier II report is locked after filing. To unlock your chemical information and submit a new Section 311 report, please email epcrareporting@ncdps.gov and request that your filing be unlocked. Within three business days your filing will be unlocked and you will be able to add the new chemical(s) to your record. There is no fee for Section 311 chemical inventory reports.
For more information about federal requirements under EPCRA Section 311, see www.ncdps.gov/emergency-management/hazardous-materials/chemical-safety-reporting to view the Chemical Safety and Reporting Section of the NCEM webpage or see www2.epa.gov/epcra/epcra-sections-311-312 for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s EPCRA 311/312 information page.
For further information, contact Alexander County Emergency Services or the Local Emergency Planning Committee at 828-632-9336. Your support of North Carolina’s hazardous materials emergency preparedness programs is greatly appreciated.