2001 Annual Report: Encouraging Compliance Through Environmental Awareness

Since 1994 The Georgia Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) has helped thousands of small businesses with environmental issues. We have provided assistance through on-site visits, hotline calls, workshops, general information requests and specific technical assistance. The Small Business Assistance Program staff are on the phone and on the road to help small businesses understand their environmental regulatory requirements.

Who Are We?

We are a nonregulatory program located within the Program Coordination Branch of the Environmental Protection Division. The program is comprised of three parts:

1. A technical assistance component to provide the detailed help that small businesses need.

2. An Ombudsman to advocate on behalf of small businesses within the regulatory environment.

3. A Compliance Assistance Panel made up of small business owners and representatives to consult and advise on program content.

SBAP’s History

The 507 Programs were established by Congress and implemented through the Clean Air Acts Amendments of 1990. Georgia’s program was established in 1992 and became fully functional in 1994.

How are we funded?

The SBAP is 100 percent funded by the state title V air permit fees.

What do we do?

The Small Business Assistance Program provides assistance to small businesses on environmental issues. To be more precise:

Explain environmental rules and requirements and answer questions on compliance requirements

Determine if a permit is needed and provide permit assistance as appropriate

Provide information on methods of pollution prevention and alternate technologies

Provide on-site confidential assistance on compliance problems; permit applications, and regulatory requirements.
Provide information on up coming new regulatory requirements

Consider the interests and the impact of small businesses in new rule development

Provide specialized help to individuals and industries

Provide speakers to civic organizations, trade associations, and other groups.

How are we doing?

In 1994 we provided general assistance to 525 businesses and performed no site visits. In 2001, we provided assistance to 854 small businesses and performed 33 site visits. See the following annual report as required by USEPA for 2001.

STATE SMALL BUSINESS STATIONARY SOURCE

TECHNICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SBTCP)

ANNUAL REPORTING FORM

FOR THE PERIOD 1/1/01TO 12/31/01

*** Completed forms are due by March 1, 2002

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM

1. Please complete the electronic version of the Form. If you need additional space for your answers, enlarge the boxes provided for your responses. Do not answer questions by referring to attached documents or a previous SBTCP report.

2. You should already collect the information requested on this Form. However, if a question asks for data you do not have, please provide a brief explanation of why it is not available. For future reports, you may need to revise the statistics that you track.

3. Once you have completed the Form, please return the disk and a completed hardcopy of the Form in the enclosed, pre-addressed mailer. If this mailer is missing or if you wish to use your own envelope, please return the disk and hardcopy to:

Ms. Karen V. Brown

Small Business Ombudsman

ATTN: SBTCP Annual Report

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2131)

401 M Street, SW

Waterside Mall, Room 3423

Washington, D.C. 20460

4. If you use your own mailer, please include on the mailer the words, "Electronic Media Enclosed."

WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?

If you have any comments or questions for how to improve this Form, please call the U.S. EPA Small Business Ombudsman (EPA SBO) at the numbers listed below. You can reach the SBO Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST). After these hours, you can leave a message on the answering machine, which is connected to the toll-free 800 number.

(202) 260-0490 (Telephone)

(800) 368-5888 (Toll-free Hotline)

(202) 401-2302 (Facsimile)

WHY IS EPA REQUESTING THIS FORM?

As part of the CAA, the U.S. Congress required that each state and territory establish a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program (SBTCP) to help small businesses comply with this Act. As part of its reporting requirements to Congress, EPA includes information about the SBTCP programs using information you provide on this Form. EPA has given the responsibility for this report to its SBO, who uses this Form as a standard information collection tool.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM

Gathering information for this report is definitely a team effort! Enlist the help of key contacts from the SBO, the SBAP, and the CAP, and ask them to complete applicable sections.

One person should take responsibility to complete and submit this Form (most likely the SBO).

Refer to last year's Report to Congress and the information you provided on your Reporting Form last year when completing this year's Reporting Form.

Name of state, territory, or local agency for which this report is being submitted.

Georgia

REPORTING FORM CONTACT

Name

Anita Dorsey-Word

Title

Ombudsman

Relationship to SBTCP

Program Manager

Organization

DNR/EPD/SBAP

Address

4244 International Parkway

Address

Suite 120

City, State, Zip

Atlanta, GA 30354

Telephone Number

404/362-4842

Facsimile Number

404/363-7100

E-mail

adword@mail.dnr.state.ga.us or

Hotline (national? state? Toll free?)

1-877-427-6255 (national)

Internet home page

www.gasmallbiz.org

BUDGET

Record the combined budget for your SBO, SBAP, and CAP for calendar year 2001. (If your budget is by fiscal year, please indicate the FY budget that is in effect as of 12/31/2001.)

2001 Budget

$190,000 currently in FY 2002

STAFFING

How many people, measured as full-time equivalents (FTEs) support the SBO?

Total FTEs

3 FTEs as of July 16, 2001

Please indicate the requested data for each type of activity during 2001.

ACTIVITY

TOTALS

Hotline/e-mail

#Calla/e-mails = 854

Onsite Visits

# Visits = 33

Seminars/workshops

# Events = 2

# Participants = 162

Publications/mailings

# Documents = 10

# Copies distribute = 6893

Web page hits

# Hits = 5570

Video & Teleconferences

# Events =1

# Attendees = 14

Permit applications

# Permits =81

Other (office assistance)

# Office visits = 5

Total Assists

13 614

Please feel free to include any information about your program that you would like to highlight (i.e., significant accomplishments, awards, recognitions, move to multimedia, etc.).

Program highlights 2001

Since 1994 the program has responded to more than 5000 requests for technical assistance from industry, government, private citizens, trade associations, and consultants. During 2001, the SBAP provided technical assistance to 854 businesses; performed 33- site visits; distributed 6893 documents and provided permit assistance to 81 facilities. Included below are some of the program’s highlights.

Education & Outreach

The SBAP staff had 136 meetings with EPD, DNR and EPA associates on technical and administrative issues.

The SBAP coordinated the participation of 4 EPD Programs in a workshop for the Korean Dry Cleaners Association of Atlanta on 3/23/01. The SBAP staff and speakers from the Air Protection Branch and the Hazardous Waste Branch spoke on dry cleaner requirements, hazardous waste requirements, compliance investigations, which programs can help, and other issues. More than 157 people attended the workshop.

The SBAP met several times with the Air Toxics Program about a chrome plating facility and the use of “The Small Business Compliance Policy”.

The Small Business Assistance Program facilitated the participation of several local small business owner in a forum sponsored by the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors. The purpose of this meeting was to determine why businesses were leaving Fulton County.

Georgia Trend Magazine interviewed the SBAP staff and several CAP members for a future article. The reporter wanted to do an in-depth piece and was looking for information on the impact of additional nonattainment areas on small businesses

EPA, Region IV audited the SBAP on compliance assistance activities. When the Stationary Source Compliance Program was asked about compliance activities, they referred them to the SBAP. The Coordinator spoke to two of the auditors and determined what was required. The auditors reviewed information pertaining to compliance initiatives and the amount of man-hours spent on each initiative. The SBAP gave them copies of our 1999 and 2000 annual reports for consideration.

The SBAP drafted a copy of a Memorandum of Understanding between the SBAP and the EPD. This document is supposed to be the state’s response to the USEPA’s Small Business Compliance Policy.

The SBAP completed the newsletter and mailed over 1500 issues of The Small Business Advocate

Regulatory Requirements

The SBAP met with the Executive-Vice president of the Southeastern Cotton Gin Association on the permit-by-rule on cotton ginning operations (Rule 6.) The Cotton Gin Association requested to increase the limits in the rule from 65,000 standard bales/year to 125,000 bales/year. The Ombudsman submitted a proposal to EPD’s Permitting authority requesting to change the limits in Rule 6 from 65,000 standard bales per year to 125, 000 standard bales per year.

The Ombudsman prepared 7 economic impact statements on proposed Air Quality rules, Inspection and Maintenance rules and on the Low Emission Vehicles rules in 2001. The Ombudsman’s office assesses the direct impact of every proposed air rule on small businesses. The Division’s policy is to minimize any adverse impact to the extent feasible.

Developing New Skills

The SBAP Coordinator attended the 2001 annual SBO/SBAP conference in Austin, Texas. She attended sessions on Environmental Management Systems, Supplemental Environmental Projects, and other topics relevant to Georgia’s Program.

Roy Edwards attended the Region IV meeting of Small Business Assistance Programs in Lexington, KY. The course covered Small Business Trends and other issues relevant to small businesses.

The SBAP staff attended several conferences, downlinks and seminars to include the Upper River Summit in Suwannee.

Developing Relationships and Forming Alliances

The SBAP Program Manager presented at the Permitting Program Manager’s meeting. She discussed the program’s common history, funding and ways that the SBAP staff can help them with permitting.

The Ombudsman met with Region IV’s small business liaison and identified barriers that have prevented the 507 programs from experiencing phenomenal growth or becoming a “household” word. Ms. Dorsey-Word was also asked to be part of the Small Business Assistance Program delegation scheduled to meet with James Palmer, Region IV Director, once he assumes directorship.

The SBAP Program Manager also met with members of the North West Region management team and members of the Air Toxics Program and discussed ways that the SBAP could assist clients that they encounter. She reminded all of the programs that in order for businesses to be assisted by the SBAP, they had to be referred by EPD/DNR or contacted directly by the business.

Roy Edwards met with Darrell Manning, Program Manager, Underground Storage Tanks, (USTs) and discussed the role of the SBAP and cross training of SBAP staff on USTs.

The SBAP accompanied UST staff on a site visit in the metro area. The SBAP also accompanied the Northwest Region staff and the Air Toxics staff on several inspections during the year.

The SBAP partnered with the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division and hosted a downlink on metal coatings.

The SBAP also participated in a metal finishing initiative sponsored by P2AD on June 6, 2001. Other participants included the Northwest Region, and Hazardous Waste Program.

Program Successes

The SBAP assisted a dry cleaner that had entered into a consent order with EPD. In addition to the monetary penalties the facility had to submit their records to show compliance. The SBAP worked with the dry cleaner and explained the record keeping requirements; we also assisted him in filling out his paperwork. On September 7, 2001 the Division conducted an unannounced inspection. The records reviewed demonstrated that the facility was in compliance.

An inspection of a chrome plating facility assisted by the SBAP was inspected by the Air Toxics Program. The facility was found to be in full compliance with the air standards.

The SBAP engineering staff has been working with an offset printing facility that wants to put in two new lines of presses. We have assisted them with engineering calculations and facilitated a meeting between company officials and the Air Branch Permitting Engineer. Based on our calculations we were able to show the client how he could save up to $125,000 on controls that were really not needed for a minor source. (The company had originally thought that they might have to spend up to $225,000 for controls).

The SBAP assisted the Director’s office and the Air Protection Branch by responding to several high profiled cases involving small businesses. The facilities included an aluminum sweat furnace shop, a sand production plant, and a small manufacturing facility.

Miscellaneous

The SBAP was transferred from the Air Protection Branch to the Program Coordination Branch in February 2001.

The SBAP was allocated two new positions in 2000. One of those vacancies was filled in 2001. In addition, an Ombudsman was selected in September 2001.