Postal Service™ policy requires all USPS® facilities to comply with the reporting requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Postal Service sites that store certain quantities of hazardous and toxic chemicals must complete and submit the EPCRA Tier II Form by March 1 every year.
Reporting requirements apply to any location that stores threshold quantities of EPCRA-regulated hazardous and toxic chemicals.
Commonly reported chemicals and thresholds for USPS facilities include the following:
n Lead-acid batteries. USPS facilities that meet the 500-pound threshold for sulfuric acid by having more than six tow motor batteries or more than two forklift batteries, or a combination of these batteries, onsite. Estimate the percent weight of sulfuric acid in each battery by multiplying the battery weight by 18 percent.
n Gasoline, diesel, or heating fuel. The 10,000-pound threshold for these fuels is equivalent to 1,639 gallons of gasoline (6.1 pounds/gallon) or 1,351 gallons of diesel/heating fuel (7.4 pounds/gallon).
n Ice melt/anti-skid products. Rock salt, calcium magnesium acetate, and sand have a 10,000-pound threshold. The threshold applies whether the materials are stored by bulk in one location or dispersed in bags and on pallets throughout the site.
By March 1, 2019, USPS installation heads must submit the emergency and hazardous chemical inventory reporting form, known as the EPCRA Tier II Form, to the following organizations:
n The State Emergency Response Commission;
n The Local Emergency Planning Committee; and
n The local Fire Department that would respond to an emergency at your facility.
States require report submission via the following ways:
n Submittal of the hard copy Tier II Form,
n Electronic reporting through the EPA Tier2 Submit software program, or
n Reporting through state-specific software programs or websites.
For states that require report submission through the EPA Tier2 Submit 2018 software, USPS facilities can request a download of the Tier2 Submit 2018 software through eAccess. If other state electronic reporting software or website applications are not accessible or authorized on your USPS ACE computer system, you must submit the Tier II Form in a hard copy format. To find the individual reporting requirements, procedures, and forms for each state, visit epa.gov/epcra-tier-i-and-tier-ii-reporting.
Note: USPS facilities are not required to pay any fees associated with reporting (including electronic reporting user and registration fees).
You can also get detailed reporting instructions by contacting the appropriate regional manager of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability or by visiting the Sustainability website at blue.usps.gov/sustainability/environmental/tier-ii-reporting.htm.
If you have any questions about your need to report under EPCRA, contact your designated manager, Regional Environmental Compliance:
n For the East region (Northeast, Eastern, Capital Metro Areas, and Headquarters-related facilities), contact Nicholas DeCarlo at nicholas.decarlo@usps.gov.
n For the West region (Great Lakes, Western, Southern, and Pacific Areas), contact Judy Wingo-Stalinger at judy.wingo-stalinger@usps.gov.
— Environmental Compliance and Risk Management,
Office of Sustainability, 1-31-19
