EPA Documents Are Available Online

If you are involved in litigation concerning a substance regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency has a Web site where you can review dockets and documents: http://cascade.epa.gov/RightSite/dk_public_home.htm. EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) is an online public docket and comment system designed to expand access to documents in the EPA's major dockets. Dockets contain Federal Register notices, support documents, and public comments for regulations the Agency publishes and various nonregulatory activities. EDOCKET allows you to search, download and print the documents in a docket, as well as submit comments online. For a current list of the materials in each docket and common questions, click on “About EDOCKET.” The support documents include Federal Registers, reports, hearing transcripts, and other items used in the rule-making process. Comments include written opinions, data, and other information submitted to the EPA that agrees, disagrees, and/or suggests alternatives to the proposed action.

EDOCKET is currently being phased in across the EPA. As of July 2003, docket facilities are using EDOCKET to establish the public docket, index the docket contents, and to the extent feasible, provide the electronic version of publicly available docket materials. Dockets opened prior to May 2002 may be added in the future. The availability of an electronic document is indicated on the index by the PDF symbol. All documents listed on the index are available in the official public docket at the appropriate docket facility.

The following dockets are currently in EDOCKET:

• Air and Radiation (OAR) Docket: Materials primarily pertaining to the Clean Air Act.
• Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) Docket: Information generally relating to the Agency's enforcement and compliance activities.
• Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket: Documents relating to the Agency's management of environmental information.
• Pesticides Programs (OPP) Docket: Materials primarily relating to the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Docket: Materials primarily related to RCRA.
• Superfund (SFUND) Docket: Materials pertaining to the Comp-rehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
• Underground Storage Tanks (UST) Docket: Information related to underground storage tanks.
• Water (OW) Docket: Materials primarily pertaining to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the Clean Water Act.
• Toxics (OPPTS) Docket: Information relating to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Although included in the official paper docket, the EPA has determined that the following material will not be included in EPA Dockets:

• Material subject to copyright protection
• Audio and video materials
• Oversized printed materials (eg, greater than 11 inches x 14 inches)
• Other physical, three dimensional items
• Material containing Confidential Business Information (CBI)

Using EDOCKET

Each time an Agency action is announced in the Federal Register, a docket is established and assigned a tracking number to accumulate materials throughout the development process. You can search for materials in EDOCKET in three ways.

1) “View Open Dockets” allows you to see dockets that are currently open for public comment.

2) “Quick Search” allows you to do a one-step search across multiple fields for a particular docket or document.

3) “Advanced Search” allows users to find dockets or documents using several specific search criteria, including a full-text search within the documents.

You can submit comments by clicking on “View Open Dockets” or on the “Submit Comments” button and specify a docket on which you want to comment. The EPA is committed to making the Agency electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The most recent version of Adobe Acrobat can be downloaded to view documents. If you need further assistance in accessing a particular document, you can contact the appropriate docket facility.

Docket Center

On Aug. 27, 2002 the EPA opened the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) to the public. The EPA/DC is a consolidated facility that houses the major headquarters' paper docket files. Currently, the paper docket is the EPA's official public docket. You can contact the appropriate docket facility to obtain materials that are not included in EDOCKET.

If you are involved in litigation concerning a substance regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency has a Web site where you can review dockets and documents: http://cascade.epa.gov/RightSite/dk_public_home.htm. EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) is an online public docket and comment system designed to expand access to documents in the EPA's major dockets. Dockets contain Federal Register notices, support documents, and public comments for regulations the Agency publishes and various nonregulatory activities. EDOCKET allows you to search, download and print the documents in a docket, as well as submit comments online. For a current list of the materials in each docket and common questions, click on “About EDOCKET.” The support documents include Federal Registers, reports, hearing transcripts, and other items used in the rule-making process. Comments include written opinions, data, and other information submitted to the EPA that agrees, disagrees, and/or suggests alternatives to the proposed action.

EDOCKET is currently being phased in across the EPA. As of July 2003, docket facilities are using EDOCKET to establish the public docket, index the docket contents, and to the extent feasible, provide the electronic version of publicly available docket materials. Dockets opened prior to May 2002 may be added in the future. The availability of an electronic document is indicated on the index by the PDF symbol. All documents listed on the index are available in the official public docket at the appropriate docket facility.

The following dockets are currently in EDOCKET:

• Air and Radiation (OAR) Docket: Materials primarily pertaining to the Clean Air Act.
• Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) Docket: Information generally relating to the Agency's enforcement and compliance activities.
• Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket: Documents relating to the Agency's management of environmental information.
• Pesticides Programs (OPP) Docket: Materials primarily relating to the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Docket: Materials primarily related to RCRA.
• Superfund (SFUND) Docket: Materials pertaining to the Comp-rehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
• Underground Storage Tanks (UST) Docket: Information related to underground storage tanks.
• Water (OW) Docket: Materials primarily pertaining to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the Clean Water Act.
• Toxics (OPPTS) Docket: Information relating to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Although included in the official paper docket, the EPA has determined that the following material will not be included in EPA Dockets:

• Material subject to copyright protection
• Audio and video materials
• Oversized printed materials (eg, greater than 11 inches x 14 inches)
• Other physical, three dimensional items
• Material containing Confidential Business Information (CBI)

Using EDOCKET

Each time an Agency action is announced in the Federal Register, a docket is established and assigned a tracking number to accumulate materials throughout the development process. You can search for materials in EDOCKET in three ways.

1) “View Open Dockets” allows you to see dockets that are currently open for public comment.

2) “Quick Search” allows you to do a one-step search across multiple fields for a particular docket or document.

3) “Advanced Search” allows users to find dockets or documents using several specific search criteria, including a full-text search within the documents.

You can submit comments by clicking on “View Open Dockets” or on the “Submit Comments” button and specify a docket on which you want to comment. The EPA is committed to making the Agency electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The most recent version of Adobe Acrobat can be downloaded to view documents. If you need further assistance in accessing a particular document, you can contact the appropriate docket facility.

Docket Center

On Aug. 27, 2002 the EPA opened the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) to the public. The EPA/DC is a consolidated facility that houses the major headquarters' paper docket files. Currently, the paper docket is the EPA's official public docket. You can contact the appropriate docket facility to obtain materials that are not included in EDOCKET.