Guide to Regulated Facilities in ECHO

There are multiple ways ECHO can be used to search compliance data. By default, ECHO searches focus on larger, more regulated facilities. Each search page allows users to search a more comprehensive group of facilities by electing to search for minor or smaller facilities.

The following tables show the types and approximate numbers of facilities (or "universe" of facilities) that are included in searches when the default options are used, and when the "Include Minor Facilities" or the "All" box is checked.

Clean Water Act (CWA) Permit Types

CWA Permit Type	Default	If "Include Minor Facilities" is Checked	Universe Size
CWA Major (standard permits)	YES	YES	7,000
CWA Minor (standard permits)	No	YES	43,000
Non-Standard CWA Permits (stormwater, general, CAFOs, pretreatment)	No	No	132,000
CWA Inactive Permits (all types of permits)	No	No	199,000

Notes: Though permitted minor facilities are in the PCS database and can be searched in ECHO, violation data are not normally shown in ECHO because this information is not required to be entered into the data system. Universe sizes as of May 2007.

Clean Air Act (CAA) Facility Types

CAA Facility Type	Default	If "Other Minor" is Checked	Universe Size
CAA Major (Title V) Facilities	YES	YES	16,000
CAA Synthetic Minor Facilities	YES	YES	22,000
CAA Federally-Reportable Minor Facilities	YES	YES	4,000
CAA Minor Facilities	No	YES	98,000
CAA Inactive Facilities (all types of permits)	No	No	42,000

Notes: The table above undercounts CAA minor facilities because states are not required to enter them in the AFS system. Note that some states do put these facilities in on a voluntary basis. Universe sizes as of May 2007.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Designations

RCRA Designation	Default	If "All" Box is Checked	Universe Size
RCRA Treatment, Storage or Disposal Facilities (CEI)	YES	YES	2,000
RCRA Large Quantity Generators	YES	YES	27,000
RCRA Small Quantity Generators	No	YES	169,000
RCRA Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators^{( 1 )}	No	YES	185,000
RCRA Transporters	No	YES	16,000
RCRA Facilities Not Represented Elsewhere	No	YES	5,000
RCRA Inactive Permits (all types of permits)	No	No	256,000

Notes: RCRA IDs are assigned to operations involved in generating, transporting or otherwise managing hazardous waste. Universe sizes as of May 2007.

^{( 1 )} RCRA Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG) reporting is not mandatory and therefore includes only those sites that have reported such activities. Not all Implementers track CESQG information or are able to enter the requested information in RCRAInfo, therefore the universe of CESQGs may not accurately reflect all CESQGs.

All-Data Searches

Type	Default	If "Include Minor Facilities" or All Facilities is Selected
"All Data Searches"	All rows in tables above with "YES" value in "Default" column, plus closed Federal Enforcement Cases within 3 years	All rows in tables above with "YES" value, plus closed Federal Enforcement Cases within 3 years

Guide to Regulated Facilities in ECHO

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