In this final rule, EPA requires facilities to report non-trade-secret Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) forms to EPA using electronic software provided by the agency. The final rule is effective on January 21, 2014.
The only exception to this electronic reporting requirement is for the few facilities that submit trade secret TRI information. Under this rule, only TRI facilities that submit trade secret information will continue to submit two versions of the substantiation form and two versions of Form R or Form A-sanitized versions that include the generic chemical name that is structurally descriptive of the chemical being claimed as a trade secret and unsanitized versions that include the trade secret chemical name.
Under this rulemaking, EPA also requires facilities to submit electronically via the Internet (not on paper forms or CD-ROMs) any revisions or withdrawals of previously submitted TRI reporting forms. Additionally, EPA will no longer accept submissions, revisions, or withdrawals of TRI reporting forms submitted for reporting years prior to reporting year 1991. For trade secret submissions, EPA will still only accept revisions or withdrawals of previously submitted trade secret information on paper forms, though only for reporting years back to reporting year 1991.