How can a small business owner get help understanding requirements and regulations?

The mission of the EPA's Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman (ASBO) is to support the environmental and compliance performance of small businesses while reducing the regulatory burden on small businesses, including the cost of compliance and the adverse impact on business operations through representation and collaboration. The ASBO operates a toll-free hotline for the convenience of small businesses, trade associations, and the general public, seeking free, confidential help as it relates to asbestos and a variety of environmental regulatory topics.

ASBO Contact Information:

Hotline: 1-800-368-5888 or 202-566-1970 (DC area)
Mainline: 202-566-2075
Fax: 202-566-1505
Web address: http://www.epa.gov/sbo

Online Contact form: http://www.epa.gov/sbo/contactus.htm

Or, you may write to:
EPA Asbestos & Small Business Ombudsman
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Mail Code: 1230T
Washington, D.C. 20460

EPA offers these electronic resources to assist small businesses with understanding and complying with environmental requirements:

Office of Small Business Programs, http://www.epa.gov/osbp/

Envirofacts, http://www.epa.gov/enviro/

Envirofacts, http://www.epa.gov/enviro/ The Envirofacts site provides access to several EPA databases to provide you with information and generate maps about environmental activities in the United States. The Database Categories are: Air, Land, Water, Waste, Toxics, Radiation, Facility, Compliance, and Other. These databases can be found, listed by topic, here:
http://www.epa.gov/enviro/facts/topicsearch.html

The Office of Compliance and Enforcement can also provide compliance assistance. Office of Compliance and Enforcement Contact Page, http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/contact.html

Regional compliance assistance is also available. Regional compliance assistance activities include developing and conducting workshops and training sessions, responding to questions from the regulated community, developing and distributing guidance materials and providing direct on-site compliance assistance. To get information about your local Compliance Assistance Coordinator, select your state or territory from the list or the map on the following page:
EPA Regional Compliance Assistance Coordinator, http://www.epa.gov/compliance/contact/cac_regional.html

Compliance Assistance Centers, http://www.assistancecenters.net/
The Centers help businesses, local governments, and federal facilities understand federal environmental requirements and save money through pollution prevention techniques.

External Links Disclaimer: Please be aware that links to non-EPA sites do not imply any official EPA endorsement. Furthermore, EPA does not accept any responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at those locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. EPA does not guarantee the suitability of the information for any specific purpose.

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How can a small business owner get help understanding requirements and regulations?

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