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Results Guide

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Results returned by the "All Programs" search include data from all of the following EPA data sources:
  • AFS (Clean Air Act data)
  • ICIS (EPA enforcement action data for multiple statutes)
  • ICIS-NPDES (Integrated Compliance Information System - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, Clean Water Act data)
  • PCS (Permit Compliance System, Clean Water Act data)
  • RCRAInfo (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act data)

Results returned by the "single-media" searches (Air Program search, Water Program search, and Hazardous Waste search) reflect data from the environmental media program source you searched. Thus,

the "Air Program" search reflects data from

  • AFS (Clean Air Act data)

the "Water Program - PCS" search reflects data from

  • PCS (Clean Water Act data)

the "Water Program - ICIS-NPDES" search reflects data from

  • ICIS-NPDES (Clean Water Act data)

the "Hazardous Waste Program" search reflects data from

  • RCRAInfo (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act data)

Six indicators are presented in the default search results table:

Seven additional indicators are available through ECHO's Custom Output report option:

 Program ID

An alphanumeric field, which is a unique value for each record/permit/site within each data system. These identifiers are for tracking purposes in the individual data systems.

 Inspections (5 years)

Indicates the number of federally reportable inspections that have taken place at the facility over the twenty most recently completed quarters (5 years)

This count only includes inspection types that are counted as inspections in official Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance counts.

Full Compliance Evaluation (FCE): For Clean Air Act (CAA) permits only, an FCE includes comprehensive paperwork review and often, but not necessarily, an on-site inspection. FCEs are credited as inspections in official Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance counts.
Partial Compliance Evaluation (PCE): For Clean Air Act (CAA) permits only, A partial compliance evaluation meets some but not all of the FCE (see above) criteria. PCEs are not credited as inspections in official Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance counts.
 Qtrs in Alleged Non Compliance (3 years)

Indicates the number of quarters that a facility has been in violation during the last twelve quarters (3 years). This classification applies to facilities with major/federally reportable permits or with non- federally reportable permits under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This column does not include "significant violations determinations."

After a Water Data Search is run, any "E" icon in the Facility Information column and any non-zero number in the Quarters in Non Compliance column is a link to a page of CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) effluent charts for the relevant facility.

These data may not be available for facilities holding only minor permits under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Because states are not required to submit this information to the federal systems, data aren't always available regarding these facilities' violations within the past 3 years.

Violation, noncompliance, significant noncompliance, and high priority violation are all terms used by the ECHO site to describe the facility status in regard to compliance with the law. In many cases, these terms reflect determinations made by EPA or states when conducting inspections or reviewing facility self-reports. These determinations assist the government in tracking resolution of violations through the enforcement process and do not necessarily represent a final adjudication by a judicial or administrative body. In such cases, these characterizations should be considered alleged violations.

 Alleged Current Significant Violations
Yes: Indicates that the facility is currently designated as a High Priority Violator under the Clean Air Act (CAA) or is in Significant Noncompliance under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). For the Water Data Search, The Alleged Current Significant Violations column will show a letter, indicating the SNC status, instead of "yes." The water SNC status codes are detailed below:
  • E = SNC - effluent violations of monthly average limits (Technical Review Criteria and chronic)
  • X = SNC - effluent violations of non-monthly average limits (Technical Review Criteria and chronic)
  • S = SNC - an enforcement action has been issued, and the facility is not meeting its compliance schedule
  • T = SNC - compliance schedule reporting violation
  • D = SNC - reporting violation - non-receipt of DMR
The High Priority Violator and Significant Noncompliance designations indicate violations by point source dischargers of sufficient magnitude or duration to be a regulatory priority. Removal from the significant violator list varies somewhat by program. For the Air program only, sources continue to be considered high priority violators until they are in full compliance and all penalties are paid.
No: For facilities with major/federally reportable permits or with non-federally reportable permits under the Clean Air Act (CAA) indicates that the facility is not currently designated as a High Priority Violator under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and is not in Significant Noncompliance under the Clean Water Act or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). These designations indicate violations by point source dischargers of sufficient magnitude or duration to be a regulatory priority.
N/A:

For facilities with no associated Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permits, "N/A" indicates that this measure is not applicable.

For facilities holding only minor permits under the Clean Water Act (CWA), "N/A" indicates that this data is not available. Because states are not required to submit this data to the federal systems, no conclusions may be drawn regarding this facility's current significant violations.

Violation, noncompliance, significant noncompliance, and high priority violation are all terms used by the ECHO site to describe the facility status in regard to compliance with the law. In many cases, these terms reflect determinations made by EPA or states when conducting inspections or reviewing facility self-reports. These determinations assist the government in tracking resolution of violations through the enforcement process and do not necessarily represent a final adjudication by a judicial or administrative body. In such cases, these characterizations should be considered alleged violations.

 Informal Enforcement Actions/NOVs (5 years)
Indicates the number of informal enforcement actions/NOVs that have been taken against the facility within the twenty most recently completed quarters (5 years). Notices of Violation are activities taken by EPA or the state that often precede a formal administrative or civil/judicial enforcement action. Not all notices of violation are escalated to formal enforcement action for a variety of reasons, including the following: the facility quickly corrects the problem(s) indicated in the notice, the violation is determined to be less severe than originally thought, or consultation between the facility and EPA or the state indicates that a violation has not occurred.
 Formal Enforcement Actions (5 years)
Indicates the number of enforcement actions that have been taken against the facility within the twenty most recent complete quarters (5 years).
Indicates that the database shows no formal EPA or state enforcement action. Note that enforcement actions that are in process are not publicly available. For more information, continue to check this site for updates (monthly). The relevant state environmental agency also may have additional information. Also note that all violations do not receive formal enforcement actions. Violations that are minor, short in duration, or quickly corrected by the facility may not warrant formal enforcement action.
N/A: For facilities with no associated Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permits, "N/A" indicates that this measure is not applicable.

Violation, noncompliance, significant noncompliance, and high priority violation are all terms used by the ECHO site to describe the facility status in regard to compliance with the law. In many cases, these terms reflect determinations made by EPA or states when conducting inspections or reviewing facility self-reports. These determinations assist the government in tracking resolution of violations through the enforcement process and do not necessarily represent a final adjudication by a judicial or administrative body. In such cases, these characterizations should be considered alleged violations.

 Days Since Last Inspection
Indicates the number of days since the most recent inspection of the facility. Inspections listed within the last five years are included.
For the Clean Air Act, indicates the number of days since a Full Compliance Evaluation (FCE) was completed. This date may or may not correspond to an actual site visit. A series of partial on- or off-site inspections may have been conducted during the fiscal year as part of this FCE.
 Date of Last Formal Action
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed enforcement action. Enforcement actions listed within the last five years are included.
 Penalties (5 years)
Indicates the total dollar amount of either assessed (or final) penalties that have been taken against the facility within the twenty most recent complete quarters (5 years).
This count only includes penalties that have been entered in the program databases: AFS, PCS, ICIS-NPDES, and RCRAInfo. Federal CAA, CWA-PCS, and RCRA penalties that have been entered into ICIS are not included to avoid duplicative counting. This count does not include proposed penalties in RCRAInfo or the cost of Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs).
 Date of Last Penalty
Indicates the date of the most recent assessed (or final) penalty that has been taken against the facility. Penalties listed within the last five years are included.
This measure only includes penalties that have been entered in the program databases: AFS, PCS, ICIS-NPDES, and RCRAInfo. Federal CAA, CWA-PCS, and RCRA penalties that have been entered into ICIS are not included. This count does not include proposed penalties in RCRAInfo or the cost of Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs).
 Amount of Last Penalty
Indicates the total dollar amount of the most recent assessed (or final) penalty given to a facility. Penalties listed within the last five years are included.
This count only includes penalties that have been entered in the program databases: AFS, PCS, ICIS-NPDES, and RCRAInfo. Federal CAA, CWA-PCS, and RCRA penalties that have been entered into ICIS are not included to avoid duplicative counting. This count does not include proposed penalties in RCRAInfo or the cost of Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs).
 Percent Minority (3 mile radius)
Percent Minority is the percentage of the population of the given area that is considered minority. The field is calculated by subtracting the number of persons who are white (and not of Hispanic origin) from the total persons. This number is then divided by the total persons and multiplied by one hundred to determine the percentage.
Statistics are shown for the area within a 3-mile radius of each facility. The radius is measured from the best available lat/long coordinate (normally from EPA's Locational Reference Tables - LRT file). Users should be aware that the Demographic Profile is based upon the reported latitude and longitude of the facility or permit holder. Surrounding populations and other statistics were estimated by retrieving the data for Census block groups within three miles of each facility.
 Major (PCS only)
Available only in the "Water Program - PCS" search. A value of "1" indicates that the facility is a classified as a major facility.
 Additional Terms
AFS: Air Facility System, tracks compliance and enforcement data under the Clean Air Act.
ICIS: Integrated Compliance Information System. Tracks federal enforcement actions.
PCS: Permit Compliance System. Tracks compliance and enforcement data under the Clean Water Act.
ICP: ICIS-NPDES (stands for Integrated Compliance Information System - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System). Tracks compliance and enforcement data under the Clean Water Act.
RCRAInfo: Tracks enforcement and compliance data under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

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