Program Overview
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 was created to help communities plan for chemical emergencies. It also requires industry to report on the storage, use and releases of hazardous substances to federal, state, and local governments.
Please note:
- Montana does not collect fees for this submittal.
- Montana does not accept hard copies.
- Montana follows EPA requirements and does not have state-level requirements.
EPCRA 302: Extremely Hazardous Chemical notifications
EPCRA 311: Requirement to provide MSDS for reportable chemicals
EPCRA 312: Hazardous chemical reporting
See how E-Plan is used in Montana:
EPCRA Contacts
Jennifer Strause
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
PO Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 431-3148
Training Resources
| Training Links | File Type |
|---|---|
| E-Plan Users Guide | Online Training |
| E-Plan User Training Video | Video Link |
Regulation, Guidance, Training and Other Tier II Resources
Filing Reports:
Beginning in late December 2013 Montana transitioned all Tier II report filing to E-Plan electronic submission. No hard copies or email submittals will be accepted. See the directions below. You also have the option to attach contingency plans, maps, photos, etc. in the "additional information" section.
Regarding local filing, the decision to accept online reporting to LEPCs or TERCs and fire departments has been left up to individual jurisdictions.
E-Plan
Montana uses E-Plan for accepting online submission of Tier II chemical inventory information.
Facilities must submit their Tier II Report by logging into E-Plan's Online Tier II Reporting System web site at: https://tier2.erplan.net
E-Plan offers a User's Guide and EPCRA/Tier II training resources at: https://erplan.net/news/
A facility's Tier II Report submittal will be deemed complete when the Montana Department of Environmental Quality can view its electronic submittal on E-Plan.
For E-Plan questions or requests, please use: https://erplan.net/eplan/support/contactUs.htm
You will need to contact the appropriate Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC -- there is one in each of Montana's 56 counties) and fire department to see if they can accept electronic filings. If they cannot accept electronic filings, a paper copy will need to be sent to the LEPC and fire department.
Montana LEPCs/TERCs Contacts List (Revised 2022)
EPCRA 302 Notification: E-Plan allows the facilities to create and submit one time notification to SERC. Filing your 302 report via E-Plan meets your SERC requirement, but local LEPCs and Fire Departments may require a different submittal. Contact your County officials to see if they accept E-Plan as a form of electronic filing.
For emergency response and planning organizations that would like access to E-Plan, after your organization has determined who should have access, please go to erplan.net and set up an account as a first responder. A request will be forwarded to DEQ for approval. Approval turnaround is usually a day or less. You will then receive notification from E-Plan about your login credentials. You may then access the Tier II reports.
First responders may wish to use the CAMEO® (Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations) software suite to plan and respond to chemical emergencies.
The CAMEO system includes:
- CAMEO Data Manager - Database and Information Management Tool
- CAMEO Chemicals - Chemical Response Data Sheets and Reactivity Prediction Tool
- MARPLOT® - Mapping Application for Response, Planning, and Local Operational Tasks
- ALOHA® - Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres
More information about CAMEO and software downloads can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/cameo
Q. I submitted my information for the State through E-Plan, do I also have to submit to my local fire department and LEPC?
A. Some LEPCs and local fire departments use E-Plan for TIER II reporting and others do not. You will have to check with you local organizations to see if they require a separate submission. Contact information for Montana LEPC/TERCs may be found here: Montana LEPCs/TERCs Contacts List (Revised 2022)
Q. The person who used to do this has left; how do I access my company's prior information?
A. Contact the E-Plan help desk to create your own account and have your company linked to your account. Use the E-Plan Contact Us page for help on all account issues: https://erplan.net/eplan/support/contactUs.htm
Q. My facility is shutting down or has recently decommissioned a tank, do we need to do anything to notify the state?
A. You must report for any part of a calendar year that you stored chemicals above the reporting threshold. No notification is needed for closed or decommissioned facilities or tanks.
Q. My facility was under the reporting threshold for all of the last calendar year; do we still need to submit a report?
A. No, a report is not needed if you did not exceed the reporting threshold for the entire calendar year.