6 Reasons to File NYC Community Right-to-Know Online:

If you own or manage an NYC-based industrial, commercial or public facility that processes, handles, uses or stores certain hazardous substances, the NYC Community Right-to-Know Program requires you to file certain reports each year. If you have multiple facilities, you must file a Facility Inventory Form (FIF) for each location.

If your facility deals with substances defined as toxic, hazardous or extremely hazardous, or mixtures of potentially dangerous chemicals, it is your responsibility to know the regulations and meet the March 1 filing deadline. For some chemicals, the Threshold Reporting Quantities (TRQs), the maximum quantity of a chemical that is reportable by law, are quite low.

Good news! You can submit your annual, revised or updated reports electronically.

The NYC Community Right-to-Know Program has streamlined their online reporting system so it is more straightforward and user-friendly. Government reporting is never fun, but online filing offers distinct benefits, such as these:

• It’s easy. The system walks you through the process step-by-step.
• It’s faster. The system offers drop-down lists for key information such as storage codes and inventory quantities, so you can just select and click rather than spending hours tediously typing the information into a form.
• It’s more accurate. Using the drop-down lists eliminates the possibility of data entry typos.
• It’ll be even easier next year. The system retains your previous reports, so you don’t need to re-enter the same information over and over. You can simply update your records.
• It’s cheaper. You won’t have to pay the $20 fee for a hard copy filing package.
• You can even pay online. The system calculates your filing fee and produces an invoice you can pay with a credit or debit card or e-check.

You may also choose to submit a computer-generated report instead of the official FIF, as long as it contains all the required information and follows the FIF format.

First-time users need to register with the system to acquire a unique username and create a password. From then on, any authorized user can tap into the system at any time to review information that has been submitted in the past and to file new reports. “Authorized” users can be owners, operators, managers or corporate officers.

Is the NYC Community Right-to-Know filing deadline on your calendar? Online filing is certainly easier, but you don’t want to wait until the last minute. Call Walden Environmental Engineering at (516)-624-7200.