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Notice Regarding “Hard Copy” Submissions to EPA During the COVID-19 National Emergency

May 12, 2020

During this time of national emergency due to COVID-19, EPA is taking actions to maintain the health and safety of our workforce while implementing contingency plans to ensure the fulfillment of our mission responsibilities. The Agency is paying close attention to guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal agencies as well as our state and local public health partners.  

Following CDC and OPM guidance and specific state guidelines impacting our regional offices, EPA’s workforce has been authorized to telework to help prevent transmission of the coronavirus. While in this workforce telework status, there are practical limitations on the ability of staff to collect, and for Agency personnel to respond to, "hard copy" mailed queries sent directly to Agency office locations. Therefore, until the workforce is able to return to  office locations, we recommend that, to the extent feasible, any correspondence mailed to the Agency should also be sent via email through our Contact Us information. Please note, however, that there is one exception:  FOIA requests for Agency records are most effectively submitted through FOIAonline, especially during this period.

In addition, if you are submitting permit applications or comments on agency proposals or other actions on which the Agency has requested public comment, please follow the directions provided by the applicable regulations or in the Agency’s request for comment.  We encourage electronic submittals, including in addition to any required hard copy submissions, but if you are unable to submit electronically or need other assistance, please reach out to the contact listed in the notice or regulation or, if unavailable, the responsible EPA program’s general contact email or phone number.

EPA is committed to continuing our critical work on behalf of the American public while also safeguarding the health and safety of the public and the families of EPA employees by taking responsible measures to help prevent transmission of the coronavirus. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

If you need assistance in a language other than English or if you are a person with disabilities who needs a reasonable accommodation at no cost to you, please reach out to the listed contact by email or phone.

Read Coronavirus (COVID-19) information from EPA.