Ohio Epa Offers Small & Midsized Businesses A New Web-Based Help Tool
Navigating Ohio's environmental permitting process is now easier, thanks to a new program developed by Ohio EPA. Permit Wizard is an on-line, interactive tool designed to help small and mid-size businesses more easily identify permit, licensing and registration requirements that apply to their operations.
"Environmental regulations can be confusing," said Ohio EPA Director Joe Koncelik. "The Permit Wizard can help small business in particular to understand their obligations. It will save them time and help ensure compliance."
The Permit Wizard is an easy to use tool that guides the user through a series of questions and provides customized feedback on the permits required for operation. The user can survey their company's needs in several environmental permit areas including waste, air, wastewater, storm water and wetlands. Each session is brief and ends with a summary of requirements and applicable resource links including guidance documents, fact sheets and forms.
New business owners may find the tool helpful as a starting point in identifying what is needed to comply with state requirements. Existing businesses also may find the Permit Wizard to be a helpful tool to make sure they have met all requirements. The Permit Wizard is designed to be used anonymously and the user is not required to submit any personal or company information.
Although the Permit Wizard provides a good starting point to help get permitting requirements in order, it does not provide an official or binding determination on permitting and is not a substitute for carefully reviewing all applicable rules and laws. The Permit Wizard also is not a tool for highly complex permitting situations, such as determining whether an air permit is needed for a major source of emissions.
Permit Wizard can be accessed by clicking on the icon on Ohio EPA'S main web page at www.epa.state.oh.us.