Permit Compliance System (PCS)

The "Permit Compliance System (PCS)" database is a computerized
management information system which contains data on National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit-holding
facilities. PCS keeps extensive records on more than 65,000
active water-discharge permits on sites located throughout the
nation. PCS was developed to meet the informational needs of the
NPDES program under the Clean Water Act. PCS tracks permit,
compliance, and enforcement status of NPDES facilities.

There are 13 types of data within PCS: permit facility, permit
event, compliance schedule, compliance schedule violation,
outfall schedule, permit limit, discharge monitoring report,
single event violation, enforcement action, inspections,
pretreatment compliance inspection/audit, pretreatment
performance summary, and evidentiary hearing. Each permit record
contains also the following additional information:
identification and description of the facility, pollutant
discharge limits for the facility, actual amounts of pollutants
measured in the facility's wastewater discharges, and the
facility's compliance schedule and violations.

The primary sources of information are the permittees and USEPA
region and state offices.
LANGUAGE:

English
ACCESS/AVAILABILITY:

PCS is used by EPA programs, Regions and states, especially
water programs. EPA and its partners have access to PCS through
EPA's mainframe. EPA and its partners (for example, states,
contractors, and grantees) must obtain a user ID through the
National Data Processing Division to access the EPA mainframe.
To obtain access to PCS, users must then contact the data center.

Online access to PCS data is also available through Great Lakes
ENVIROFACTS.

Other users may request information "except enforcement
sensitive information" through the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) process. A FOIA is a written request for records held or
believed to be held by EPA where a record is defined as any
existing document, memorandum, report, photograph, sound or
magnetic recording, computer tape, drawing, or other medium in
which information has been preserved. FOIA authorizes EPA to
charge requesters the direct cost for any searching, reviewing,
and duplication required to respond to the request if these
costs exceed .00. To submit a FOIA request to EPA, a written
letter, detailing the subject matter of interest, should be
submitted to:
Jeralene B. Green
FOIA Officer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1105
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
202-260-4048
202-260-0295 (FAX)

Available user documentation includes the following: Inquiry
User's Guide, Generalized Retrieval User's Guide, Data Entry,
Edit and Update User's Guide, Data Element Dictionary, PCS-PAL
User's Guide, and Guide to National Computing Center Services.
Assistance is also available through Regional/State PCS contacts
and through:

PCS User Support Line
703-908-2680
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Monday - Friday