The Toxic Release Inventory is a U.S. EPA program enacted as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986.
Every year, tens of thousands of facilities in the United States submit reports to EPA and the States on releases and transfers of certain toxic chemicals. This data exchange allows EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) to automatically forward copies of electronic TRI submissions to state Exchange Network Nodes. The TRI data exchange allows states to receive raw TRI data in real time. It also reduces the burden on reporting facilities, allowing them to submit only once through CDX, with the data being sent to both EPA and their state simultaneously. Facility submissions sent directly through CDX to EPA and the states are known as the "Stage 1" submissions.
"Stage 2" of the TRI data exchange was established in 2006. Stage 2, allows states that join the TRI State Data Exchange to save resources usually spent for data entry and reconciliation by getting their entire state’s data set electronically via CDX. This includes data that is submitted on diskette or paper or by a first time filer. (Note: When a facility makes a paper or diskette submission or files for the first time, it is still required to report to both U.S. EPA and the state in which it is located.) An updated Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that outlines some of the business rules associated with this new service is presented below.
implementation resources
Reporting Year 2008 - v4.0
The NTG Conformance Committee has received and reviewed the TRI documentation package and deemed the schema and supporting flow documentation acceptable for use on the Exchange Network. The following links are to implementation resources for the TRI data exchange version 4.0.
States participating in the TRI data exchange must complete a Memorandum of Agreement with U.S. EPA
that outlines the specific roles and responsibilities between the State and EPA for the purposes of successfully transmitting TRI data via the Exchange Network. You can download a model MOA below.
Model Memorandum of Agreement - The model MOA was revised on 8/2/06 to incorporate language that accomodates the exchange of report data submitted via paper or diskette or by first time CDX filers.
Addendum to the Model Memorandum of Agreement - If your state has already signed an MOA with EPA and would like to begin receiving electronic copies of reports submitted via paper or diskette or by first time CDX filers, you will need sign an addenedum to the original MOA. This model addendum includes language that expands the scope of the original agreement to include the exchange of report data submitted via paper or diskette or by first time CDX filers.
supplemental information
TRI-ME Download
More information and download instructions for U.S. EPA's TRI reporting software called TRI-ME is available on the EPA website.
Pilot Project Lessons Learned The States of Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana participated in the pilot project that launched the TRI data exchange. Each state compiled a Lessons Learned document to help other partners better understand the implementation process and anticipate challenges before beginning.
2005 TRI Data Exchange Meeting
You can find additional information on the TRI Data Exchange by visiting the page dedicated to the TRI-State Data Exchange Meeting held in September 2005. The page contains links to the agenda and presentations that were distributed at the meeting.
contact information
For more information on the Toxics Release Inventory data exchange, please contact:
Juan Parra
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(202) 566-0499 Parra.Juan@epa.gov
Tim Antisdel
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(202) 566-0733
