Maryland Online Tier II Reporting System (MOTTRS)

MDE has implemented an online reporting system for facilities to use for reporting their Tier II Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory Reports.  These reports, required by Section 312 of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), require covered facilities to provide detailed reports about the hazardous materials they use or store on site.  The reports are submitted to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) with jurisdiction over the facility, and the local fire department that would respond to any emergency at the facility.  Reports are due March 1st of each year.  MDE is the designated repository for the SERC copy of the reports.

In the past MDE received paper copies of the inventory reports.  Lack of resources prevented the processing of the chemical data contained in the individual reports.  This made the information unavailable except during regular business hours.  This application allows facilities to enter their data directly into MDE’s database using web-based forms and their Internet browser (IE 6.0+, Firefox 2.0+).  Once the data is entered into the system, MDE can map the facility into our geographic information system (GIS).  The Tier II data can then be analyzed with an eye to physical location of facilities in relation to other features such as proximity to waterways or locations, schools, hospitals, or nursing homes, which may require special assistance in case of an incident at the facility.

MOTTRS offers numerous benefits to facility users:

• On-line data entry is user friendly
       o Drop down boxes provides easy reference to
          storage codes
       o Every EPA required data element is validated to 
          insure accuracy of reports
       o Data is saved after completion of each page.
       o Web-forms look like standard Tier II report
• Easy access to the system
       o Chemical Inventory information can be reviewed 
          and revised to reflect inventory changes.
       o Users can log in, access existing records and make 
          edits at anytime
• Eliminates need to re-type redundant information each year.
• References, resources, and reporting guidance included as part of Facility Submission Module
        o Links to EPA websites for guidance
        o Contact information for each Maryland LEPC 
           contained in application
• Supplemental files like Site Plans can be attached to the inventory report.
• System can print hard copy Tier Two report for submission to LEPC, local fire department, and for facility records.

(Note – This year MDE does not require a hard copy submission.  No hard copy submission is required for the following LEPCs: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Queen Anne’s.).

The benefits to MDE from this new computer application are numerous, as well:

• Facilities will be responsible for input of their own data into the system, relieving MDE of that responsibility.
• Billing module automatically calculates appropriate fees from covered facilities and will enable staff to  track financial transactions.
• GIS module allows MDE to plot facilities on a map that includes many data layers and will make  spatial analysis of community hazards possible.
• System supports a paperless regulatory reporting system.
• MDE is able to share electronic chemical inventory with the following LEPCs.

Note:  A signed paper Tier Two Report must be submitted to the LEPC for any jurisdiction not listed above.  Please contact your LEPC for instructions regarding Tier Two submissions to the local fire department.

Getting Started

To get stated using MOTTRS, follow this link: https://securesite.mde.state.md.us/mdetier2/submit

To get started, go to https://securesite.mde.state.md.us/mdetier2/submit  and click on Register Now.  Complete the web form including the name and address of each facility for which you report in Maryland*, and click SAVE.  This will generate an email to MDE, Community Right-To-Know Program staff requesting login approval.  If you provide a company owned email address in the web form, you will receive your response by email.  If the email address provided is not company owned, you will be contacted with instructions about how to register by alternative means

If you have any questions contact Patricia Williams by email at pwilliams@mde.state.md.us or by phone at 410-537-3800.

“Company” refers to the entity with responsibility for payment of the Community Right-To-Know (CRTK) Fund fees.  Maryland’s CRTK Fund fees are capped at $1,000 per owner/operator of one or more facilities in the State of Maryland.  If a company has multiple facilities in Maryland all of those facilities must be part of the same group for billing purposes.

Other Related Links

• Community Right to Know Home
  
• Community Right to Know Fund
  
• Maryland Online Tier II Reporting System