Tier II Chemical Reporting in Georgia: Who Files & How
Short answer: if your Georgia facility stores a hazardous chemical at or above its EPCRA reporting threshold — generally 10,000 pounds, or as low as 500 pounds for an Extremely Hazardous Substance — you must file an annual Tier II chemical inventory report by March 1. In Georgia, reports are filed electronically through E-Plan to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD), and copies also go to your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and local fire department. SDSentry ($24 per location per month) tracks quantity per item across each location and exports a Tier II inventory file, so the worst part — compiling the data each February — becomes a download. Here is how it works in Georgia.
Free, no signup: the SDS binder builder at sdsentry.0xpi.com/sds-binder.html turns a pasted list of the products you keep on site into one printable index of their current safety data sheets.
What Tier II is, and how it differs from HazCom
Tier II is an annual chemical-inventory report required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA, also called SARA Title III). Its purpose is emergency response: it tells fire departments and local planners what hazardous chemicals are stored, in what amounts, and where on your site. It is separate from OSHA Hazard Communication — the same chemicals are often involved, but HazCom protects your own employees, while Tier II informs the community and first responders. A facility can owe both obligations at once.
Who has to file in Georgia
The thresholds are federal and apply in Georgia. You must file Tier II if any hazardous chemical for which you are required to keep a safety data sheet is present at your facility at or above its reporting threshold at any point during the calendar year:
- 10,000 lbs for most hazardous chemicals (those that require an SDS).
- 500 lbs — or the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity, whichever is lower — for Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHSs) on EPA's list.
Quantities are based on the maximum amount present at any one time, aggregated across the facility. A relatively small amount of an EHS can trigger reporting because those thresholds are much lower.
The deadline: March 1
Tier II reports are due annually by March 1 and cover the previous calendar year. Georgia follows this federal March 1 deadline. The report goes to three places: Georgia EPD (via E-Plan), your LEPC, and your local fire department. Build your filing routine around late February so you are not assembling the inventory the night before.
Where Georgia reports go
In Georgia, Tier II reports are submitted to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD), whose Emergency Response Program serves as staff to the State Emergency Response Commission. EPD's Tier II filing guidance: “Georgia requires the use of E-Plan for all Tier II related reporting. The State of Georgia does not accept Tier II reports via email or postal mail.” Once the upload succeeds and you receive the confirmation email, the state's requirement is met. For the current portal and submission details, see Georgia EPD's emergency response page at epd.georgia.gov/emergency-response. Because account setup and accepted file formats can change from year to year, confirm the current process directly with Georgia EPD before you file — do not assume last year's method still applies.
E-Plan filing does not settle your local obligations. EPD's guidance: “Local LEPCs or Fire Departments may have reporting and notification requirements specific to their jurisdictions and they should be contacted individually for guidance.” Contact your county LEPC and your local fire department to confirm how they want to receive the report.
State fees
Georgia's guidance says E-Plan's administrator charges a fee rather than the state: “The University of Texas at Dallas, administrators of the E-Plan website, will charge a $25.00 facility filing fee that is paid directly to UT at Dallas during the upload process at time of submission.” That guidance document dates from December 2018, so confirm the current amount when you file.
Do small Georgia facilities usually hit the threshold?
Often not. A typical clinic, shelter, shop, or office stores cleaning and disinfection products in quantities well under 10,000 lbs. But it is worth checking the things that add up: bulk pool or spa chemicals, large propane or diesel tanks, stored fuel, fertilizer at an agricultural or grounds operation, or a sizeable bulk supply of a single disinfectant. Because EHS thresholds are low, the only reliable way to know whether you must file is to track your maximum on-hand quantities per chemical.
How SDSentry helps
SDSentry tracks quantity and unit per item in your per-location inventory, flags items over a threshold you set, and exports an EPCRA Tier II inventory file — so your preparer is not rebuilding the chemical list by hand each February. It will not file with Georgia EPD (through E-Plan) for you, but it turns the most tedious part, compiling the data, into a download you hand to whoever submits. Start from our general EPCRA Tier II reporting guide to confirm whether you owe a report at all, then keep both this obligation and your day-to-day HazCom duties in one place.
Track inventory for Tier II — free trial
Frequently asked questions
Who receives Tier II reports in Georgia?
Georgia requires all Tier II reporting through E-Plan and does not accept reports by email or postal mail; a successful upload fulfills the State of Georgia’s requirement. Local LEPCs and fire departments may have their own requirements, so EPD tells facilities to contact them individually.
When is the Tier II deadline in Georgia?
The federal EPCRA deadline is March 1 each year, covering chemicals stored during the prior calendar year. Georgia follows this federal March 1 deadline. If March 1 falls on a weekend, confirm the agency's handling of the due date.
What are the Tier II reporting thresholds?
The federal thresholds are 10,000 pounds for most hazardous chemicals that require a safety data sheet, and 500 pounds or the Threshold Planning Quantity, whichever is lower, for Extremely Hazardous Substances on EPA's list. Quantities are based on the maximum amount present at any one time.
Is there a Tier II filing fee in Georgia?
Georgia EPD’s filing guidance says the University of Texas at Dallas, which administers E-Plan, charges a $25.00 facility filing fee paid during the upload. It is not a fee paid to the State of Georgia, and the guidance dates from 2018, so confirm the current amount.