New for Fall 2009
No-Cost Energy Evaluations for Small Businesses in Ada County
See Also
Business
Assistance Index
Pollution
Prevention
Protect the environment
and save money at your business.
Small Business Environmental
Assistance Coordinator
Joan Meitl
Idaho Small Business
Development Center
Boise State University
1910 University
Avenue
Boise, ID 83725-1655
Office: 1021 Manitou
Ave.
ph: (208)
426-1839
toll-free: 1-800-225-3815
fx: (208)
426-3877
joanmeitl@boisestate.edu
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Environmental
Assistance:
Small Business Environmental
Solutions
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| Environmental Regulations and
Small Businesses |
| Environmental
regulations affect all businesses, large and small. However, as
a small business owner, you face a variety of unique challenges
in running your business. Most of the time you are wearing multiple
hats, handling roles that in larger businesses are done by one person
or whole departments. In addition to the day-to-day operations of
your company, you also have to worry about regulations that can
be difficult to understand and complex to follow. Studies have shown
that small businesses can spend up to twice as much to comply with
environmental regulations as larger businesses.
Fortunately,
following environmental rules can make your business more efficient
and save you money. Perhaps most importantly, environmental compliance
is good for Idaho's environment and future generations. In short,
it's a win-win situation for Idaho residents and businesses alike. |
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| Do Environmental Regulations
Impact My Business? |
| They
may if your business:
- Releases
air pollutants, such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odor, smoke, vapor,
or a combination of these, to the atmosphere.
- Uses
fuel burning equipment, such as boilers, generators, or incinerators.
- Discharges
process wastewater to a public sewer system or to a water body.
- Uses
hazardous materials, such as chemicals, plastics, rubber, resins,
solvents, parts cleaners, paints, motor vehicle fluids, etc.
- Generates
hazardous wastes, such as spent solvents, fluorescent light bulbs,
cleaning chemicals, oily wastes, batteries, or paints.
- Disturbs
more than one acre of land during construction.
-
Is proposing to build in a flood plain in an area designated as
a wetland, or if the proposed site will alter a waterway.
- Handles
or disposes of asbestos or asbestos-containing material.
- Transports
wastes of any type.
- Owns
a well that will serve drinking water to 25 or more people.
- Uses
an aboveground or an underground storage tank.
- Uses
a septic system.
- Land
applies wastewater.
- Stores
hazardous materials or waste outside where it can come in to contact
with storm water.
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| Where Can I Get Environmental
Assistance? |
| Through a partnership between DEQ and
the Idaho Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a wide range of
environmental assistance is available to small businesses throughout
Idaho. The Environmental Solutions Program provides a "one-stop
shop" where small businesses can obtain free, confidential environmental
assistance in addition to tax, labor, and other advice provided by
the Idaho SBDC. |
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Types
of Businesses Assisted |
- Manufacturers
- Furniture, Electronics, Wood Products, etc.
- Auto
Body and Auto Repair
- Dry
Cleaning Facilities
- Metal
Fabricators and Finishers
- Hot
Mix Asphalt, Concrete Batch Plants, and Rock Crushers
-
Construction
- Print
Shops
- Surface
Coating and Painting Operations
- Food
Processors
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Types
of Services Offered |
No-Cost
Consulting |
| Help is available by phone, email, or
appointment to answer questions, solve problems, and provide guidance
on a one-to-one basis on environmental issues and regulations and
pollution prevention opportunities. |
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Regulatory
and Permitting Assistance |
| You
can receive assistance with:
- Determining
which environmental regulations apply to your business;
- Evaluating
if a permit is needed;
- Receiving
answers to your questions about your existing permit;
- Clarifying
compliance and permitting requirements;
- Identifying
cost-saving pollution prevention opportunities; and
- Simplifying
self-regulation.
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Courtesy
Site Visits |
| If
you need individual attention, a consultant will visit your facility
and review your operations in detail. |
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Trainings
and Workshops |
| A
variety of affordable workshops, conferences, and special events are
available and are designed to teach practical, hands-on environmental
management skills. To learn about upcoming trainings and events in
your area, contact us or visit the Idaho
Small Business Development Center's Web site. |
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| For More Information |
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