Learn about the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR)
Overview
The Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) provides the legal framework for electronic reporting under all of EPA’s environmental regulations.
The rule removes regulatory obstacles to e-reporting under Title 40 The 40th section of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which deals with EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment. The CFR is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
CROMERR establishes technology-neutral, performance-based standards for information systems that receive reports and other documents electronically under their EPA-authorized programs. The standards provide electronic submittals with the same level of legal dependability as the corresponding paper submittals.
CROMERR also allows state, tribal and local governments to submit a single, consolidated application for multiple authorized programs.
Groups affected by CROMERR
The rule applies to two groups:
- state, tribal, and local governments authorized to administer EPA programs;
- regulated entities that report to and submit other documents to EPA
This website is focused on state, tribal, and local governments that must comply with CROMERR and submit CROMERR applications.
Note: To be consistent with language in the final rule, this website uses the term “state” to include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Marina Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, depending on the statute.
Standards and applications established by the rule
CROMERR applies to electronic documents submitted to the EPA under Title 40 of the CFR.
CROMERR does not apply to:
- Documents submitted via fax, magnetic or optical media;
- Data transfers between EPA and state, tribal or local governments when the transfers are part of their authorized programs or part of administrative arrangements with the EPA ;
- Submissions to state, tribal or local governments not under their EPA-authorized programs; and
- Grants, cooperative agreements and other forms of financial assistance reporting under Title 40 of the CFR.
See: Technical Amendment of CROMERR
The CROMERR standards focus primarily on the following processes:
- Criteria for establishing a copy of record As defined in § 3.3 of CROMERR, a true and correct copy of an received by an electronic document receiving system, which copy can be viewed in a human-readable format that clearly and accurately associates all the information provided in the electronic document with descriptions or labeling of the information. A copy of record includes: 1) All electronic signatures contained in or logically associated with that document; 2) The date and time of receipt; and 3) Any other information used to record the meaning of the document or the circumstances of its receipt.;
- Integrity of the electronic document As defined in § 3.3 of CROMERR, any information in digital form that is conveyed to an agency or third-party, where "information" may include data, text, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, or databases. "Data," in this context, refers to a delimited set of data elements, each of which consists of a content or value together with an understanding of what the content or value means; where the electronic document includes data, this understanding of what the data element content or value means must be explicitly included in the electronic document itself or else be readily available to the electronic document recipient.;
- Validity of the electronic signature As defined in § 3.3 of CROMERR, any information in digital form that is included in or logically associated with an electronic document for the purpose of expressing the same meaning and intention as would a handwritten signature if affixed to an equivalent paper document with the same reference to the same content. The electronic document bears or has on it an electronic signature where it includes or has logically associated with it such information.;
- Determination of the identity of the individual uniquely entitled to use a signature device; and
- Opportunity to review and repudiate the copy of record.
Learn even more about CROMERR
Take the online course for further introductory information about CROMERR.
See: CROMERR 101: Fundamentals for States, Tribes, and Local Governments
Read about how CROMERR affects governmental agencies that operate EPA-authorized programs.
See: CROMERR Overview for States, Tribes and Local Governments