In addition there was recognition that gas stations and other purveyors of flammable fuels should not be subject to the act. What was a surprise, however, was that the law requires facilities who submitted Risk Management Plans to hold a public meeting by February 5, 2000. Flammable fuels used as a fuel or held for sale at a retail facility are removed from coverage by the Act. It also restricts access to those portions of EPA's electronic data base that are created from those parts of the Risk Management Plans and any statewide or national ranking of identified facilities derived from those parts of the Risk Management Plans. It is then to publish regulations governing public access based on that assessment.
Facilities can choose to release the restricted information to the public without restrictions.
If they do so, they are to notify EPA which is then free to release the information. Small businesses can publicly post a summary of the Off Site Consequence Analysis instead of holding a public meeting. Harmon Industries discovered that its maintenance employees had been dumping used solvents in an area on the company's property without knowledge of management. The company immediately ordered the activity stopped and reported it to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The DNR found that the disposal practices had not posed a threat to either human, health or the environment.