How is E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System different from EPA’s Tier2 Submit Software?
The E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System is very similar to the Tier2 Submit Software developed by EPA. However, the advantage of E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System is that you do not have to install any software on your machine to submit your data. With no software, there are no software updates required every year. Also, E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System allows you to retrieve your submission from any computer with the security of an Access ID and password that is known only to you.
Do I need to pay anything to use the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System?
No, you do not have to pay any fees to use the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System.
When is the Tier II reporting year?
The Tier II reporting year is always one year before the current year (e.g. filing deadline March 1, 2010 for January 1 through December 31, 2009). Tier II reports may be submitted any time between January 1 and March 1; avoid the rush and file early.
How do I start using E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System?
You can start a new submission by going to the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System web site at http://tier2.erplan.net. It will redirect to https://erplan.net/eplan/onlinefiling/filingLogin.htm, which is the actual URL for filing.
Once at the Welcome to E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System page, click on the "Register Now" link to create a new Access ID. You will be prompted to enter a password twice, the name of the submitter, and an email address for your submission. The password will protect your submission against unauthorized access.
After your Tier II data is submitted, the system will send an email message to the provided e-mail address stating your submittal was received.
Note that the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System will not allow you to submit your Tier II data until the “Submission Validation Report” indicates all required fields are correct and the “Upload Data to E-Plan” button has been pressed. Once your Tier II data is submitted, the system will send an email message to you stating your submittal was received. Attached with the email is a copy of the facility's Tier2 Online Submission Report saved as a PDF file. You can forward the email message to your local and state agencies.
Where do I learn to create a new submission?
You can view the online Create A New Submission tour as follows:
- Once at the Welcome to E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System page, scroll to the bottom where you see Select a Tour.
- Select Create A New Submission tour.
- At the conclusion of the training, go back to the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System page.
You can go back to Select a Tour and select each remaining topic.
You are now ready to begin. Follow the instructions under Create A New Submission to create your Access ID number and proceed from there.
What if I forgot my Access ID or password?
You can get the Access ID(s) under your account by clicking on the Forgot Access ID link on the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System login page. Once you get the Access ID(s) in the email, you can request for the password associated with it by clicking on the Forgot Password link.
How do I change my password or mange my submission?
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, select Manage Submission menu on the top of the page.
- The Manage Submission Information page will appear. You can change the Submitter Name, Password, or Email. Click on Update button to save the change.
How do I copy data from one year to another?
Copying data from one year to another is simple. You have to choose a “Previous Year” and a “Filing Year” to copy the data.
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Copy data from previous year’ box and select the Previous Year under the first drop down box. Then, select the Filing Year under the second drop down box and click on Continue.
- The data will now be copied and the new year will appear under the list of currently filed years.
How can I import an existing submission from EPA’s Tier2 Submit software into E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System?
EPA’s Tier2 Submit software allows you to export a submission entered through the software into a “zip” file containing up to nine .mer files.
Tier2ChemicalsInventorty.mer
Tier2ChemInvLocations.mer
Tier2ChemInvMixtures.mer
Tier2Contacts.mer
Tier2ContactsLink.mer
Tier2Facilities.mer
Tier2FacilityIDs.mer
Tier2Phone.mer
Tier2SitePlanLink.merThere are two ways to create the zip or t2s file from the EPA’s Tier2 Submit.
- The easiest way to create a zip or t2s file from the EPA’s Tier2 Submit is to use the Export feature under the File menu.
- The second way is to find the location where the EPA’s Tier2 Submit Software is installed on your computer and zip the files in the Export Files folder of the software.
Once the Tier2 Submit zip or t2s file is created, it can be imported into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System by uploading the file through the web interface. The functionality to perform this operation (i.e. Upload Tier2 ‘.zip’, Tier2 ‘.t2s’, or CAMEO '.zip' file) is present under the Submission Home screen upon logging into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System.
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Upload Tier2 '.zip', Tier2 '.t2s', or CAMEO '.zip' file’ box and click on Continue.
- The Import Tier2 or CAMEO Data Files page will appear. Click on Browse and choose the appropriate zip or t2s file on your computer that you want to upload.
- Click on the Upload button to load the selected zip or t2s file. The Importing Uploaded File screen will appear. Please wait while the uploaded file is processed. This process may take several minutes depending on the size of the uploaded file.
- Once the process is completed, the File Successfully Uploaded screen will appear. You can verify the result and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Continue to save.
Note: The Tier2 or CAMEO data files will be imported as they are into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System. For example, if the Tier2 or CAMEO data files are for year 2008, they will be imported as year 2008 submission. You will have to convert the data from year 2008 to the filing year 2009 using the Copy Data from Previous Year function on the Submission page.
Can a zip file made from CAMEO be loaded into E-Plan?
Yes, you can import a zip file made from CAMEO into E-Plan as follows:
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Upload Tier2 '.zip', Tier2 '.t2s', or CAMEO '.zip' file’ box and click on Continue.
- The Import Tier2 or CAMEO Data Files page will appear. Click on Browse and choose the appropriate zip file on your computer that you want to upload.
- Click on the Upload button to load the selected zip file. The Importing Uploaded File screen will appear. Please wait while the uploaded file is processed. This process may take several minutes depending on the size of the uploaded file.
- Once the process is completed, the File Successfully Uploaded screen will appear. You can verify the result and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Continue to save.
How do I upload documents (for example: contingency plans, maps, floor plans, or MSDS)?
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Enter new Data/ Retrieve old Data’ box and select the ‘Select a year to file/retrieve Tier II data’. Click on Continue.
- The Filing Management page will appear. Click on the Edit button beside the facility. The selected Facility Information page will appear.
- Select the Documents link on the menu bar. Click on Browse and choose the file on your computer that you want to upload.
- Fill in a Description for the file (such as Contingency Plan).
- Click the Upload button to load the selected file.
This procedure is for uploading documents for a facility in general:
- If you want to upload a document under a particular contact, use the Edit link and the Documents tab.
- If you want to upload a document under a particular chemical, use the Edit link and the Additional Documents tab.
There is no difference between uploading a document under a Facility, a Chemical, or a Contact, at least from a first responder's perspective. When a first responder looks at facility information on E-Plan, all the documents under Facility, Chemical, and Contact appear as a single menu.
How do I to add a new facility, chemical, or contact?
You can add a new facility, contact, and chemical to your submission by clicking on the Add New Facility, Add Chemical, or Add Contact link shown on the Filing Management page. After entering the required information, press the appropriate Save and Continue button to save the information.
Note: There is no limit on the number of facilities, contacts, or chemicals that you can add.
How do I to edit facility, contact, and chemical information?
Facility, contact and chemical information entered into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System database has an Edit link under its respective name. Clicking on the Edit link will display the entered details pre-populated. After making required changes, press the appropriate Save and Continue button to submit the changes.
How do I enter a CAS number for chemicals that do not have an associated CAS (Proprietary mixture, for example)?
You can enter the value 0000 in the CAS number field. For more information, please click on the Help link beside the CAS Number box.
What type of values can I enter in the information fields for facility, contact, and chemical information?
For most fields, any string made up of alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, special characters such as / and %) is an acceptable value. For example, facility name can be made up of alphanumeric characters and special characters. However, in fields such as quantities, only numeric characters are acceptable. Do not use commas or the percentage sign.
What about the state’s specific fields?
When creating a new facility, you are prompted to select the state in which the facility is located. After you choose the applicable State, the next page displays the state required fields. Some states do not require any specific fields and for such states, the State Fields section will show No Applicable State Fields.
Do I need to enable cookies in my web browser?
Yes, you need to enable cookies in your web browser so that E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System web sites will function properly. To enable cookies on your web browser, please consult with your IT department.
- Internet Explorer 7 web browser: Cookies can be enabled using Tools menu as follows:
- Within Internet Explorer, click the "Tools" menu and choose "Internet Options."
- Click the tab labeled "Privacy."
- Click the button labeled "Advanced."
- Check the option labeled "Override automatic cookie handling."
- To enable cookies:
- Set "First-party Cookies" (and "Third-party Cookies, if you wish) to "Accept."
- Click "OK" to save changes and close the dialog box.
- Firefox 3.0.15 web browser for Windows: Cookies can be enabled using Tools menu as follows:
- Within Firefox, click the "Tools" menu and choose "Options."
- Click the tab labeled "Privacy."
- Choose the option labeled “Accept cookies from sites”.
- Click “OK” to save changes and close the dialog box.
How secure is the submission process?
The submission database, which receives submissions and requests from the Internet, is a secure server that encrypts all the data entered by you. The information stored on the server is also secure and has no connections to the Internet. The submission itself is protected against unauthorized access by means of a password created by you and a seven-digit Access ID. Do not share your Access ID and password.
How do I complete the 2009 Tier II data submision to E-Plan?
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Enter new Data/ Retrieve old Data’ box and select 2009 as the ‘Select a year to file/retrieve Tier II data’. Click on Continue.
- The Filing Management page will appear. At the bottom of the Filing Management page, click on Validate Record. The Submission Validation Report for your submission will appear.
Note that the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System will not allow you to submit your Tier II data until the “Submission Validation Report” indicates all required fields are correct and the “Upload Data to E-Plan” button has been pressed. Once your Tier II data is submitted, the system will send an email message to you stating your submittal was received. Attached with the email is a copy of the facility's Tier2 Online Submission Report saved as PDF file. You can forward the email message to your local and state agencies.
- At the bottom of the Submission Validation Report page, click on Upload Data to E-Plan button. This should bring up a list of facilities for that particular year filed by you. Besides each facility, you will find a Check Box and at the right of the facility name you will see a Status indicating whether it has been filed or not. If a facility has not been filed, then select the check box and click on the Update button to submit your data to E-Plan.
Once your Tier II data is submitted, the system will send an email message to you stating your submittal was received. Attached with the email is a copy of the facility's Tier2 Online Submission Report (PDF format). You can forward the email message to your local and state agencies.
How do I export data out of E-Plan into a .t2s file or .zip file?
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Enter new Data/ Retrieve old Data’ box and select the ‘Select a year to file/retrieve Tier II data’. Click on Continue.
- The Filing Management page will appear. At the bottom of the Filing Management page, click on Validate Record. The Submission Validation Report for your submission will appear. Click either Export to Tier2 Zip File or Export to .t2s File to get either a zip file or a .t2s file. Before you click on Export, it is a good idea to click on Validate Record to see if your submission has any errors. If the report shows errors, correct them before you export to a .t2s or .zip file.
- Once you click on Export, a new page is displayed with check boxes beside each facility. Check the appropriate boxes for the facilities you want included in the file. Note that once you click on the Create File button, the system will ask you whether you want to Save the file or Open the file. Always choose the Save option and save it to your computer.
If I submit data on E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System, are the details of the submission reported directly to state?
When you submit data on E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System, it does not automatically send your submission to the state.
- Contact your state official to see if they accept E-Plan as a form of electronic filing.
- If your state accepts Tier2 zip file or .t2s file for an electronic submission, you can retrieve those files from E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System by clicking on Validate Record button on the Filing Management page. The Submission Validation Report for your submission will appear. Click either Export to Tier2 Zip File or Export to .t2s File to get either a zip file or a .t2s file.
- Some counties within a state have a tie up with E-Plan so you do not have to submit data to the county reporting agency. Contact your county officials to see if they accept E-Plan as a form of electronic filing. Again this process is only for the county; you still need to submit your data electronically to your state.
Is there any way to view data in .t2s or .zip file created by E-Plan?
- The .t2s or the .zip file created by E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System can only be viewed by the Tier2 Submit software developed by the EPA.
- Open Tier2 Submit software. From the File menu click on Import / Export, then choose Import Files and select the .t2s or the .zip file stored on your computer.
- The software displays messages indicating whether everything was imported properly.
- Click on the Close button and verify that all the facility information you entered on E-Plan is visible. Pay particular attention to whether the properties of chemicals and their locations have been imported properly.
- If everything looks okay, you can use the .t2s file stored on your computer to make an electronic submission to your state or local reporting agencies.
How do I delete an unused facility or remove last year's record?
Warning: E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System is designed to allow you to modify/update your submitted facility data at any time after you uploaded it to E-Plan; however, you should not select the "Delete Facility" link and delete the submitted facility data from the system. Once the "Delete Facility" link is selected and confirmed by you, the appropriate facility records will be permanently removed from E-Plan.
Follow these steps to delete an unused facility:
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Enter new Data/ Retrieve old Data’ box and select the ‘Select a year to file/retrieve Tier II data’. Click on Continue.
- The Filing Management page will appear. Click on the appropriate Delete Facility link that you want to delete.
- A confirmation message "Are you sure you want to delete this facility" is displayed. If you are sure that you want to delete the currently selected facility, choose OK. If not, choose Cancel to return to the Filing Management page.
What if I have comments or questions about E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System? Who should I contact?
If you need to contact us for help, the best way is to use the “Contact Us” link on any E-Plan website page. This will take you to a new window where you can enter your contact information and questions, suggestions, or comments. Once you submit your request, the E-Plan Administrative Team will review your request and contact you if needed. Your suggestions / comments are greatly appreciated.
How can I print a copy of my submission?
- Log into the E-Plan’s Online Tier II Reporting System at http://tier2.erplan.net using your Access ID and password.
- On the Submission Home page, go to the ‘Enter new Data/ Retrieve old Data’ box and select the ‘Select a year to file/retrieve Tier II data’. Click on Continue.
- The Filing Management page will appear. At the bottom of the Filing page, click on Validate Record. The Submission Validation Report for your submission will appear.
- You will find the Export to Tier2 Zip, Export to .t2s File, Print PDF, and Upload Data to E-Plan functions on the Submission Validation Report screen. Clicking on the appropriate button will perform the intended operations.
What are the Facility Identification numbers such as Dun and Bradstreet, SIC and NAICS?
Dun and Bradstreet (D & B) - The D&B DUNS Number (website: http://www.dnb.com/us/) is an unique nine-digit identification sequence, which provides a unique identifier of single business entities, while linking corporate family structures together.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) - The Standard Industrial Classification has been replaced by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) - On January 1, 2003 OSHA began using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for industry identification in its various data sets. NAICS uses a six digit hierarchical coding system to classify all economic activity into twenty industry sectors. Five sectors are mainly goods-producing sectors and fifteen are entirely services-producing sectors. This six digit hierarchical structure allows greater coding flexibility than the four digit structure of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. NAICS allows for the identification of 1,170 industries compared to the 1,004 found in the SIC. For detailed information on the NAICS coding structure, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau at http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ or search the NAICS by keyword at http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/.
Here are examples of Facility’s ID Types, ID Values and Descriptions.
ID Type
ID Value
Description
Dun and Bradstreet
800188161
University
NAICS
611310
University
How do I add a NAICS code?
- On the Filing Management page, click on 'Edit' link beside the facility information.
- Select the Facility Identification link.
- Select the ID Type as NAICS.
- Enter the NAICS number.
- Enter its description (e.g., industry name associated with the reported NAICS code).
- Click on the 'Add' button to save.
To view a complete list of 2007 NAICS Sector codes and titles, visit the "Downloads/Reference Files/Tools" section of this website at http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/sssd/naics/naicsrch?chart=2007. Under "2007 NAICS," you can view download an Excel file either the complete NAICS code hierarchy, ranging from broad 2-digit Sector codes to specific 6-digit U.S. industry codes, or a list of just the 6-digit U.S. Industry codes.
