Parent Company Definition for Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a rule to codify the definition of "parent company" for purposes of reporting to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and to require the reporting of a foreign parent company when applicable. The existing regulation requires facilities reporting to TRI to identify their parent company in annual reporting forms. This rule adds a codified definition of this data element. Among the facilities reporting to TRI are those with complicated corporate ownership structures. As such, effort is required each year by reporting facilities and EPA to clarify how the parent company data element should be represented on the form. A codified definition of parent company will allow EPA to address various corporate ownership scenarios explicitly and will reduce the reporting burden caused by regulatory uncertainty. This rule clarifies existing requirements to reporting facilities and adds a foreign parent company data element, while improving the Agency's data quality.