Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
The Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) provides free, confidential assistance to Tennessee's small businesses to help them understand and comply with environmental regulations.
Connect with us
Hotline: 800-734-3619
Email: BGSBEAP@tn.gov
Take the SBEAP feedback survey to let us know how we helped you or how we can improve our services.
Small Business Criteria
A business meets the SBEAP's definition of a small business if it has:
- 100 or fewer employees,
- is not a major emitter of air pollution, and
- is not a large quantity hazardous waste generator.
Our Impact
Businesses assisted in 2025
207
Different types of businesses
71
How did we assist businesses in 2025?
See the SBEAP Annual Report!
Benefits of Service
The SBEAP provides assistance that is:
- Non-regulatory. SBEAP does not enforce regulations nor report clients that ask for assistance.
- Confidential. Staff serve as liaisons between TDEC’s regulatory divisions and small businesses. Any details provided to a regulatory division is only done with consent from the small business.
- Department-wide. Staff assist with any environmental questions regardless of regulatory division.
Services Provided
At no cost to the small business, SBEAP staff may:
- develop forms and other documents needed to comply with permit requirements,
- identify what permits a small business needs and assist in filling out permit applications,
- review draft permit applications, and
- present at conferences, workshops, and meetings to educate small business on regulatory information.
Resources
This section provides resources for small businesses. Topics are divided either by industry type or by regulatory permit type.
If it is hard for you to read, speak, or understand English, please see our Language Assistance webpage for more information about our free language assistance services.