GEOS Account Types

GEOS offers 2 account types: Preparer and Responsible Official (RO)

General Account Information:

• GEOS accounts cannot be deleted. They can only be deactivated.
  If an email address needs to be reused by a new user, send a support request to [e-mail] or sign in to your account on Zendesk and create the request.
  
• A person needs ONLY one GEOS account regardless of what their activities in GEOS will be or how many facilities they have associated or or are working on.
• An RO account can also be used by an RO acting as a preparer for another RO. This is rare.
  
• All GEOS accounts are issued to the individual who created the account, not to their employer or business.
• An employer or business cannot request  that the account be deactivated. If necessary, the employer may request the facility/business be removed from the user's account.
• It is not possible, in most instances, to search GEOS for a facility/business to determine the associated RO.

Account Differences:

Preparer accounts are mainly used to complete applications and reports in preparation for an RO to do the final submission.
*The Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Substance Fee Invoice Reports are 2 rare instances where a Preparer can submit these without being associated with an RO.

Responsible Official (RO) accounts are created by those who are in a position where they are responsible for the operations at an entire facility or business organization or a large division of the business. These requirements are defined for Air Protection  in 40 CFR Part 70.2 and for Watershed Protection in 40 CFR Part 122.22.  For Land Protection the definitions may differ depending on the program.  In the case of private residential Stormwater Construction permitting, the property owner is the RO.  Please see the attached for RO descriptions for the 3 EPD branches.

A person who does not qualify as an RO may be delegated by an actual RO for the facility/business as long as that person is a qualified employee of the RO's facility/business that owns the facility or property involved.  A person acting in a consulting role may not be delegated as an RO.

See link for submitting electronic RO Delegation: Responsible Official (RO) Delegation form