Frequently Asked Questions

Have you upgraded your Internet Explorer browser to 128-bit encryption? If not, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/recommended/default.asp. Two downloads possible: one for Windows 2000 users and one for all others. If this does not solve the problem, contact the CDX Help Desk:

• By Telephone: Person-to-person telephone support is available from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (EST/EDT) by calling the toll-free line at: 888-890-1995.
• By E-mail: Send e-mail to Technical Support at helpdesk@epacdx.net with "Tech Support" in the Subject line.
• By Fax: Assistance requests are accepted 24 hours a day at: 703-227-4199. Support personnel will respond to faxed requests Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST/EDT.

Has it been 90 days since the last time you logged into ACRES? If yes, the reason you are prompted to create a new password is because your password has expired. As required by the Federal Information System Management Act 2002 (FISMA), CDX passwords (i.e., all electronic accounts with federal agencies) are set to expire every three months (90 days). If your password has not expired, please contact the CDX Help Desk.

If you forgot your user id, your access can be restored immediately by calling, e-mailing, or faxing the CDX Help Desk. (Please see the contact information for the CDX Help Desk in Q11/A11.)

If you forgot your password, click the "Forgot Password?" link located on the CDX login screen to reset your password. If you need assistance with resetting your password, please contact the CDX Help Desk. (Please see the contact information for the CDX Help Desk in Q11/A11.)

No. Once you submit a work package for Regional Review, you cannot automatically "take back" the work package without assistance from your EPA Regional representative. To make changes, please contact your Regional Project Officer and have them return the work package for clarification. Note that a work package with any other "status" than Ready for Regional Review or Regional Review cannot be sent back to you for clarification by the Region.

A " locked" work package means that a work package is being edited by another user, because only one user can edit a work package at a time. You can submit as many work packages as needed for a property — just not at the same time.

Please contact your EPA Regional representative directly if you need to edit information in a property work package that you cannot access.

You can create as many property work packages in ACRES as necessary and appropriate. However, there can only be one open property work package in ACRES for each property at the same time. Once you have created a property work package and submitted it for Regional Review, that property work package is "locked" and cannot be edited until it has been approved or sent back to you for clarification.

Pilots are not eligible for data entry via ACRES by recipients — therefore, recipients do not have the ability to access Pilot information entered into ACRES.

Please contact your EPA Regional representative if you would like to additional information about properties that benefited from Pilot funding activities.

Several resources are available to help answer ACRES-related questions including:

• Calling the ACRES Help Desk at: 703-284-8212. Note that when calling the ACRES Help Line, you need to leave a message and you will receive a call back.
• E-mailing the ACRES Help Desk at: acres_help@epa.gov
• Using the ACRES Help function
• Accessing the EPA's ACRES Web site for:
  • Quick Reference Guides
  • Training materials
• Asking your EPA Regional Representative

Many data-related questions can be answered in the ACRES training and outreach materials developed specifically for EPA Brownfields recipients, which can be downloaded from EPA's ACRES Web site including:

• Quick Reference Guides
• Training materials

If after reviewing the available data-related resources you were not able to find the answers to your questions, please contact your EPA Regional representative for assistance with your questions.