Pursuant to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), can a local education agency (LEA) store a management plan in electronic format (e.g., CD ROM)?

The asbestos in schools rule does not specifically prohibit LEAs from storing records in electronic format. However, such records must be available to the public, without cost or restriction on request in the LEAs administrative office and from each school’s individual administrative office within 5 working days after the request for an inspection. Documents containing original signatures may be scanned and stored in electronic format, but must be made available and accessible in their entirety (40 CFR part 763.93(g)(2) or (3)).