ECMPS Support

Each calendar year, the EPA provides new vendor IDs for the Protocol Gas Verification Program (PGVP). (For example, the 2012 PGVP vendors are listed here.)

The question has been asked as to when sources should start to use the new vendor IDs after they are released at the beginning of the calendar year. The answer is related to when the cylinder was certified.

Sources should report the vendor ID which corresponds to when the cylinder was certified. If the cylinder was certified in 2011, the 2011 vendor ID should be used. If the cylinder was certified in 2012, the 2012 vendor ID should be used.

Later this week, the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) will launch an updated version of the publicly-accessible Data and Maps website:

On March 17, 2012, EPA's Clean Air Markets Division will be replacing its Data and Maps website with a new, easy to use website called Air Markets Program Data (AMPD). AMPD will provide public access to emissions, allowance, and compliance data collected for power sector air emissions trading programs operated by EPA, including the Acid Rain (ARP) and Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) trading programs. AMPD will provide users with the same tools and functionality that are available in Data and Maps, but will have a redesigned and updated interface that is more user-friendly and intuitive.

Labels: AMPD, Data and Maps

The 2012 Quarter 1 Release of the Client Tool is now available.

For details about what was included in this release, consult the Release Notes.

In order to use the Client Tool, you must be a Designated Representative, Alternate Designated Representative, or an ECMPS agent for a Representative. In addition, you must have a CAMD Business System (CBS) user name, current CBS password, and have completed a CROMERR Subscriber Agreement Form.

All current users of the Client Tool will be prompted to upgrade to this latest version the next time that each user logs in to the EPA Host System. For more information about the Update Service which updates the Client Tool, watch the Update Service tutorial.

All new users of the Client Tool should download and install the 2012 Q1 version of the Client Tool. Users are urged to follow all instructions on the Web site and to consult the Installation Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to install the Client Tool.

In order to insure that all technical support questions are tracked and answered, EPA has requested that all technical support questions, including installation questions, be submitted to ECMPS Technical Support.

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2012 Q1 software update is scheduled to be released on March 7, 2012. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2012 Q1 version--will be made available.

In order to complete the deployment of the latest version of the Client Tool, the EPA Host System will be unavailable from Friday, March 2nd until Wednesday, March 7th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

Following the release of the software on March 7th, users will be able to upgrade their Client Tool to the latest version in preparation for the April 2012 reporting period.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

Although a large percentage of the 2011 Q4 emission submissions have been received, there are a number that are outstanding. That means that some people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the reporting period which is Monday, January 30, 2012.

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in the last days of the submission period, please understand that you might be arriving late to the technical support queue. And that means that your question may not be answered as fast as you would like. In general, technical support request tickets are answered in a first-come-first-served basis.

If you find yourself in the last minute mode trying to complete your submissions, please consult the information in the FAQ on what do if you are running out of time to submit.

The 2012 PGVP Vendor ID information has been posted on the EPA web site. The 2011 PGVP Vendor ID information is still available.

Sources should report Vendor IDs as the guidance document indicates. Specifically, if the cylinder was ordered in 2011, a 2011 Vendor ID should be used for reporting the data to the EPA. If the cylinder was ordered in 2012, a 2012 Vendor ID should be used for reporting the data to the EPA.

Please contact Technical Support if you have any questions related to which vendor ID should be used for reporting purposes.

The EPA Host Connection problems which were reported yesterday have been resolved.

Around 3:30 p.m. EST on January 17, 2012, AT&T rebooted a firewall. Rebooting the firewall resolved the connection drops which were causing ECMPS users problems when they were attempting to update the Client Tool or submit data to the EPA Host System.

If you have any questions about the connection problems, please contact ECMPS Technical Support.

Beginning on Saturday, January 14, 2012, the EPA Host System has been experiencing problems in which the connection is dropped between the ECMPS Client Tool and the EPA Host System.

The dropping of the connection has resulted in a number of submissions failing because it has occurred while users were submitting data to the EPA Host System. Not all submissions have failed, and the problem has not prevented some successful submissions from occurring.

The connection being dropped has also affected users who are attempting to update the Client Tool to the latest version. It has caused errors to occur during the update.

ECMPS Support is working with the technical personnel who support the EPA Host System in order to correct this problem. As soon as the problem has been corrected, a news item will be posted to indicate that the problem has been resolved.

If you do not need to submit or update the Client Tool immediately, it might be advisable to wait until this problem has been resolved before submitting or updating in order to reduce the number of submission or update problems which you might encounter.

If you attempt to submit to the EPA Host System before this problem has been resolved, please be aware that your submissions might fail. If that occurs, the submissions will need to be reattempted in the future.

If you encounter a submission problem which indicates that the unit is locked, you will need to contact ECMPS Technical Support in order to have the locked unit problem resolved.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 16th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, January 17th. To receive the fastest reply to your questions, we recommend sending your questions via email rather than using the telephone.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Memorial Day - Monday, May 28, 2012
• Independence Day - Wednesday, July 4, 2012
• Labor Day - Monday, September 3, 2012
• Veterans' Day - Monday, November 12, 2012

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

There was a problem with the automatic job which opens the submission "windows" for the 2011 Q4 reporting period. These windows enable sources to submit the 2011 Q4 emissions data. The job should have opened the submission windows in time for sources to begin submitting 2011 Q4 emissions data on January 1, 2012.

The automatic job will be re-run today. As the job is run, sources will receive email notification that submission access for 2011 Q4 data is now available. In addition, after access has been granted, the next time sources log in to the EPA Host System via the Client Tool, the submission access will be synchronized to sources' Client Tools. Following that synchronization, sources will be able to submit 2011 Q4 emissions data to the EPA Host System.

Note, this problem only affects sources' ability to submit 2011 Q4 emissions data. Submission access for monitoring plan, QA, certification, and event data are not affected by this automatic job. Sources should be able to submit monitoring plan data, QA, certification, and event data according to the normal submission access policies.

The 2011 Q4 Reporting period begins on Sunday January 1st. Sources required to report emissions data under the Acid Rain Program (ARP), Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have 30 days to submit their emissions data to the EPA using the ECMPS Client Tool.

During this reporting period, the EPA expects to receive over 3,900 emissions data submissions. Given these large number of files that need to be submitted over the next 30 days, we, at technical support, encourage all sources to start working as soon as possible on the evaluation and submission of their data.

Start Early

We want to encourage sources to start early primarily because, with the large volume of submissions expected, if you have questions, you will get a faster response to your technical support request, the earlier in the month that you submit your request. If you wait until later in the month to begin working with your data and you run into problems that require technical support, your request will be added to a much longer queue than if you had submitted the request earlier in the submission period.

Technical Support Information

Information on getting technical support through the resources on the Web site or by submitting a technical support request has all been consolidated in the Web site's Help section. We would like to highlight that, as necessary, FAQs and Known Issues will continue to be updated throughout the submission period. Hours for technical support are listed on the Contact Us page.

Resubmission Requests

Requests to resubmit QA or emissions data should be made using the Resubmission Request Form.

Keep Up-To-Date

To keep up-to-date with ECMPS News items, we would suggest subscribing to ECMPS News.

You can receive the ECMPS News posts via email by subscribing to ECMPS News or adding the ECMPS News feed to your RSS Reader. To subscribe via email, simply enter your email address in the box provided on the upper right part of the ECMPS News page and click the Subscribe button. To receive the RSS feed, click on the RSS feed, which also located at the bottom of every page on the Web site.

In observance of Christmas, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, January 2nd. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, January 3rd. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office until January 3, 2012, responses to your questions might take longer than normal. To receive the fastest reply to your questions, we recommend sending your questions via email rather than using the telephone.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 16, 2012
• Memorial Day - Monday, May 28, 2012
• Independence Day - Wednesday, July 4, 2012
• Labor Day - Monday, September 3, 2012

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

In observance of Christmas, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, December 26th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, December 27th. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office until January 3, 2012, responses to your questions might take longer than normal. To receive the fastest reply to your questions, we recommend sending your questions via email rather than using the telephone.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• New Year's Day (Observed Holiday) - Monday, January 2, 2012
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 16, 2012
• Memorial Day - Monday, May 28, 2012
• Independence Day - Wednesday, July 4, 2012

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

The 2011 Quarter 4 Release of the Client Tool is now available.

For details about what was included in this release, consult the Release Notes.

In order to use the Client Tool, you must be a Designated Representative, Alternate Designated Representative, or an ECMPS agent for a Representative. In addition, you must have a CAMD Business System (CBS) user name, current CBS password, and have completed a CROMERR Subscriber Agreement Form.

All current users of the Client Tool will be prompted to upgrade to this latest version the next time that each user logs in to the EPA Host System. For more information about the Update Service which updates the Client Tool, watch the Update Service tutorial.

All new users of the Client Tool should download and install the 2011 Q2 version of the Client Tool and then perform the update to the 2011 Q4 version. Users are urged to follow all instructions on the Web site and to consult the Installation Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to install the Client Tool.

In order to insure that all technical support questions are tracked and answered, EPA has requested that all technical support questions, including installation questions, be submitted to ECMPS Technical Support.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2011 Q4 software update is scheduled to be released on December 21, 2011. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2011 Q4 version--will be made available.

In order to complete the deployment of the latest version of the Client Tool, the EPA Host System will be unavailable from Friday, December 16th until Wednesday, December 21st when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

Following the release of the software on December 21st, users will be able to upgrade their Client Tool to the latest version in preparation for the January 2012 reporting period.

ECMPS Technical Support will be closed on Monday, December 26, 2011 and January 2, 2012.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, November 28th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Christmas (Observed Holiday) - Monday, December 26, 2011
• New Year's Day (Observed Holiday) - Monday, January 2, 2012
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 16, 2012

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

In observance of Veterans' Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Friday, November 11th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, November 14th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 24, 2011
• Friday after Thanksgiving Day - Friday, November 25, 2011
• Christmas (Observed Holiday) - Monday, December 26, 2011
• New Year's Day (Observed Holiday) - Monday, January 2, 2012

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Although a large percentage of the 2011 Q3 emission submissions have been received, there are a number that are outstanding. That means that some people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the reporting period which is Monday, October 31, 2011. (Note, normally the submission period is 30 days. However, because the 30th day falls on a weekend, the last day to submit will actually be October 31st.)

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in the last days of the submission period, please understand that you might be arriving late to the queue. And that means that your question may not be answered as fast as you would like. In general, technical support request tickets are answered in a first-come-first-served basis.

If you find yourself in the last minute mode trying to complete your submissions, please consult the information in the FAQ on what do if you are running out of time to submit.

The U.S. EPA is offering a one day training workshop on implementing the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) in Kansas City, Missouri on November 10, 2011. Representatives from EPA's Clean Air Market Division (CAMD) and Region 7 will discuss topics on the implementation of the CSAPR.

The topics scheduled to be discussed include emissions monitoring, roles and duties of designated representatives, and allowance true-up.

There is no cost for this workshop. To participate in the training, submit your information using the registration form. If you later have to cancel your registration, please let one of the workshop contacts know.

More information on the training can be found here.

Labels: Stakeholder Meeting

The October 14, 2011 Service Pack has been released.

Users who log in to the EPA Host System will be prompted to update to this Service Pack.

Users who must manually update the Client Tool will be able to obtain the additional files from the Shared Database Update page.

The update does not affect the Client Tool database which means that shared database users are not required to update their databases.

On Friday, October 14, 2011, a required service pack for the 2011 Q3 version of the ECMPS Client Tool will be released. All users of the Client Tool will be required to apply this service pack. Users who connect to the EPA Host System after the service pack is released will be prompted to complete the update. Users who manually apply updates will be able to obtain the necessary update file from the support website.

This service pack is being released in order to deal with two bugs. The first correction will take care of a problem related to the reporting of PGVP data which began on September 26, 2011. Error suppression was applied to all users in order to correct the problem, but this did not adequately handle the bug. The bug will be fully addressed in the October 14, 2011 service pack.

The second bug incorrectly gave an evaluation error if Flow RATA tests did not include PGVP data. The October 14, 2011 service pack will correct this bug.

Data reporting for the Protocol Gas Verification Program (PGVP) began on September 26, 2011.

PGVP data can be reported for days prior to September 26, 2011. However, if any of these data are reported, the entire PGVP related set of data must be included and the data will be subject to the appropriate evaluation checks. In other words, partial PGVP data cannot be reported because partial data will generate errors and any PGVP data reported must pass the evaluation checks.

For example, if the data submitted include a daily calibration record from September 25, 2011 which only includes the cylinder ID and not the upscale gas type code, expiration date, and vendor identifier, the evaluation will generate an error. If only partial PGVP data are available for dates prior to September 26, 2011, it is recommended to not include any of that PGVP data. Of course, PGVP data from September 26, 2011 on will be required to be reported and to be complete.

The Air Emissions Testing Body (AETB) data are not required to be reported until March 27, 2012. AETB data can be reported prior to that time, if desired. However, if any of the AETB data are reported, the data must be complete and will be subject to the appropriate evaluation checks.

The 2011 Q3 Reporting period begins on Saturday October 1st. Sources required to report emissions data under the Acid Rain Program (ARP), Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have 30 days to submit their emissions data to the EPA using the ECMPS Client Tool. (Note, because the 30th day falls on a weekend, the last day to submit will actually be October 31st.)

During this reporting period, the EPA expects to receive over 3,900 emissions data submissions. Given these large number of files that need to be submitted over the next 30 days, we, at technical support, encourage all sources to start working as soon as possible on the evaluation and submission of their data.

Start Early

We want to encourage sources to start early primarily because, with the large volume of submissions expected, if you have questions, you will get a faster response to your technical support request, the earlier in the month that you submit your request. If you wait until later in the month to begin working with your data and you run into problems that require technical support, your request will be added to a much longer queue than if you had submitted the request earlier in the submission period.

Technical Support Information

Information on getting technical support through the resources on the Web site or by submitting a technical support request has all been consolidated in the Web site's Help section. We would like to highlight that, as necessary, FAQs and Known Issues will continue to be updated throughout the submission period. Hours for technical support are listed on the Contact Us page.

Resubmission Requests

Requests to resubmit QA or emissions data should be made using the Resubmission Request Form.

Keep Up-To-Date

To keep up-to-date with ECMPS News items, we would suggest subscribing to ECMPS News.

You can receive the ECMPS News posts via email by subscribing to ECMPS News or adding the ECMPS News feed to your RSS Reader. To subscribe via email, simply enter your email address in the box provided on the upper right part of the ECMPS News page and click the Subscribe button. To receive the RSS feed, click on the RSS feed, which also located at the bottom of every page on the Web site.

Labels: Technical Support

Stakeholders have started to receive emails regarding the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), which is also referred to as the Transport Rule.

Recently, a second email was sent out as a reminder for sources regarding action which they need to take regarding CSAPR. The contents of this email is also being provided here. Please pass this information on to anyone who needs to take action for designating representatives for affected units.

EPA's Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) will soon begin allocating allowances for the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), establishing the Transport Rule (TR) trading programs. The first phase of the TR NOx and SO2 annual programs begins on January 1, 2012. The Transport Rule text, along with a fact sheet and other supporting information, can be found at http://epa.gov/crossstaterule/actions.html.

In order for your TR-subject facilities to receive TR allowance allocations, CAMD must first receive a Certificate of Representation covering these facilities, indicating who the Designated Representative (DR) is for the TR programs. A facility will not be allocated allowances until this requirement is met. Please note that if a source is covered by multiple programs (ARP, CAIR, RGGI or any TR trading program), the DR must be the same person for all these programs.

If you have already assigned your TR designated representatives, thank you. If you have not assigned your TR designated representatives, CAMD encourages you to do so as soon as possible. See http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/business/docs/DRLetterFINAL.pdf for more information regarding assigning designated representatives.

Janice Wagner, Chief
Market Operations Branch
Clean Air Markets Division, U.S. EPA

The 2011 Quarter 3 Release of the Client Tool is now available.

For details about what was included in this release, consult the Release Notes.

In order to use the Client Tool, you must be a Designated Representative, Alternate Designated Representative, or an ECMPS agent for a Representative. In addition, you must have a CAMD Business System (CBS) user name, current CBS password, and have completed a CROMERR Subscriber Agreement Form.

All current users of the Client Tool will be prompted to upgrade to this latest version the next time that each user logs in to the EPA Host System. For more information about the Update Service which updates the Client Tool, watch the Update Service tutorial.

All new users of the Client Tool should download and install the 2011 Q2 version of the Client Tool and then perform the update to the 2011 Q3 version. Users are urged to follow all instructions on the Web site and to consult the Installation Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to install the Client Tool.

In order to insure that all technical support questions are tracked and answered, EPA has requested that all technical support questions, including installation questions, be submitted to ECMPS Technical Support.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

Due to some migration updates taking longer than expected, the 2011 Q3 version of the ECMPS Client Tool has not yet been released. It is anticipated that the release will take place in the morning on Thursday, September 15, 2011. When the release is available, a post will be added to ECMPS News indicating that the 2011 Q3 version of the Client Tool is available.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

In observance of Labor Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, September 5th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, September 6th. However, note that beginning on Friday, September 9th and continuing until the release of the next version of the Client Tool, which is scheduled for Wednesday, September 14th, there will be no access to the EPA Host System.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Veterans' Day - Friday, November 11, 2011
• Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 24, 2011
• Friday after Thanksgiving Day - Friday, November 25, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Release Schedule Information, Technical Support

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2011 Q3 software update is scheduled to be released on September 14, 2011. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2011 Q3 version--will be made available.

In order to complete the deployment of the latest version of the Client Tool, the EPA Host System will be unavailable from Friday, September 9th until Wednesday, September 14th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

Labels: Release Schedule Information

Over a year ago, the email address for technical support changed to ecmps-support@camdsupport.com. Until now, emails sent to the previous technical support email address (ecmps-support@pqa.com) were forwarded to the new email address.

As of now, users should only use the email address ecmps-support@camdsupport.com in order to contact technical support. The previous technical support email has been disabled, and emails sent to the previous technical support email address will no longer be forwarded.

Labels: Technical Support

Recently, stakeholders have started to receive emails regarding the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, which is also referred to as the Transport Rule.

In order to insure that ECMPS stakeholders have received this information, we will be posting the emails on ECMPS News. Previously, an email from the director of CAMD was posted.

The following email was sent from the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) on August 11, 2011 and signed by Janice Wagner who is the Chief of the Market Operations Branch of CAMD:

EPA's Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) will soon begin allocating allowances for the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), establishing the Transport Rule (TR) trading programs. The first phase of the TR NOx and SO2 annual programs begins on January 1, 2012. The Transport Rule text, along with a fact sheet and other supporting information, can be found here.

In order for your TR-subject facilities to receive TR allowance allocations, CAMD must first receive a Certificate of Representation covering these facilities, indicating who the Designated Representative (DR) is for the TR programs. A facility will not be allocated allowances until this requirement is met. Please note that if a source is covered by multiple programs (ARP, CAIR, RGGI or any TR trading program), the DR must be the same person for all these programs.

CAMD encourages users to submit and update Certificate of Representation information for the TR programs electronically via the CAMD Business System (CBS). This functionality was made available in CBS on August 10, 2011. The link to CBS can be found here. A step-by-step guide explaining how to associate DRs with programs can be found here

CBS users should ensure that a DR is in place for each of the programs to which their units and facilities are subject. Please note, only a Primary DR can associate himself with the TR programs, and only a Primary DR can associate the Alternate DR with the TR programs. Neither the Alternate DR nor an Agent can make these program associations. Again, a facility will not be allocated allowances until the Certificate of Representation is updated.

If you choose to submit the paper Certificate of Representation form, you must include every page of the paper form with your submission, even if none of the facility or unit data is changing. The form must be signed by both the Primary and Alternate DRs. The updated Certificate of Representation form has been modified to include the Transport Rule, and is available for downloading here. Please note that the Agent Notice of Delegation form has also been updated to include the Transport Rule. Use the form found here (see bottom of web page) when designating agents in the future.

If you have questions regarding CBS or the Certificate of Representation, contact Laurel DeSantis at desantis.laurel@epa.gov. If you have other questions regarding the Transport Rule, contact Robert Miller at miller.robertl@epa.gov.

Please update your Certificate of Representation as soon as you are able, so we can allocate 2012 allowances to your facilities/units without delay. Thank you in advance for helping to ensure successful implementation of the Transport Rule programs.

http://www.twitter.com/EPAairmarkets
http://www.facebook.com/EPAairmarkets