ECMPS Support

The 2010 Q1 version of the Client Tool has a known issue that generates an incorrect RATA status error.

The error message indicates that OPHOURS, OSHOURS, or OPDAYS is missing for 2009Q4.

This error is being incorrectly generated for sources which have switched from ozone season reporting in 2009 to quarterly reporting in 2010. The evaluation check is not correctly recognizing this reporting frequency change, and the check is determining that data are missing. Because the source was an ozone season reporter in 2009, the data were not required for that source in 2009Q4.

Sources who believe that they are receiving this error incorrectly should contact technical support.

Labels: Known Issues

Due to a planned outage, the EPA Host System will be unavailable on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. During this time, Client Tool users must use the Client Tool "offline".

Labels: Scheduled Outage

Many stakeholders are not aware that, as required by the Clean Air Act, the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) hosts an annual auction of SO2 allowances each March. The 250,000 available allowances can be bid on by anyone who has provided sufficient funds to cover the bid. (See the Auction Fact Sheet for more information.)

This year's bidding will be from March 10th until March 18th, and the actual auction, during which the winners are decided, will take place on March 23rd. Prior to this year, bids were submitted on paper forms. However, this year the bidding is to be made online through the CAMD Business System (CBS). (The financial portion of the bid is handled separately from CBS.)

For more information on how to bid, click on the CAMD forms page and scroll to the "EPA SO2 Allowance Auction" section.

Also, results from previous auctions, can be viewed here.

Labels: CAMD Business System

The 2010 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 must first download and install the 2009 Q4 version of the Client Tool, and then be automatically updated to the 2010 Q1 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, should be submitted to ECMPS Technical Support.

Labels: Release Schedule Information

As part of the preparation for the release of the 2010 Q1 version of the ECMPS Client Tool, the EPA Host System will be unavailable from March 3rd until the new version is released, which is scheduled for March 9th.

When the the latest version is released, users who have already installed the Client Tool will be required to update to the new version. Users who need to install the Client Tool for the first time will need to download the 2009 Q4 version from the Technical Support Web site, install the downloaded software, and then go through the automatic update to the 2010 Q1 version.

For users of the shared database version of the Client Tool and DBAs, the necessary update files will be put on the Technical Support Web site.

During the planned outage time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool in the "Work Offline" mode. The following functionality will not be available:

• Log in to the EPA Host System from the Client Tool.


• Perform the initial synchronization which is the last step in installing the Client Tool.


• Synchronize data from the EPA Host System.


• Retrieve data from the EPA Host System.


• Submit data to the EPA Host System.

Labels: Scheduled Outage