ECMPS Support

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2010 Q3 software update is scheduled to be released on September 15, 2010. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2010 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 September 8th until September 15th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

Labels: Release Schedule Information

The EPA has recently released the first in a series of progress reports which summarize the first year of implementation of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).

This first 2009 CAIR report presents the 2009 data for NOx and SO2 emission reductions and compliance results for both the annual and ozone season NOx programs.

Additional CAIR reports to be released later in the year will report on the progress under CAIR through an analysis of emissions reductions, compliance results, market activity, and a comparison of emissions changes to environmental indicators.

For more information about CAIR, including this first 2009 report, visit the Clean Air Markets CAIR site. The site also contains other progress reports.

Labels: Progress Reports

The 2010 Q2 hourly and daily pre-packaged emissions data sets are now available on the Data and Maps website. The daily and hourly emission data are organized by state and quarter and year.

In order to retrieve the data, users must select, the format, the year, the time period, and the state(s).


The results from the query are returned after clicking the "Display List" button. The user can then click on the "Download" link to download the data set.


In September, a change will be made to the generation of the pre-packaged data sets. Instead of the data sets being generated manually, the data sets will be generated automatically and kept up-to-date on Data and Maps when the data are changed (e.g., after a resubmission is made). More information about this change in the data set generation will be posted when the new process is implemented.

Any questions about data sets or anything else about Data and Maps should be directed to Data and Maps support.

Labels: Data and Maps

During the days of August 27-30, 2010, the EPA Host System will be unavailable in order to complete some maintenance on the database and the database server.

The EPA Host System will become unavailable around 12:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 27th, and it will become available again around 12:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, August 30th.

During the time that the EPA Host System is unavailable, Client Tool users will not be able to log in to the EPA Host System, synchronize data, retrieve data, or submit data to the EPA.

Labels: Scheduled Outage

Each year, the EPA publishes progress reports on the Acid Rain Program (ARP). These reports evaluate the progress of the program against the goals of ARP established for the reduction of SO2 and NOx emissions from electric generating units (EGUs).

Recently, the EPA published the first 2009 report which covers emissions reductions.
Some highlights of the report are:

• SO2 emissions from ARP sources were 5.7 million tons, well below the current emission cap of 9.5 million tons, and already well below the statutory annual cap set for compliance in 2010 of 8.95 million tons;


• Banked SO2 allowances increased by nearly 4 million from 2008 levels;


• NOx emissions from all ARP sources were 2.0 million tons; this level is more than triple the Title IV NOx emission reduction objective; and


• ARP SO2 and NOx sources achieved 100 percent compliance in 2009.

Over the next several months, additional reports will also be published including the Emission, Compliance and Market Analyses Report and the Environmental Results Report.

For more information, on the ARP 2009 progress reports, including how to download the data shown in the reports, visit the Clean Air Markets Progress ARP 2009 Progress Report site. The site also contains previous years' reports.

Labels: Progress Reports

The ECMPS Shared Database Users' Group will be meeting in early September. The group is made up of stakeholders who volunteer to provide their feedback on their experience using the Client Tool in a shared database environment (sometimes called a network database).

Typically, once a quarter, shortly after the last reporting period, there is a one hour Web meeting in which items from the past meeting are reviewed and users are able to ask questions and provide feedback on the shared database configuration of the Client Tool. For various reasons, there was no meeting after the April reporting period, and this quarter's meeting is being held in September in order to accommodate August vacation schedules.

We have had a good group of participants before, but there is always room for more. If you are a shared database user and you are interested in participating, simply send an email to technical support indicating your interest. In the next week or so, an invitation to the Web meeting will be sent to all previous participants and any new volunteers. Thanks in advance to those who participate and provide their valuable feedback.

Labels: Feedback, Shared Database