ECMPS News

The 2011 Q4 Reporting Period is Almost Over

2012-01-25T21:30:00.003-05:00

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 IDs Have Been Released

2012-01-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

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 System Connection Problems have been Resolved

2012-01-18T08:30:00.001-05:00

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.

EPA Host System Connection Problems

2012-01-17T13:00:00.003-05:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day--January 16, 2012

2012-01-13T14:00:00.003-05:00

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.

2011 Q4 Submission Windows will be opened Today

2012-01-03T10:30:00.003-05:00

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 January 1

2011-12-30T15:00:00.002-05:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed for New Year's Day (Observed)

2011-12-30T14:00:00.003-05:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed for Christmas (Observed)

2011-12-22T14:00:00.007-05:00

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.

The 2011 Q4 Release of the Client Tool is Now Available

2011-12-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

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.

The 2011 Q4 Software Update is scheduled to be released on December 21, 2011

2011-12-06T07:30:00.003-05:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed for Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T14:00:00.005-05:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Veterans' Day

2011-11-10T14:00:00.004-05:00

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.

The 2011 Q3 Reporting Period is Almost Over

2011-10-26T07:30:00.001-04:00

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.

CSAPR Implementation Training Workshop Scheduled for November 10, 2011 in Kansas City

2011-10-18T07:30:00.001-04:00

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.

The 2011 Q3 Service Pack has been Released

2011-10-14T13:00:00.002-04:00

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.

The 2011 Q3 Service Pack will be Released on October 14, 2011

2011-10-13T23:30:00.006-04:00

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.

Reminder on Reporting PGVP and AETB Data

2011-10-03T07:30:00.004-04:00

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 October 1

2011-09-29T21:30:00.002-04:00

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.

Reminder on the Cross State Air Pollution Rule

2011-09-28T10:00:00.001-04:00

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 Q3 Release of the Client Tool is Now Available

2011-09-15T12:00:00.000-04:00

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.

2011 Q3 Release will be available on September 15, 2011

2011-09-14T21:45:00.001-04:00

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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Labor Day

2011-09-02T14:00:00.007-04:00

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.

The 2011 Q3 Software Update is scheduled to be released on September 14, 2011

2011-09-01T08:30:00.005-04:00

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".

The Email Address for Technical Support

2011-08-29T07:30:00.003-04:00

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.

More Information on the Cross State Air Pollution Rule

2011-08-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

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

Information on the Cross State Air Pollution Rule

2011-08-10T07:30:00.004-04:00

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.

The following email was sent from the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) on July 28, 2011 and signed by Sam Napolitano who is the Director of CAMD:

The Cross State Air Pollution Rule, establishing the Transport Rule (TR) trading programs, was signed by the EPA Administrator July 6, 2011.

This rule establishes four trading programs -- the TR NOx annual, NOx ozone season, SO2 Group 1, and SO2 Group 2 trading programs -- to further reduce emissions of NOx and SO2 in the eastern half of the United States. These new interstate trading programs are very similar to the existing Acid Rain and CAIR trading programs, using, for example, the same designated representatives and the same data systems for reporting emissions and managing allowances. The Transport Rule text, along with a fact sheet and other supporting information, can be found here.

Between now and January 1, 2012, when the first phase of the TR NOx and
SO2 annual programs begins, EPA will record 2012 TR allowance allocations for existing units. This will be completed this fall; allocation amounts for existing units can be viewed at EPA's website above. Before an allocation can be recorded for a unit, the current DR (or a new DR, if the owners and operators select a different DR) for the source that includes the unit must associate himself or herself with each applicable TR trading program for the source. Later this Summer, DRs will be able to complete this task either online via CBS, or by submitting a hardcopy Certificate of Representation form. CAMD will send an email when the CBS functionality and the modified Certificate of Representation form are available. If a source is covered by multiple programs (ARP, CAIR, or any TR trading program), the DR must be the same person for all of these programs.

If you have any questions about the TR allocations or the method used to calculate the allocations, contact Brian Fisher at 202-343-9633 or fisher.brian@epa.gov. For general questions about the TR trading programs, contact Robert Miller at 202-343-9077 or miller.robertl@epa.gov.

We will be in touch via email as we work together to ensure smooth implementation of the TR trading programs.

Keeping in Touch

2011-08-08T07:30:00.003-04:00

One of the most important ways that the EPA keeps in touch with stakeholders is through email. The EPA uses emails to send important information, and therefore, it is important that stakeholders insure that their email addresses are current in the CAMD database.

For ECMPS and CAMD Business System (CBS) users, email addresses can be verified and changed via CBS. In order to verify or change your email address, log in to CBS and then scroll to the bottom of the CBS home page. Your personal information, including your email, will be displayed in a gray box.

If you need to change your email address, simply click the Edit button. On the Change Personal Information page, change your email address, type in your CBS user name and password, along with the answer to the challenge question, and click the Save button.

After you make a change to your email address, an email will be sent to the old and new email addresses in order provide you a confirmation of the email address change.

Also, please make a note that if, in the future, your email address changes, you should log in to CBS and update your email address. Keeping your email address up-to-date is important in order to insure that you receive all your correspondence from the EPA and it is a requirement of using CBS and ECMPS.

Feedback and the Shared Database Users' Group Meeting

2011-08-03T11:00:00.002-04:00

It is always helpful to get users' feedback on what is working, what is not working, and what suggestions users have for improvements. One of the ways that we get that feedback is through the Shared Database Users' Group meeting. This meeting is for ECMPS Client Tool users who are supporting or use a shared database setup. The meeting is held via a web conference quarterly in the month after a reporting period. The next one will be held later this month.

All suggested enhancements, whether they are received from the Shared Database Users' Group or through emails send to technical support, are presented to CAMD for further discussion. Then CAMD determines whether those enhancements should be included in a future release of the Client Tool. Each of these is tracked on the Requested Enhancements page.

We also think that each meeting has proved to be a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from one another, and we assume that future meetings will continue to have that benefit. The meeting notes were sent out last week to everyone who is on the Shared Database Users' Group email list.

If you are not already participating in the Shared Database Users' Group and you want to be part of the next meeting, send an email to technical support to request your name be added to the list of invitees.
We do ask that participants be current users of a shared database configuration or planning to establish a shared database configuration.

The 2011 Q2 Reporting Period is Almost Over

2011-07-27T07:30:00.004-04:00

Although a large percentage of the 2011 Q2 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, August 1, 2011.

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.

Update on Reporting PGVP and AETB Data

2011-07-18T07:30:00.004-04:00

The 2011 Q2 version of the Client Tool includes the ability for users to be able to add PGVP and AETB QA and emissions data either through data entry or importing data into the Client Tool. In order to import PGVP and AETB data, sources need to use XML files based on the latest XML schemas (version 1.1 for QA and 1.3 for emissions). The latest versions of the schemas can be found on the ECMPS Support Web site. Sources should work with their DAHS vendors and testing support staff to insure that all XML files which include PGVP and AETB data conform to the latest versions of the XML schemas.

The PGVP data are not required to be reported until the 2011 Q3 reporting period. (AETB data are not required to reported until 2012.) When the data are required to be reported, evaluation errors will occur if a location is required to report the data and the data are missing or incorrectly reported. Until that time, sources can leave these data fields blank.

If sources choose to report the data prior to the data being required, the data will be subject to all of the relevant Client Tool evaluation checks. Unfortunately, at this time there are two known issues related to the PGVP data which might prevent sources from submitting these data during the 2011 Q2 reporting period. These known issues will be resolved with the next release of the Client Tool which is scheduled to be released on September 14, 2011. For sources who encounter these known issues, it is recommended to not attempt to report the PGVP data until the known issues have been resolved.

How Do I Resubmit Data?

2011-07-12T07:30:00.005-04:00

At ECMPS Technical Support, we thought it would be a good idea to post information on the process for resubmitting data.

The information for resubmitting data is contained in an FAQ.

The FAQ is organized by the three different data types--monitoring plan, QA, and emissions. It describes what sources need to do in order to resubmit these different data types. In addition, the FAQ has a link to the resubmission Web form.

If you need to resubmit data, please consult this FAQ for information on what steps you need to take.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Independence Day

2011-07-01T07:30:00.000-04:00

In observance of Independence Day, ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, July 4th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, July 5th.

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

Labor Day - Monday, September 5, 2011
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.

The 2011 Q2 Reporting Period begins July 1

2011-06-30T07:30:00.001-04:00

The 2011 Q2 Reporting period begins on Friday, July 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 August 1st.)

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.

EPA Host System to be Unavailable July 2 - 4, 2011 for Electric Service Maintenance

2011-06-28T18:00:00.000-04:00

The computing center where the EPA Host System is housed will be undergoing electric service maintenance and testing on July 2-4, 2011. During that time, access to the EPA Host System will be unavailable.

The maintenance is scheduled to begin after business hours on July 1st, and access access should again be available early in the morning on July 5th.

In addition, the CAMD Business System (CBS) will be unavailable during the same time period.

Note, on July 4th, in observance of Independence Day, ECMPS and CBS Technical Support will be unavailable.

New CAMD Business System (CBS) Support Email Address

2011-06-22T15:45:00.003-04:00

During the recent June 16, 2011 update, a new CAMD Business System (CBS) support email address was added.

This email address should be used by CBS users who have questions related to using CBS. The email can be found by clicking on the Contact Us link in CBS or by sending an email to cbs-support@camdsupport.com. Emails sent to this address will receive an automatic reply indicating that the support request has been added to the queue. Once your request is in the queue, your request will be handled by the CBS support staff.

The 2011 Q2 Release of the Client Tool is Now Available

2011-06-16T16:00:00.001-04:00

The 2011 Quarter 2 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. 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.

EPA Host System to be Unavailable June 8 - 16, 2011 for 2011 Q2 Release

2011-06-03T14:30:00.001-04:00

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2011 Q2 software update is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2011. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2011 Q2 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 June 8th through June 16th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

In addition, the CAMD Business System (CBS) will be unavailable on two separate occasions in the coming weeks. The first will be on Friday, June 10th and Saturday, June 11th. The downtime will begin at approximately 4:00 p.m. EDT on the 10th and be completed by the end of the day on June 11th.

The second downtime will be the morning of Thursday, June 16th. CBS will be unavailable for several hours starting around 7:00 a.m.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Memorial Day

2011-05-27T14:00:00.001-04:00

In observance of Memorial Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, May 30th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, May 31st.

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

Independence Day - Monday, July 4, 2011
Labor Day - Monday, September 5, 2011
Veterans' Day - Thursday, November 11, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

2011 Q1 Reporting Period Deadline

2011-04-27T14:30:00.002-04:00

Several sources have asked the question of whether there is an automatic extension of the reporting period deadline because the thirtieth day of the reporting period happens to fall on a weekend.

The answer is yes. Because the reporting deadline, Saturday, April 30, 2011, falls on a weekend, the deadline is extended to the next business day which is Monday, May 2, 2011.

This information is based on 40 CFR 72.11 (c) - "Computation of Time" and 40 CFR 97.107/207/307

The 2011 Q1 Reporting Period is Almost Over

2011-04-26T07:30:00.003-04:00

Although a large percentage of the 2011 Q1 emission submissions have been received, there are a number that are outstanding. That means that a number of people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the reporting period.

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 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.

EPA Host System to be unavailable for about an hour on Friday, April 8, 2011

2011-04-07T13:30:00.005-04:00

Due to a planned outage, the EPA Host System will be unavailable for a about an hour on the morning of Friday, April 8, 2011. The outage is scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. EDT. It is estimated that the outage will be less than an hour.

Note, this scheduled maintenance outage will also affect access to the CAMD Business System (CBS). The outage will not affect access to Data and Maps.

The 2011 Q1 Reporting Period begins April 1

2011-03-31T07:30:00.003-04:00

The 2011 Q1 Reporting period begins on Friday, April 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.

The 2011 Q1 Release and Microsoft Report Viewer 2010

2011-03-21T07:30:00.006-04:00

The 2011 Q1 version of the Client Tool includes a new report viewer--Microsoft Report Viewer 2010. The upgrade to this new report viewer helped fix a number of outstanding report issues.

The new report viewer is installed during the upgrade from a previous version or during the full installation of the Client Tool if it is being installed for the first time on a computer.

The person who is installing the new report viewer will need to have administrative rights on the computer on which the Client Tool is being installed or upgraded.

If you do not have administrative rights and you attempt to complete the installation or the upgrade, you might receive an error during the installation which indicates that the report viewer cannot be installed.

It is not necessary to complete the upgrade or the installation again. Instead, only the report viewer installation needs to be run again. However, this time, it needs to be run by someone with sufficient administrative rights.

A copy of the report viewer installation is found in the "Downloads" folder of the Client Tool. If you used the default installation folders, the "Downloads" folder will be C:\Program Files\ECMPS\Downloads

This installation file can be run in order to complete the installation of the new report viewer. The installation must be run by someone who has rights to install software on the computer.

See this FAQ for more information.

There

March Shared Database Users' Group Meeting

2011-03-16T07:30:00.004-04:00

On March 3, 2010, the Shared Database Users' Group held a web meeting, and we, at technical support, wanted to say thanks to all who participated.

It is always helpful to get users' feedback on what is working, what is not working, and what suggestions users have for improvements.

All suggested enhancements, whether they are received from the Shared Database Users' Group or through emails send to technical support, are presented to CAMD for further discussion. Then CAMD determines whether those enhancements should be included in a future release of the Client Tool. Each of these is tracked on the Requested Enhancements page.

We also think that each meeting has proved to be a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from one another, and we assume that future meetings will continue to have that benefit. The meeting notes were sent out last week to everyone who is on the Shared Database Users' Group email list.

If you are not already participating in the Shared Database Users' Group and you want to be part of the next meeting, send an email to technical support to request your name be added to the list of invitees.

The meetings are held quarterly usually within a month after the previous reporting period. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in early May. We do ask that participants be current users of a shared database configuration or planning to establish a shared database configuration.

Required: Microsoft .NET Framework 4

2011-03-15T07:30:00.003-04:00

As was noted in a previous post, one of the new requirements for running the 2011 Q1 version of the Client Tool is the Microsoft .NET Framework 4. This is an upgrade from the previous version of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.

Whether you are updating the Client Tool from a previous version or installing it for the first time on your computer, you will need to have Microsoft .NET Framework 4 installed in order to run the 2011 Q1 version of the Client Tool.

Users who are not able to install software due to insufficient computer rights, should contact their IT departments as soon as possible in order to begin the process of having Microsoft .NET Framework 4 installed on their computers.

Please contact technical support regarding any questions about this change.

Old ECMPS Support Website URL Alias is Retired

2011-03-14T07:30:00.001-04:00

Last June, the URL for the ECMPS Support Website changed from http://ecmps.pqa.com/ to http://ecmps.camdsupport.com/ Since then, in order to have a smoother transition to the new URL, the old URL was maintained as an alias. That meant that users could access the support Website with either URL.

As of Friday, March 11, 2011, the old URL is no longer an alias. In order to access the ECMPS Support Website, users should use the http://ecmps.camdsupport.com/ URL. Users who have bookmarked the old URL or have it written down as a reference should make a note of this change.

The 2011 Q1 Release of the Client Tool is Now Available

2011-03-09T23:30:00.001-05:00

The 2011 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 2011 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.

PGVP/AETB Guidance Document

2011-03-02T07:30:00.001-05:00

As mentioned previously, the next release of the Client Tool, which is scheduled for March 9, 2011, will include new data fields for reporting data related to the Protocol Gas Verification Program (PGVP) and Air Emissions Testing Bodies (AETB) certifications.

Sources will be required to include these data after the new provisions become effective. For PGVP, the rule changes will become effective 6 months after the proposed rule changes have been signed. In the case of AETB, the period is 12 months after the signing of the rule changes. As of this post, the rule changes have not been signed.

To assist with preparation for submitting these data, the EPA issued a guidance document. The document was first released on December 16, 2010. It has been since revised and now added to the support Website under Reporting Instructions.

Any questions related to the reporting of AETB and PGVP data may be directed toward technical support.

What's New in the Upcoming 2011 Q1 Release

2011-03-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Q1 Release of the Client Tool is scheduled to take place on March 9, 2011.

In the new release, there are a number of new features which are scheduled to be included. The full list of what features are included will be made available in the Release Notes which are published at the time of the release.

Here is a list of the new features which are scheduled to be included in the 2011 Q1 release:

Date range added to the Purge Data functionality. This allows users to select by dates which data are purged rather than having to purge all of the data for a data type.

For shared database users, allow multiple users to import data at the same time.

Added "Back" button on various reports to make it easier to return to criteria selection dialog.

Added fuel type filter in LME emissions module.

Added "Actual Feet of Stack Flow / Second (AFSEC)" span code for Flow.

Added Unit Monitor Certification Deadline and Emissions Recording Begin Data as columns on the unit program information screen.

Modified the Submission Report to allow display results from multiple ORIS codes.

Allow for the submission of data related to the Protocol Gas Verification Program (PGVP) and Air Emissions Testing Bodies (AETB) certifications. The reporting of these data will begin after the new provisions become effective (six months after the proposed rule requirements are finalized for the PGVP and 12- months after for the AETB requirements). As of this post, the proposed rule requirements have not been finalized. For more information, please view the guidance document.

Changes to the XML schemas to account for data to be reported for PGVP and AETB. Data which are in the format of older schemas will import into the Client Tool. (Backward compatibility).

Various report bugs fixed as a result of updating to the latest report viewer.

New installations that take take advantage of 64-bit Windows operating systems.

In addition, with the March 2011 release, new Reporting Instructions will be released. The changes to the Reporting Instructions will be related to the changes for AETB and PGVP reporting and to include all of the items which have been in the Addendum to the Reporting Instructions.

Finally, as previously noted, the 2011 Q1 release of the Client Tool will require the Microsoft .NET 4.0 Framework. Information about this change is available in the previous post.

Any questions about these new features and changes, should be submitted to technical support.

EPA Host System to be Unavailable March 2 - 9, 2011 for 2011 Q1 Release

2011-02-28T07:30:00.005-05:00

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2011 Q1 software update is scheduled to be released on March 9, 2011. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2011 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 March 2nd through March 9th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

2011 Q1 Release will require Microsoft .NET Framework 4

2011-02-22T07:30:00.004-05:00

The 2011 Q1 Release of the Client Tool is scheduled to take place on March 9, 2011.

With this new release, the Client Tool will require Microsoft .NET 4.0 to be installed. This is an upgrade from the current required version of .NET 3.5.

In order to prepare for this, users are encouraged to install Microsoft .NET 4.0 prior to either installing the Client Tool or updating the Client Tool through the updater functionality. Users who are not able to install the software due to computer rights, should contact their IT departments in order to begin the process of having Microsoft .NET 4.0 installed on their computers.

Please contact technical support regarding any questions about this change.

The 2010 Q4 Reporting Period is Almost Over

2011-01-27T07:30:00.004-05:00

Although a large percentage of the fourth quarter emission submissions have been received, there are a number that are outstanding. That means that a number of people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the reporting period.

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in these last hours of the submission period, please understand that you are arriving late to the queue, and 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.

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day--January 17, 2011

2011-01-14T14:00:00.004-05:00

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 17th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, January 18th.

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 30, 2011
Independence Day - Monday, July 4, 2011
Labor Day - Monday, September 5, 2011
Veterans' Day - Friday, November 11, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Registering to Report for the GHGRP

2011-01-13T14:00:00.010-05:00

In a previous post, information was provided about reporting for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). This post provides some more detailed information about the registration process and establishing agents for reporting for the GHGRP via the Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT). The deadline to register for e-GGRT is January 30, 2011; all official submissions of data for the GHGRP must be completed through e-GGRT, not the Emissions Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS). (Sources who elect to use Part 75 methodologies for reporting CO2M, should see the clarification for their reporting.)

Registration Process

In order to make an official submission for the GHGRP, you must be registered to use e-GGRT.

Registration for e-GGRT is only done through e-GGRT, not through the CAMD Business System (CBS).

To register for e-GGRT, navigate to https://ghgreporting.epa.gov/ghg/login.do. If you already have a valid CDX user name and password you can use it to log into e-GGRT.

A CBS user name and password WILL NOT allow you to access e-GGRT or allow you to submit data for GHGRP.

Who Must Register

Representatives for sources who report to CBS and e-GGRT must be the same persons (primary and alternate).

Representatives and agents who DO NOT have a CBS user name and password DO NOT need to obtain one in order to register for the GHGRP. If you have questions about this, call the e-GGRT help desk at 877-444-1188 or email ghgreporting@epa.gov.

Only Part 75 sources report using CBS/ECMPS. If you are a non-Part 75 source required to report for the GHGRP, you only need to register for e-GGRT; non-Part 75 sources WILL NOT be added to CBS.

Agents

CBS Agents are not being imported into e-GGRT.

Agents for e-GGRT must be assigned in e-GGRT, and can be different from the CBS agents.

If You Have Questions

Changes to Representatives for CAMD purposes, and subsequently e-GGRT, can be made via CBS. Contact Laurel DeSantis at 202-343-9191 with questions about the Certificate of Representation or agent process.

Questions about CBS user names and passwords should be directed to one of the following people:
- Karen VanSickle 202-343-9220
- Kirk Nabors 202-343-9171
- Paula Branch 202-343-9168
- Alex Salpeter 202-343-9157

Please use any of the following resources for more information about registration or any other questions regarding reporting GHGRP:
- Peter Kokopeli 202-343-9085
- View the e-GGRT Help Website
- Call the e-GGRT Help Desk 877-444-1188
- Send an email to ghgreporting@epa.gov
- View the e-GGRT tutorials

Avoiding User Account Lock Out due to Password Changes during Client Tool Use

2011-01-13T07:30:00.001-05:00

As a part of ECMPS security, users must enter a valid password when using the ECMPS Client Tool. The password is subject to a number of rules that affect your ability to maintain a valid password.

One important security feature is that the password expires every 90 days. Users should receive emails with reminders about changing their passwords. These are provided well in advance of the expiration date in order to give users plenty of time to change their passwords.

Entering an incorrect password three times in a row will lock a user's account. Passwords are cached in the Client Tool in order to prevent users from having to enter a password for every interaction with the EPA Host System.

During a synchronization or submission of data, the user's password is sent several times to the EPA Host System in order to provide proper authentication. If, during the synchronization or submission, a user changes the password via the CAMD Business System, the user might lock the account. The reason is that the Client Tool will continue to use the old, cached password to attempt to authenticate even after the new password has been established. This is because the Client Tool is not aware of the new password because the user has not entered that password via the Client Tool. If the Client Tool attempts during the synchronization or submission to use the old password three times in a row, the user account will be locked.

In order to avoid this type of problem, we would recommend that users only change their passwords when the Client Tool is closed. After changing the password, the user will be able to provide the new password when the Client Tool is started again and the user logs in to the EPA Host System.

Reporting for the MRR and Part 75

2011-01-10T07:30:00.006-05:00

In a previous post, information was given regarding registering for e-GGRT in order to assist sources with their reporting for the Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR). This post provides information for sources who for the MRR have elected to determine their CO2 emissions using Part 75 methodology.

Sources that report data through the ECMPS Client Tool for ARP, RGGI, or CAIR, may elect to use Part 75 methodology to determine CO2 emissions in order to comply with the Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR). This includes sources that are not required under these applicable Part 75 programs to include any CO2M records.

Those sources that elect to use this approach must report CO2M data (and all part 75 quality assurance data related to it) through the ECMPS Client Tool. However, the annual totals for those units which elect to use this methodology must also be reported through e-GGRT in the proper units. In other words, the CO2 data submitted through the ECMPS Client Tool will provide for the quality assurance of the data, but the official submission of data to comply with the MRR must be submitted through e-GGRT along with other data required under the MRR for the facility.

More information about reporting through e-GGRT can be found here:
https://ghgreporting.epa.gov

EPA Host System Unavailable on Sunday evening, January 9

2011-01-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

Due to a planned outage, the EPA Host System will be unavailable on Sunday, January 9, 2011 from 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. EST. During this time, Client Tool users must use the Client Tool "offline". Note, this scheduled maintenance outage will also affect access to the CAMD Business System (CBS) and Data and Maps.

The 2010 Q4 Reporting Period Has Begun

2011-01-01T07:30:00.004-05:00

The 2010 Q4 Reporting period begins today. 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.

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on New Year's Eve--December 31, 2010

2010-12-30T14:00:00.003-05:00

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on New Year's Eve, Friday, December 31st. Technical support will be available again on Monday, January 3rd. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office until January 3, 2011, 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 17, 2011
Memorial Day - Monday, May 30, 2011
Independence Day - Monday, July 4, 2011
Labor Day - Monday, September 5, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on Christmas Eve--December 24, 2010

2010-12-23T14:00:00.005-05:00

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, December 27th. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office until January 3, 2011, 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 Eve - Friday, December 31, 2010
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 17, 2011
Memorial Day - Monday, May 30, 2011
Independence Day - Monday, July 4, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Registration has Started

2010-12-20T17:00:00.004-05:00

In 2011 sources reporting emissions data under a Part 75 reporting program (i.e., Acid Rain Program, CAIR, and RGGI) will have to report their 2010 CO2 emissions data under the new Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). Data reported for the GHGRP must be submitted through the web-based Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT). (Please note that CO2 emissions data reported through ECMPS will NOT be forwarded to the GHGRP; the data must be submitted directly through e-GGRT.) The deadline for reporting emissions data for the GHGRP is March 31, 2011.

Prior to reporting emissions data, all affected sources must first register their facilities in e-GGRT, regardless of whether those facilities are already reporting under Part 75. During the registration process, each facility reporting under the GHGRP will be assigned a Designated Representative (DR) and (optionally) an Alternate Designated Representative (ADR). However, for facilities in a Part 75 Program, the DR for the GHGRP must be the same as the DR for their Part 75 programs. Both the DR and the ADR (if one exists) will need to register as an e-GGRT user, and then login to e-GGRT to sign the Certificate of Representation. The deadline for signing the GHGRP Certificate of Representation is January 30, 2011.

During the e-GGRT user registration process, registrants will be asked if they are a DR or ADR of a Part 75 facility, whether they have a CAMD Business System (CBS) user account, and if so, they will be asked to enter their CBS Username and Password. Through this mechanism, their user profile information from CBS will be made available in e-GGRT, and their Part 75 facilities will be linked to their e-GGRT account. Please note that the CBS is the sole source of information regarding the identity of the DR and ADR of a Part 75 facility. It is essential, therefore, that DR and ADR information be up-to-date in CBS prior to registering in e-GGRT. If you are a Part 75 representative but not a CBS user then the e-GGRT help desk will assist you in importing your CBS facilities into e-GGRT.

You must have an e-GGRT user name and password to register a facility and report under the GHGRP. (The e-GGRT user name and password is separate from the user name and password which is used for accessing CBS or ECMPS.) In order to complete e-GGRT user registration, a user must have a CROMERR Electronic Subscriber Agreement (ESA) on file. Users who have submitted the CROMERR ESA in order to use CBS or ECMPS have met this requirement. Any questions related to the CROMERR ESA should be submitted to Karen VanSickle.

In order to get started working with e-GGRT please visit: https://ghgreporting.epa.gov

For help with e-GGRT, visit the help site: http://www.ccdsupport.com

The 2010 Q4 Release of the Client Tool is now Available

2010-12-16T10:45:00.000-05:00

The 2010 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 first download and install the 2010 Q2 version of the Client Tool. Then users should update to the 2010 Q3 version followed by an update to the 2010 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.

2010 Q4 Release Status Update and Holiday Schedule Reminder

2010-12-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

The 2010 Q4 software release is still on schedule to be made available on Thursday, December 16th. At that time, Client Tool users will be able to update their software to the latest version. Shared database users should coordinate their software update with their database administrators.

During the upcoming holidays, ECMPS technical support will be closed on two days in December. In observance of Christmas which falls on a Saturday this year, technical support will be closed on Christmas Eve, December 24th. Also, because New Year's Day falls on a Saturday, technical support will be closed on New Year's Eve, December 31st. In both cases, technical support will again be available on the Monday following the holiday.

EPA Host System to be Unavailable December 8 - 16, 2010 for 2010 Q4 Release

2010-12-03T08:30:00.002-05:00

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. The 2010 Q4 software update is scheduled to be released on December 16, 2010. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2010 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 December 8th until December 16th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on Thanksgiving and Day after Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T14:00:00.001-05:00

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, November 29th.

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

Christmas Eve - Friday, December 24, 2009
New Year's Eve - Friday, December 31, 2009
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 17, 2011
Memorial Day - Monday, May 30, 2011

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

ECMPS Technical Support Closed on Veterans' Day

2010-11-10T14:00:00.004-05:00

In observance of Veterans' Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Thursday, November 11th. Technical support will be available again on Friday, November 12th.

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

Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday after Thanksgiving Day - Friday, November 26, 2010
Christmas Eve - Friday, December 24, 2009
New Year's Eve - Friday, December 31, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Meeting the Submission Deadline and Last Minute Technical Support Requests

2010-10-29T07:30:00.000-04:00

Although a large percentage of the third quarter emission submissions have been received, there are a number that are outstanding. That means that a number of people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the reporting period.

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in these last hours of the submission period, please note that you are arriving late to the queue, and 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.

May I Suggest?

2010-10-28T07:30:00.002-04:00

The ECMPS support website, like many websites, has a global search. The global search allows you to search the entire site for information based on keywords you provide. The site-wide search box is located in the upper right portion of each web page on the website.

The site-wide search functionality has been enhanced with the addition of suggested search terms. As you begin to type in the search box, suggested keywords are supplied. These suggestions are based on the set of keywords that the search functionality maintains from its indexing of the ECMPS support website. You can search using any of the suggested terms for your search simply by selecting the keyword(s) from the list of suggestions and then clicking the Search button.

EPA Host System Unavailable on Saturday morning, October 16

2010-10-15T14:30:00.001-04:00

Due to a planned outage, the EPA Host System will be unavailable on Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 6:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. EDT. During this time, Client Tool users must use the Client Tool "offline". Note, this outage will also affect access to the CAMD Business System (CBS).

Do you remember me?

2010-10-11T09:00:00.001-04:00

A number of users have reported that when they first start up the Client Tool, they are prompted for their user name and they are unable to enter a user name which the Client Tool will accept.

With the 2010 Q3 update, the path for the cached user name was changed. In the scenarios being reported by users, the user name being requested is that of the person that originally initialized the Client Tool database when the Client Tool was first installed.

If the current Client Tool user has changed from the original user, and the current user does not know the original user name, please review the FAQ which addresses this issue. Once the user name has been entered and accepted, this issue will be resolved.

The 2010 Q3 Reporting Period has Begun

2010-10-01T07:30:00.004-04:00

The 2010 Q3 Reporting period begins today. 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, some sources have also elected to report under the Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR) using the Client Tool. These submissions should also be completed during the 30 day reporting period.

During this reporting period, the EPA expects to receive over 4,250 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.

September Shared Database User Group Meeting

2010-09-20T07:30:00.001-04:00

On September 14, 2010, the Shared Database Users' Group held a web meeting, and we, at technical support, wanted to say thanks to all who participated.

It is always helpful to get users' feedback on what is working, what is not working, and what suggestions users have for improvements.

All suggested enhancements, whether they are received from the Shared Database Users' Group or through request tickets, are presented to CAMD for further discussion, and then CAMD determines whether those enhancements are included in a future release. Each of these is tracked on the Requested Enhancements page.

We also think that each meeting has proved to be a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from one another, and we assume that future meetings will continue to have that benefit.

If you are not already participating in the Shared Database Users' Group and you want to be part of the next meeting, send an email to technical support to request your name be added to the list of invitees. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held some time during the week of November 8 - 12, 2010. We do ask that participants be current users of a shared database configuration or planning to establish a shared database configuration.

Laurel DeSantis' Contact Information

2010-09-16T07:30:00.003-04:00

Recently, Laurel DeSantis' cubicle location changed. Her telephone number and her email address did not change.

However, if you need to send her anything via mail or package delivery services, use the following information. (Note, this is a new cubicle number.)

Street Address (overnight mail and package delivery ONLY):

Laurel DeSantis
U.S. EPA
Clean Air Markets Division
1310 L Street, NW
2nd Floor - Cubicle 254D
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: (202) 343-9191

Regular or certified mail:

Laurel DeSantis
U.S. EPA
Clean Air Markets Division
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mail Code 6204J
Washington, DC 20460

The Client Tool 2010 Quarter 3 Release is now Available

2010-09-15T16:30:00.002-04:00

The 2010 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 can download and install the 2010 Q2 version of the Client Tool and then update to the 2010 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.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Labor Day

2010-09-04T09:00:00.003-04:00

In observance of Labor Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, September 6th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, September 7th.

However, note that beginning on Wednesday, September 8th and continuing until the release of the next version of the Client Tool, which is scheduled for September 15th, 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 - Thursday, November 11, 2009
Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday after Thanksgiving Day - Friday, November 26, 2010

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

The 2010 Q3 Software Update is scheduled to be released on September 15, 2010

2010-08-31T07:30:00.001-04:00

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".

First Progress Report for 2009 CAIR Data is Released

2010-08-30T07:30:00.001-04:00

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.

2010 Q2 Pre-packaged Data Sets are Available on Data and Maps

2010-08-26T07:30:00.005-04:00

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.

EPA Host System Unavailable from 12:00 p.m. August 27 until 12:00 p.m. August 30

2010-08-25T07:30:00.002-04:00

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.

Acid Rain Program 2009 Progress Reports: Emissions and Compliance Data

2010-08-23T07:30:00.006-04:00

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.

Request for Shared Database User Feedback

2010-08-18T23:00:00.006-04:00

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.

Meeting the Submission Deadline and Last Minute Support Requests

2010-07-29T22:30:00.004-04:00

Although a large percentage of the second quarter emission submissions have been received (95% of the 4,185 expected submissions at the time of this post), there are a number that are outstanding. That means that many people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the day on July 30th.

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in these last hours of the submission period, please note that you are arriving late to the queue, and 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 Resubmission Request Form has been Fixed

2010-07-19T13:30:00.001-04:00

Recently, a post was added that mentioned problems related to the resubmission request form. One problem was that, although a user would complete a successful submission, an error notice was posted on the confirmation submission page. The second problem was that users were not receiving confirmation emails from the ticketing system in order to confirm that their resubmission request was received.

Both of these problems have been corrected, and the resubmission request form should be functioning as expected.

Users who experience any problems related to the resubmission request form should contact technical support to report the problem and get help in processing a resubmission request.

Resubmission Form Error

2010-07-13T22:00:00.004-04:00

Following the switch to the new domain name, there have been problems with the resubmission request form. Technical support is working on correcting the problems.

In the meantime, if you need to request a resubmission, continue to use the resubmission request form on the website.

The information which you submit via the web form will be received by the ECMPS technical support staff. However, after you submit your request, you will receive an error message on the subsequent page. In addition, you will not receive an automatic email indicating that your resubmission request was received.

Despite the error and not receiving the automatic email submission, your request will have been received. The technical support staff will send you an email indicating that your resubmission request was received. If you do not receive an email from the technical support staff by the end of the day, please follow-up with technical support regarding your request to resubmit data.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and we will add a new post when the problems have been resolved.

ECMPS Technical support will be closed on July 5th in observance of Independence Day

2010-07-02T07:30:00.003-04:00

Because July 4th falls on a Sunday, the Independence Day holiday will be observed on July 5th. Consequently, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, July 5th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, July 6th.

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

Labor Day - Monday, September 6, 2010
Veterans' Day - Thursday, November 11, 2009
Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday after Thanksgiving Day - Friday, November 26, 2010

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

The 2010 Q2 Reporting Period Has Begun

2010-07-01T07:30:00.002-04:00

The 2010 Q2 Reporting period begins today. 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, some sources have also elected to report under the Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR) using the Client Tool. These submissions should also be completed during the 30 day reporting period.

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. Beginning with the 2009 quarter 3 reporting period, the form was been put online in order to streamline the process of receiving the information for the request and providing the necessary submission access.

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.

Technical Support is Not Available Today Because of Power Outage

2010-06-25T09:30:00.001-04:00

ECMPS Technical Support will not be available today. Our office building lost power last night due to a small, intense storm. It is estimated that power will not be restored to the building until late in the evening of Friday, June 25th.

Until power is restored to our building, we will not be able to reply to support requests. If you have a technical support question, please submit your question via the technical support email address. Any emails which are sent will not be lost. The emails will simply be queued up until the technical support staff is able to access the ticketing system.

Known Issues with Assigning Agents Through CBS

2010-06-21T23:00:00.003-04:00

There are two known issues related to assigning agents in the CAMD Business System (CBS). The problems do not affect all users, but, if a user experiences any problems assigning agents, the current workaround is to submit an Agent Notice of Delegation form to CAMD.

The problems related to the CBS agents functionality are being corrected and tested. At this point, it is estimated that the problems will be corrected in the next several days.

In the meantime, if users elect to use the paper form workaround, they should print out the Agent Notice of Delegation form, complete it, and have it signed. They can then submit a scanned copy via email to Laurel DeSantis at CAMD.

Any questions about the paper form should also be directed to Laurel DeSantis.

More information about assigning agents, can be found on the CAMD Web site agents page.

Technical Support Network Outage and Two Changes to Access ECMPS Technical Support

2010-06-17T14:00:00.005-04:00

This past February, PQA, which is contracted by CAMD to provide ECMPS technical support, was acquired by SRA International. During the subsequent months following the acquisition, the technical support work has not been affected.

Over the coming weekend, a couple of changes will be made that will affect access to technical support. However, the level and commitment to technical support, as well as the team providing technical support will remain the same.

Beginning Friday evening, June 18th, after EDT work hours, the following two changes will be made:

The ECMPS Support website will have move from ecmps.pqa.com to ecmps.camdsupport.com. Users who access the old URL will be redirected to the new URL.

The ECMPS Support email address will change from ecmps-support@pqa.com to ecmps-support@camdsupport.com. Any support tickets sent to the old technical support email address, ecmps-support@pqa.com, will be forwarded to the new email address. However, responses to these requests will come from the new support email address. This means that stakeholders should add the ecmps-support@camdsupport.com email address to their "safe senders" list.

Also, during the integration process over the weekend, the ticketing system will most likely become unavailable at times. This means that any support tickets sent in between Friday evening on June 18th and early Monday morning on June 21st will be queued up and delivered to the support ticketing system after the network is restored. At that point, ECMPS Technical Support will address any tickets in the order in which they were sent. We expect that the integration will be completed by 5:00 a.m. on Monday, June 21st and that support will be business as usual after that time.

If you have any questions or experience any issues related to access to technical support, please use the technical support telephone number (434-817-6097) as a backup to the support email address.

The Client Tool 2010 Quarter 2 Release is now Available

2010-06-09T16:00:00.001-04:00

The 2010 Quarter 2 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 can download and install the 2010 Q2 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, should be submitted to ECMPS Technical Support.

Get Smart?

2010-06-08T07:30:00.003-04:00

With the growing use of Smartphones (e.g., cell phones with Internet access), a number of Websites are providing Smartphone-friendly versions of the Website. The Smartphone-friendly version of the Website is helpful for making the Website more accessible for users who are navigating the site on their Smartphone. For instance, the U.S. EPA has established EPA Mobile which is designed for mobile device access of its Website.

Through feedback, Technical Support has often heard that ECMPS Client Tool users rely on Smartphones for their communication. At ECMPS Technical Support, we want to know if it would be helpful for the ECMPS Support Website to have a mobile version that would be more easy to view and navigate with a Smartphone.

Like many mobile versions of the full Website, the mobile version would be a stripped-down version of the full version. However, the mobile version would include important features such as ECMPS News, EPA Host status, and contact information.

Let us know what you think. Would it be helpful to have a mobile version of the ECMPS Support Website? Send your comments to ECMPS Technical Support or add a comment to this news item.

June Release of ECMPS Client Tool and CBS to include Security Enhancements to prevent Phishing Attacks

2010-06-07T07:30:00.001-04:00

On June 9, 2010, the 2010 Q2 version of the Client Tool is scheduled to be released. On that same day, the CAMD Business System (CBS) will also be updated in order to include new functionality and bug fixes. Both of these will include new security enhancements in order to prevent phishing attacks.

What is a phishing attack?

Phishing attacks are a form of online identity theft which are designed to have users unknowingly provide their authentication credentials. For example, a phishing attack will send users unsolicited emails requesting an action on their part that is initiated by clicking on a hyperlink in the email. The hyperlink sends the user to a spoofed website which has been designed to look like the actual website. The user enters authentication credentials, and the spoofed website captures the authentication credentials. Once the authentication credentials are captured, access is then available to the actual website with legitimate credentials.

Security Changes to Prevent Phishing Attacks

In order to prevent phishing attacks, the following changes have been made:

All password changes must be completed in CBS. The ability for users to change their password through the Client Tool has been removed.

Emails which originate from the CAMD Business System (CBS) will no longer have hyperlinks to CBS. Emails from CBS may contain hyperlinks to the Clean Air Markets Website, but emails should never contain a hyperlink to CBS. If a user receives an email from CBS which contains a hyperlink to CBS, the user should not click on the link and contact CAMD regarding the email.

Emails from CBS will never request that a user click on a hyperlink in order to verify the user's authentication credentials (e.g., user name, password, challenge questions and answers). If a user receives an email from CBS which requests that the user verify the user's authentication credentials through a hyperlink, the user should not click on the link and contact CAMD regarding the email.

Confirmation emails sent after a user's password has been changed will be sent to the old and new email addresses. If a user receives an unexpected CBS email which indicates that the user's password has been changed, the user should contact CAMD regarding the email.

Users will be required to provide an answer to a randomly selected challenge question from the user's pool of challenge questions when changing personal information, challenge question answers, passwords, and email addresses.

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact Laurel DeSantis at desantis.laurel@epa.gov or 202-343-9191.

ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk closed on Memorial Day

2010-05-28T07:30:00.003-04:00

In observance of Memorial Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, May 31st. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, June 1st.

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

Independence Day (Observed) - Monday, July 5, 2010
Labor Day - Monday, September 6, 2010
Veterans' Day - Thursday, November 11, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

EPA Host System Will be Unavailable June 2-9, 2010

2010-05-25T07:30:00.001-04:00

Upcoming Software Update scheduled for June 9, 2010

As usual, an ECMPS Client Tool update is scheduled to occur in the month prior to a reporting month. Prior to the July reporting month for second quarter data, the software update is scheduled to be released on June 9th. At that time, the latest version of the Client Tool--the 2010Q2 version--will be made available.

In order to upgrade to the new version, users will be able to use the update feature in the Client Tool, or if the Client Tool is being installed on a computer for the first time, the new version can downloaded from the ECMPS Support Website and installed.

In order to complete the deployment of the latest version of the Client Tool, the EPA Host System will be unavailable from June 2nd until June 9th when the new version is released. During that time, users will only be able to use the Client Tool "offline".

EPA Host System Unavailable on Saturday, May 22, 2010

2010-05-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

Due to a planned outage, the EPA Host System will be unavailable on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 6:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. During this time, Client Tool users must use the Client Tool "offline". Note, this outage will also affect access to the CAMD Business System (CBS).

Planned Telephone Outage Scheduled for May 14-15, 2010

2010-05-11T07:30:00.004-04:00

This coming weekend, ECMPS Technical Support will be upgraded to a new telephone system.

The work to put in the new telephone system will begin at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 14th. The work should be completed on Saturday, May 15th.

During the maintenance period, calls to the technical support telephone number will receive a busy signal.

After May 15th, any problems with the technical support phone number should be reported to technical support using the email address.

Access to the EPA Host System Has Been Restored

2010-05-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

As of Saturday, May 1, 2010, access to the EPA Host System has been restored. Users should be able to use the Client Tool and the CAMD Business System as normal.

Please contact technical support if you have any questions or problems.

EPA Host System is Down -- April 30, 2010

2010-04-30T15:38:00.004-04:00

The EPA Host System is unexpectedly unavailable at this time. The technical support staff for EPA servers have been contacted. Currently, there is no estimated time for a resolution to the problem.

Note, this also affects access to the CAMD Business System.

We will post more information when it is available.

Last Day Rush

2010-04-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

Although a large percentage of the first quarter emission submissions have been received (97% of the 3,934 expected submissions at the time of this post), there are a number that are outstanding. That means that many people will be hustling to complete their submissions before the end of the day today.

At technical support, we will answer as many questions as we can. However, if you are submitting a technical support request in these last hours of the submission period, please remember that you are arriving late to the queue and your question may not be answered as fast as you would like.

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.