SR Update 05

Reminder to SR filers:  Check your units !!

An all too common mistake last year was the entry of fuel use in the wrong units.  For example, a boiler burns 10,000 gallons and the user enters 10,000 on the form, not noticing that the units are "1000 gallons".  The emissions are then calculated based on a 10,000,000 gallon annual usage!  Similar mistakes were made with the unit "million cubic feet".  Note: the units are tied to the SCC units designated by EPA and so cannot be changed. 

A Few New Bugs

We have problems with the forms retrieving some decommissioned emission units, stacks, monitors, and controls.  We also have on some instances a "precision" error that prevents successful validation.  For more information and workarounds see Form Problems questions below.  If you encounter one of these problems, you can also call the SR help desk.

Source Registration Questions Answered

Below are questions that have been raised by SR filers through our help desk and in trainings.

Many of these postings contain NEW material that you probably are not aware of even if you are very experienced with Source Registration.  We strongly encourage you read these.

Download Questions and Answers Document

MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

Form Problems

1. Form Bug:  What do I do if decommissioned units reappear in my package?
2. Form Bug:  What to do I do if an extra monitor or control appears in my form?
3. What do I do if an SR Form comes up blank?
4. Call the SR Help Desk before you submit a 2nd package . . . why?
5. What to do if the eDEP SR forms will not open or validate?
6. Why can't I login with my TIN?
   
   Download Questions & Answers: MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

Questions About What Units Must Be Reported.

7. Reminder:  Complete SR = report on ALL units, including idle units.
8. Do you need to report small portable heating units in Source Registration?
9. Do you report temporary emission units?
10. Are there any emissions units you don't need to report in your Source Registration?
11. What units fall under the "insignificant activity" class at 310 CMR 7 Appendix C(5)(i)17 for HVAC?
    
    Download Questions & Answers: MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

How To Report on Special Cases

12. How do you enter in the forms unusual exhausts, such as short vertical vents?
13. Low NOx burners - are they control devices?
14. How should Ovens be reported?
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15. How should Dryers be reported?
16. How should Flares be reported?
17. How do I report emissions from the fuel use of a thermal oxidizer?
18. What do you enter into the basis fields for restrictions if you don't have a permit?
19. Is a "Fireye" flame monitor a monitor that must be recorded on the forms?
20. Which SCC's should be used for residential boilers/water heaters at commercial/institutional facilities?
21. Which SCC's should not be used on an AP1?
    
    Download Questions & Answers: MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

Tank form (AP4) Questions

22. When does a tank need to be reported?
23. What do you enter for Q7.d Temperature on the AP4 tank form?
24. Is there a de minimis concentration of organic matter below which an AP4 is not required for a tank?
25. When must you calculate emissions from tanks ?
    
    Download Questions & Answers: MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

Other Topics

26. When a facility's classification changes, does it still have to report?
27. When a facility closes, does it still have to file a Source Registration?
28. Do you have to report if you didn't get a letter from MassDEP?
29. Will changes filed in my Source Registration (such as decommissioned units) result in MassDEP changing my classification for fee purposes?
30. Does MassDEP review what facilities submit?
    
    Download Questions & Answers: MS Word 81 KB | PDF 55 KB

SR Update 04

NOTICE:  2006 Source Registration letters mailed

Notices have been mailed to all facilities that are due to file Source Registrations in 2007 with 2006 data.  A complete schedule of all Source Registration (SR) due dates and an example of the letter mailed will be available at the MassDEP Source Registration Web Page on Feb 27, 2007:

http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/compliance/sr.htm

Deadlines for filing in 2007

MassDEP is spreading out the filing schedule for Source Registration submittals over several months in 2007 as shown below.  

We are doing this to improve your experience on eDEP by preventing overload of the system, and to ensure that our SR Help Desk can provide the level of quality support that you need.  We also hope that this will make the SR season somewhat easier for those who prepare multiple SRs.

Each owner/operator of a facility required to file will be informed of their filing schedule in their SR letter.  We will also publish the dates for each facility on the SR web page as a reference. 

Apr 15 - Operating Permit facilities due

May 15 - Non-OP annual filers due (allowing 1 additional month to file beyond the regulatory deadline)

Jun 15 - Deadline for a portion of the facilities filing every 3 years

Jul 15 - Deadline for a portion of facilities filing every 3 years

Aug 15 - Deadline for remaining facilities filing every 3 years

Due dates for 3-year filers will be available on the SR web page on Feb 27, 2007.  NOTE: if you were an annual filer during any portion of 2006, you will need to file a 2006 Source Registration, even if your classification changed or the facility closed.

Deferrals for 3-year Filers

In 2006, 3-year filers were offered a 1-year, 1-time deferral to 2007.  All of the other 3-year filers  will be offered the same: those due in 2007 can file in 2008, and those due in 2008 may file in 2009.  MassDEP will send reminder notes to the facilities who must file in each year. 

In addition, filings by certain smaller combustion facilities are deferred until 2008.  Generally these are facilities whose emissions come from combustion units that run on natural gas or distillate oil and have a maximum input rate of less than 10 mmbtu/hr individually and 40 mmbtu/hr for the entire facility.  This does not include facilities with Process emission units.

The complete SR filing schedule for all facilities will be posted on-line (after Feb 27,2007) - if you want to check your facility's filing schedule, please go to the SR Web Page.

Schedule for all Source Registration Facilities

If you are wondering when your facility is scheduled to file Source Registration, check the master filing schedule at the SR web page (to be posted on Feb 27, 2007): http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/compliance/sr.htm 

The schedule contains the date of the next filing required for all SR facilities in MassDEP's database.  

Training Offered

Training seminars are again being sponsored by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) - visit www.AIMNET.org for details and look under "Training, Seminars and Events".  The training covers key knowledge users must have to complete the forms successfully, with an emphasis on common questions and problems with lessons learned from last year's filings.  The dates for the seminars are Feb 27 and 28 and Mar 6 and 9.   All trainings require pre-registration and have limited space.  If you have any questions you may call Bob Rio at 617-488-8308 or e-mail at rrio@aimnet.org.

Training is also available on-line if you cannot attend one of the seminars - visit the Source Registration web page for the link.

Changes to the forms for 2006

MassDEP has continued to enhance eDEP over the past few months to improve the speed and reliability of the system. We have also made a few minor changes to the forms:

• Short term emission limits are now reported in pounds rather than tons, to be more consistent with the permits.  Previously entered values were converted and will now appear in the forms as pounds.  This change was made in response to requests from a number of users.
• The forms now ask if an emission unit is subject to NESHAP, MACT, or  NSPS.
• The "Notes" field will accept 4000 characters - again in response to users who were running out of space for their comments.  Unfortunately, this is as large as the field can be made - any notes more extensive will need to be put in an attachment.
• On the AP4 tank form, height and diameter are now optional fields - total capacity remains a required field.

Reminder:  Complete SR = report on all units

Please remember that a complete SR submittal includes a report on ALL emission units at a facility, including those that are idle.

If a unit has been permanently removed but it is still listed on the Overview form as part of your facility, then you should complete the form for that unit one last time, entering a decommission date.  That tells MassDEP that the unit is permanently removed/disabled and will keep it from appearing on the list of equipment at your facility in future Source Registrations.

SR Update 03

NOTICE: 2005 Source Registrations MUST be submitted by Dec 29, 2006.

At the end of the calendar year eDEP will automatically convert all Source Registration packages not yet submitted in your eDEP Homepage from 2005 to 2006 forms.

No data will be lost in the conversion, but you CANNOT SUBMIT 2005 DATA ON 2006 FORMS.

If you have a 2005 package that you wish to submit, then you must validate, sign, AND submit it by Dec 29, 2006.

We strongly recommend that you delete any unsubmitted Source Registration packages in your Homepage and open fresh packages for 2006. We have made so many upgrades to the system that it is much safer to abandon older packages and any of the problems they may contain.

If you have any questions regarding this, or need help, please contact the Source Registration help desk at: air.quality@state.ma.us.

2005 Source Registration Survey

If you have not already done so, we invite you to give us feedback from your experience with the on-line Source Registration system while the experience is fresh in your mind.

Please take a few minutes to complete the short survey at the link below, it will help us make the system better for you in the future -- just double click on the link (or, if that does not work, paste it into the address bar of an internet browser window).

Your input is very important to us --thank you.

https://www.brainshark.com/madep/vu?pi=290981494

SR Update 02

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Source Registration Training is now available on-line -- just go to the URL below.  We are making the training available on-line rather than scheduling classes to make it more accessible and convenient for SR filers.  

https://www.brainshark.com/madep/vu?pi=443484969

If you already attended the live SR training in the spring, then you have seen this material before.  We will be adding a Questions module soon with responses to questions we have received on the SR Help Desk and at the training earlier this year -- we will announce this with a separate e-mail update.  The training available now is for those who did not attend the training in the spring.  It is broken into 3 parts, and anyone who did not attend the training in the spring would want to view all of them.   
 
The training is about 2.5 hrs long.  You can start/stop it as many times as you like, and return to whatever place you left off. 
 
We are very interested in feedback on the training and the website and encourage you to submit any problems, questions, or comments to air.quality@state.ma.us or call Mark Wert at 617-292-5598.

Updated Instructions Posted -- We have also posted an updated version of the Source Registration Instructions on the Source Registration website -- if you have previously downloaded the instructions, please replace Part 2 (the field-by-field instructions) with the new version.   Note that the new versions in both Word and PDF formats have automatic tables of contents -- just click on the topic and you will be taken to that location in the instructions.
 
http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/compliance/srfaq.htm#instruct

SR Update 01

ANNOUNCEMENTS

eDEP improvements are ready. MassDEP has now completed the upgrade of eDEP's hardware, replacing the old servers with computers that are twice as fast and have more memory and new operating systems.  We have also completed software upgrades that will further improve performance and include some of the changes that were requested by users earlier in the year.    

The improved system is now ready for you to use in filing your 2005 Source Registration.  Although the upgrades provide noticeable improvements and greater capacity, every system has limits.  Therefore we strongly urge you to file well before the deadline to avoid delays.

Note that you must upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Reader. See Important Tips below for more information.

Additional Time for Non-Operating Permit Filers. For those annual filers not subject to the Operating Permit and Compliance Program, we are allowing more time for your submittal - you now must submit your 2005 Source Registrations by 5:00 p.m. December 1, 2006.  A letter to this effect has been mailed to all such annual filers - a copy of the letter can be found here:

Letter to Non-Operating Permit Filers: MS Word 178 KB | PDF 78 KB

Those facilities that are subject to the Operating Permit and Compliance Program must still submit their 2005 Source Registrations by 5:00 p.m. October 31, 2006.  A reminder letter has been sent to all such facilities - a copy of the letter can be found here:

Letter to Operating Permit Filers: MS Word 178 KB | PDF 78 KB

IMPORTANT TIPS

Update your Adobe. You will need to update your Adobe reader if you do not have a version newer than 7.0.  We have found that older versions are no longer compatible with the improved eDEP software and will cause problems with validation.  Also, Adobe releases newer versions to patch problems in the older software.  So we recommend upgrading before you start working on your forms.

IMPORTANT - you must uninstall previous versions of Adobe reader before you upgrade to the latest version.  Adobe versions 5.x and 6.x frequently fail to completely uninstall themselves - you will recognize this by the fact that directories for Acrobat 5 or Acrobat 6 remain in the Adobe subdirectory on your hard drive where your program files are stored. (For example, C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\). We have frequently found it necessary to manually remove these older directories after deinstalling the old reader through Windows Control Panel.  Again, note that you will need to completely deinstall the old reader first before installing the new version to avoid conflicts between the 2 versions.  If you are not able to load your forms, it is very likely an Adobe reader conflict problem based on our Help Desk experience.

Avoid revalidating your Overview form. It is generally not necessary to revalidate your Overview form (the one at the very top of your Related Forms screen in eDEP).  In particular, after our upgrades, revalidating the Overview can in some cases cause problems.  If you think you need to revalidate the Overview form, contact the SR Help Desk for assistance first at air.quality@state.ma.us or 617-292-5609.

Starting Fresh. If you have already opened and are working on a forms package you do NOT need to open a fresh package to take advantage of the upgraded eDEP performance and features.  However, if you opened a package prior to Sept 18 and have not entered any data into the package, we recommend that you open a new package for your facility before you begin entering your data.

Watch your Units. Units for fuel consumption are usually 1000 gallons and million cubic feet instead of gallons and cubic feet. A common mistake is for the user to not adjust their fuel consumption to the units provided by the AP1 form, with the result that emissions are 3 or 6 orders of magnitude too high!!  Be sure that your throughput amounts correspond to the units provided by the forms (this applies to all of the AP forms, although most mistakes have been found on the AP1).

GUIDANCE

Clarification for Decommissioning Units. If your facility decommissioned a unit prior to Jan 1, 2005 (and that unit appears on your Overview form) you need to be sure to enter zero for the maximum hourly fuel rate, annual fuel usage, actual emissions, and potential emissions.  In particular, note that you should have zero for the potential emissions for such a unit because that unit represented zero potential emissions for the facility during the Reporting Year 2005.  Note that failing to enter zero for the maximum firing rate on an AP1 will cause the form to calculate non-zero potential emissions.

This clarification applies to the AP2 and AP3 as well - enter zero for all throughputs and potential emissions if the unit was decommissioned prior to 2005.

For major air facilities:   MassDEP has announced that it will accept 2005 Source Registrations until October 31, 2006.  The additional time allows for MassDEP to make significant performance upgrades to eDEP.  MassDEP has sent a letter to all sources to whom the deferral applies - if you believe you should have received such a letter but have not, please contact the Source Registration Help Desk at air.quality@state.ma.us. Please see the letter below for more details. 

Letter to Major Air Facilities:
MS Word 43 KB | PDF 83 KB

For minor air facilities:  MassDEP has announced that Source Registration filing is deferred until April 15, 2007 to ease the transition to the new on-line Source Registration forms (see letter below to minor facilities).  Minor facilities may file 2005 data in 2006 if they wish.  MassDEP has sent a letter to all facilities to whom the 2007 deferral applies - if you believe you should have received such a letter but have not, please contact the Source Registration Help Desk at air.quality@state.ma.us.

Letter to Minor Air Facilities:
MS Word 46 KB | PDF 84 KB

Please note that the forms do not load instantly - be patient, they can take from 5 to 60 seconds to load depending on the form and the load on our servers.  Performance will fluctuate with the traffic on the internet as well as how many people are on eDEP.  The user's computer will also make a large difference - a new computer may load a form in 30 sec, while a 5-year old computer may take 2 minutes to load the same form at the same time. 

Please be patient, wait until the form loads fully (i.e., you can see prefilled data) to start clicking on the fields, and let us know if you experience problems.

As with any software product, regardless of the amount of care and testing we have taken, the first version will have some bugs in the first few weeks of operation.  If you find any behavior of the forms that appears wrong, please contact us. 

We look forward to hearing from you.  Please e-mail air.quality@state.ma.us with any problems, comments, or suggestions.