Air Toxics Emissions Inventory Protocol for the Great Lakes States

5.0 Preparation of the Regional Inventory

The Regional Air Pollutant Inventory Development System (RAPIDS) will be installed at the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO). The GLNPO will act as the regional repository of the eight-state database of air toxics emissions data and estimates, which will be periodically updated by the eight Great Lakes States. In addition, GLNPO will archive an annual copy of the regional inventory at the end the first quarter of the following calendar year.

This section discusses the procedures that will be used to compile and update the regional database of emissions data and estimates, upload these data to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS), and maintain the various RAPIDS reference tables.

5.1 Compiling and Updating the Regional Air Toxics Emissions Inventory

Figure 5.1 presents a simplified flow chart of how a state that is a direct RAPIDS user will develop their portion of the regional inventory. A table presents a work breakdown structure that describes the steps a direct RAPIDS user will take to prepare their emissions data and estimates that will be used to compile and periodically update the regional inventory.

For direct RAPIDS users, the Data Import and Entry client application can be used to load emissions data into the ORACLE data tables, and to edit/maintain this information. Many of the QA/QC checks in the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan have been automated and incorporated into the system. Each state that is a direct RAPIDS user will run the QC Checker application and Report Generator application to help quality assure their emissions data and estimates prior to uploading this information to the regional repository.

For states that are not direct RAPIDS users, RAPIDS must be used to provide a pathway to the regional repository. Non-direct RAPIDS users will need to use the RAPIDS Data Import client application in a state version of RAPIDS. Once the data have been successfully entered, Tasks 2 through 5 (as shown in Table 5-1) will need to be completed. This method is the only practical way to ensure that the structure of the data is compatible with the requirements of the regional repository, and that all QA/QC checks built into RAPIDS have been satisfied prior to GLNPO Upload. The GLNPO Upload application, which consists of an export and import component, must be used to upload a given state's portion of the regional inventory into the database at GLNPO. (The export component of the GLNPO Upload application will create ASCII files in essentially the same file formats that the direct RAPIDS user states will use to import their emissions data and estimates into RAPIDS. These file formats are available in electronic format from the Great Lakes Commission [GLC] over the Internet. The import component of the GLNPO Upload will parrot the Import application.)

It will likely take several iterations to properly load data supplied by those states that are not direct RAPIDS users, because it is expected that the QC checks contained in the Import and the QC Checker client applications will identify missing values, data that fail the range checks, etc., that should be corrected prior to the full acceptance of these emissions data and estimates by the regional database.

Note that the regional database will be a subset of each state's database. The regional database will consist of emission estimates and some parameters necessary for regional modeling and reporting; it will not consist of all of the data necessary for emission estimation. The estimates should already have been completed and verified by the states. The GLNPO Upload application will focus on the import of these estimates and some parameters to support regional modeling and reporting. In particular, those data elements identified as confidential at the state level will not be uploaded or imported into the regional repository.

5.2 Uploading Into AIRS

Each state (including direct and nondirect RAPIDS users) must use the AIRS upload application to create AIRS transportation records for submission to U.S. EPA. RAPIDS contains an AIRS Converter client application that should be used to upload the air toxic emission estimates into the U.S. EPA's AIRS Facility Subsystem (AFS) and Area and Mobile Source (AMS) Subsystem.

The AFS can currently accept plant, stack, point, and segment data for the 189 pollutants identified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). These pollutants can be entered into AFS by their Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number. The AFS will accept and store such toxic data just like any criteria pollutant data. Many of the facilities included in the regional air toxics inventory will likely be part of each state's criteria pollutant inventory and, therefore, share many common data elements such as plant names, stack parameters, operating schedules, etc. However, since AFS does not contain the Factor Information Retrieval System (FIRE) toxic emission factors, it will not support the calculation of emission estimates; toxic emissions will still be accepted and stored by AIRS if the states provide the emission estimates and the appropriate method code. Accordingly, the AIRS Converter client application will provide emission estimates and the appropriate method codes, but not emission factors and a Method 9 code (which would allow AIRS to compute the emissions directly).

5.3 Maintaining RAPIDS Reference Tables

The initial version of RAPIDS contains a series of reference tables that define or relate various data elements for logical consistency and quality control (e.g., Source Classification Codes [SCC] and Area and Mobile Source [AMS] codes), and that support certain applications (e.g., emission factors). These tables are of critical importance to direct and nondirect RAPIDS users; for non-RAPIDS users, consistency with these tables indeveloping their respective emissions data and estimates is essential for data consistency and quality control of the regional database.

The following discussion describes these tables and the steps required to maintain and update them as new information becomes available.

5.3.1 Description of Reference Tables Contained in RAPIDS

The Source Summary Database (SSD) contains a number of tables identifying sources of emissions by SCC-AMS code, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code, and emittant (by name and Chemical Abstract Service [CAS] number). The reference tables listed below contain the information previously provided in the SSD and can be used to generate reports similar to those contained therein:

• rap_scc_ams_sic_relationship; and
• rap_scc_ams_materials.

To prevent inconsistencies from occurring with multiple installations of RAPIDS or use of outdated versions of the reference tables, the official reference tables will be kept in the repository version of RAPIDS maintained by GLNPO. Copies of these tables can be obtained from GLC in electronic format over the Internet; they are available to anyone who may be interested in reviewing or using them. Changes to the official reference table can be made only when approved by the Technical Steering Committee. The reference tables in place on the date of upload to the regional emissions inventory will be used to determine the validity of the uploaded data.

Each state using its own version of RAPIDS is free to modify its version of the reference tables (e.g., to eliminate items that are not applicable to that state or to include items used for purposes beyond the development of the regional emissions inventory). Where this occurs, the state is responsible for ensuring that the data items they have created are included in the official reference tables (if these items have general applicability and have been approved by the Technical Steering Committee) or that the GLNPO upload application is capable of generating upload files that are consistent with the official reference tables.

5.3.2 Reference Table Maintenance

Changes and enhancements to RAPIDS will necessitate ongoing revisions to these tables so that they can fulfill their function. As stated previously, any changes require approval of the Technical Steering Committee.

The procedure for updating the reference tables was discussed in Section 2.2 (i.e., a proposal is prepared, made available to the appropriate parties, and brought to the Technical Steering Committee for discussion and a decision). Any proposal to revise the reference tables needs to include a discussion of the following (as a minimum):

The effect on existing data already stored in RAPIDS;

Who will generate the revised reference tables; and

When the change should be made effective.

Existing data on sources, devices, processes, and emissions can be adversely affected by a change to a reference table. In some cases, it may be preferable to not change the existing data and only use the revised reference tables for new data; in other cases, existing data may need to be updated. If a change to existing data is required, this may be easily accommodated within RAPIDS using existing update utilities. If this is not possible, a conversion program may be needed to make the change. Regardless of the method used, any proposal to revise the reference tables should describe the step-by-step procedure that should be undertaken to revise any existing data.

Once a revised version of a reference table has been developed and approved, it will be provided to GLNPO, which will:

• Load it into the repository version of RAPIDS;
• Run any conversion programs or otherwise modify existing data in the regional repository as needed;
• Notify all interested parties of the availability of the revised reference tables for downloading into other versions of RAPIDS; and
• Log the change in the RAPIDS Reference Table History File.

Each state is responsible for making any changes to existing data necessitated by the change and for updating their version of the reference tables.

While the issues associated with revising most of the reference tables are fairly straightforward, revision to some tables requires special consideration, as discussed below.

5.3.2.1 Updating/Converting the FIRE/GLC Data Files for Upload Into RAPIDS

• FIRE\MODULES\GLCD_UF.DBF:
  • rap_emission_factors;
  • rap_units;
  • rap_unit_conversions;
  • rap_calculation_protocols;
  • rap_method_metrics; and
  • rap_scc_ams_materials.
• FIRE\FIRE_SCC.DBF:
  • rap_scc_ams_codes'
  • rap_scc_ams_relationships;
  • rap_tier_codes;
  • rap_scc_ams_sic_relationship;
  • rap_calculation_protocols; and
  • rap_scc_ams_materials.
• FIRE\FIRE_CTL.DBF:
  • rap_device_codes.
• FIRE\FIRE_POL.DBF:
  • rap_materials.
• FIRE\FIRE_SYN.DBF:
  • rap_material_aliases.

Step 1: Load the FIRE/GLC table FIRE\MODULES\GLCD_UF.DBF into an Xbase database management system for use in file editing and cross file indexing.

Step 2: Expand the table to add the fields needed in rap_emission_factors and delete all records with ef_num_cod not equal to =. (Other values in this field indicate factors that are ranges [-], functions [F], and are less than the value specified [<], usually indicating detection limits; these values are not included in the RAPIDS emission factor reference table.) Also delete records with incomplete SCCs.

Step 3: Convert the data as described under Discussion the Reference Tables, and do the following:

• Convert values in FIRE/GLC ef_units having two /s to a single / as ap (e.g., g/hr/amp becomes g/amp-hr and lb/acre/day becomes lb/acre-day). Delete any throughput_unit_codes equal to ppm.
• Convert E12 Btu to MMBtu and divide the exponent_amt by E6.
• Convert E6 Btu to MMBtu.
• Remove miscellaneous data contained in units_codes and throughput_unit_codes (e.g., kg PCE and tons product mixed).
• Revise E6 gallons (for wastewater flow) to Mgallon.
• Revise values to the following units of convention:
  • m (lower case) is 1/1000;
  • M (upper case) is 1,000,000;
  • MM (upper case) is 1,000,000 (used for MMBtu only);
  • k (lower case) is 1,000; and
  • n (lower case) is 1/1,000,000,000.

Step 4: Insert missing values for material_code (material_code values can be determined from the description of the SCC and the units associated with the factor).

5.3.2.2 Updating the SCC-AMS/Emittant Association Reference

FIRE/GLC emission factor database;

SPECIATE database;

XWALK database; and

Written information provided by the participating states.

This reference table also indicates which of the four sources identified the listed association.

No information from these sources or in this reference table indicates the original source or reliability of the association. Some of the associations may occur in only special cases or may be from preliminary information. Thus, the applicability of the association to all processes with the listed SCC-AMS code cannot be determined directly. In deciding the applicability of an association, the following guidance should be followed:

If the association is identified as being from FIRE/GLC, it is likely to occur in all cases. Also, FIRE/GLC can be used to look up both the original source and reliability of the data.

If the association is identified in SPECIATE, it should be used with caution. Both the original source and reliability of the data can be determined from SPECIATE.

If the association is identified in XWALK, it should be used with caution. This information is not being maintained because it has been replace with FIRE. Any association listed as being in XWALK but not in FIRE should be investigated and verified before use.

If the association is identified as a state, the state should be contacted to determine the original source and reliability of the information.

This reference table will need to be revised for each change to FIRE/GLC, SPECIATE, and information provided by the states. No update will be required for XWALK, since XWALK is being eliminated and replaced by FIRE.

As information on the relation between process types and toxic emittants becomes available, consideration should be given to expanding this reference table to flag those SCC-AMS codes that:

Are known to always emit the identified emittant;

Could emit the emittant depending on the operating characteristics of the processes (e.g., a metal is present is a fuel); and

Provide tentative information indicating that the emittant has been found to be emitted.