News

DEP to Gather Air Emissions Data about Natural Gas Operations

On December 7, 2011, the Department of Environmental Protection alerted companies involved in unconventional natural gas development around Pennsylvania that they must submit to the agency data on their facilities’ air emissions for 2011. The reports are due March 1, 2012.

Air Emission Spreadsheet for Mid-Stream Owner/Operators (MS XL)

• Spreadsheet Reporting Guide (PDF)

Marcellus Shale Coalition Meeting PowerPoint: Initial Notifications Concerning Emissions Inventory for the Natural Gas Industry (PDF)

Initial Notification Concerning Source Reports and Annual Air Emissions Inventories (PDF)

Fact Sheet: Air Emissions Inventory for the Natural Gas Industry (PDF)

News Release

Industrial Facilities

Each year, the Bureau of Air Quality (BAQ) processes approximately 1,200 Annual Emission Statement (AES) reports. The AES contains operating schedules, throughputs, and emission estimates to calculate air emissions from industrial sources. The "Instructions For Completing The Annual Emission Inventory Reporting Forms" contains information about preparing inventory data, reporting requirements and additional resources.

We currently offer two options for reporting electronically, or paper forms that you can mail in.

Which reporting option is right for you?

Use AES*Online if your facility has a personal computer with internet access, and your emissions inventory data is now collected manually or maintained in hardcopy throughout the year. This option is appropriate for all facilities, regardless of the size of their emissions inventories. DEP provides training and user help to get you started.

Use AES*XML if your facilty has a personal computer with internet access, and your emissions inventory data is now collected in database or spreadsheet format. This option is most attractive to facilities with larger emission inventories, particularly those who use an automated, or semi-automated method to collect data, although facilities of any size may participate. You must map your raw data to the XML data set provided by DEP to automatically generate your data in .xml format. DEP provides user help to assist you with this process.

Complete the Paper Form of the Annual Emissions Statement and mail it to DEP if your facility does not have a personal computer with internet access. Facilities in both Allegheny and Philadelphia counties may not select this option. DEP provides inventory instructions to assist you in completing your report. Forms for plants that have not submitted inventory information in the past are included in the instructions. Forms for plants that have reported in previous years are custom printed by DEP for each plant.

Electronic Reporting

Go to the DEPGreenPort to log in.
(Please use form to the right to register!)

AES*Online

AES*Online Introductory Presentation (PDF)

AES*Online is a secure website introduced in 2004 for online emissions data entry, data validation, and reporting. It offers automatic data validation and error checking, document attachment and notes capabilities, online help, a printable user manual, and a secure submission process. Data is automatically reviewed for completeness, and immediate feedback is provided to ensure a successful submission.

AES*XML

AES*XML is a secure web site introduced in 2005 for completely automated, seamless emissions data reporting using XML (in .xml format). It also offers automatic data validation and error checking, document attachment and notes capabilities, online help, a printable user manual, and a secure submission process. To use AES*XML, the facility user maps their data to the XML specifications provided by BAQ. The resulting dataset is automatically generated as an .xml file with no additional data entry. With a few mouse clicks, the .xml file is uploaded to AES*XML, validated, and submitted to DEP over the internet. Following are a collection of files useful and necessary to participate:

File Name	Description
aes.xml	Example xml file
aes.xsd	xml schema (email request)
Excel xml primer.doc	Getting started with xml for Excel users
Excel 2003 example.xls	Sample Excel 2003 worksheet.
Non Excel 2003 Example.xls	Sample Excel (pre 2003) worksheet
AES xml Schema Mapping.xls	Describes relationships between xml elements and table names/field names

Paper Reporting

Blank Reporting Forms
Forms for facilities that have not submitted emission inventory information in previous years are included in the instruction booklet.

Forms for facilities that have reported emission inventory information on paper in previous years are automatically printed and mailed by DEP at the beginning of each year.

Please e-mail Mike Rudawski or call (717) 783-9241 to request a new set of these forms if you don't receive them, or wish to change back from electronic reporting.

Other Information

Facility Emission Totals Now Available from DEP
Annual emission totals for point sources are now available through the Department's eFACTS web page. Look under "Reports" for either 'Facility Emissions', or 'Emission Summary'.

National Emission Inventory (NEI)
Air Pollutant Emission Trends - An EPA website that characterizes emissions of principal (criteria) and hazardous air pollutants.

Analysis of Emissions from Waste Coal-Fired Combustion Units in Pennsylvania (PDF)
On April 13, 2004, Secretary McGinty testified before the Pennsylvania House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee to promote the enactment of an Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard. This analysis was prepared in support of her testimony.