System enhancement of title V permit reviews and point source inventories

Abstract

Emission inventories are a critical component for air quality management. An accurate and up-to-date inventory data is an essential element of air quality modeling that is crucial in determining compliance with ambient standards and in making policy decisions. To insure that accurate inventory data are obtained in a State or local agency, a combined Title V permitting process and point source inventory reporting infrastructure are being implemented using Microsoft's Access database program. This application is to develop the consolidated system for the State of Tennessee point source inventory, the Consolidated Emission Reporting Rule (CERR) request information system and Tennessee Title V permitting system together and manages permitting records and reporting inventory. The Access interface provides a method for major source companies to complete their Title V permit applications electronically and, at the same time, generate their point source inventory required by CERR. For validation purposes, the inventory data obtained from the electronic Title V permit application via the Access interface are checked against the National Emission Inventory Input Format (NIF 3.0) quality assurance algorithm. With this method of collecting and verifying data, regulatory agencies can update emission inventories with valid data to meet the requirements of the Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule with minimal effort and the needs for air quality modeling.