2008 Emissions Inventory
The 2008 Annual Air Emissions Inventory has begun! This page has been established to post important information that Maine facilities will need to accurately complete their inventory requirements.
Please send questions, comments and data submissions to emissionsinventory@maine.gov.
Important Downloads
- Informational Mailing to Facilities, May 2009 (PDF, 34 Kb)
- 2008 Default Emission Factors for Thirteen Hazardous Air Pollutants (Revised May 11, 2008, Excel, 65 Kb) - Emission factors for the thirteen hazardous air pollutant now required to be reported for all fuel-burning equipment. These default factors were used to pre-populate pollutant emission records in the 2008 starting data sets. Facilities may choose to use the default HAP emission factors or provide an alternative emission factor or means of estimation. NOTE: Revision includes a correction to the emission factor for Cr+6 for combustion of natural gas in internal combustion engines.
- Hazardous Air Pollutants: Default Emission Factors (PFD, 19 Kb) - Response to questions and supplementary information on the development of HAP default emission factors.
- 2008 Certification of Non-Operational Status Letter (PDF, 7 Kb) - A form letter that facilities may use to report that licensed equipment and processes did not operate in 2008.
- 2008 Maine Consolidated Pollutant List (Excel, 93 Kb) - Pollutant list with reporting codes to use for the 2008 Emissions Inventory
- Maine DEP Emissions Inventory Program and Reporting Update (PDF, 60 Kb) - Presentation used during WebEx training on December 1 and 2, 2008. The presentation covered changes to Chapter 137, "Emission Statements," expectations for the 2008 Annual Air Emissions Inventory, and a brief look at how an emissions inventory will change with MAIRIS, Maine's new web-based emissions inventory software, beginning in 2010.
- Satellite i-STEPS Program (.exe file, 8.7 Mb) - The 2008 Emissions Inventory will continue to utilize the Satellite i-STEPS Reporting Software. No changes have been made to this program for 2008. Facilities may continue to use the version last installed on their computers.
Satellite i-STEPS Training
Training program flyer (PDF, 32 Kb)
Maine DEP is pleased to once again offer FREE, HANDS-ON Satellite i-STEPS Training. This training is designed for Beginners and Novices and will walk participants through all the steps necessary to complete the 2008 annual emissions inventory for criteria and hazardous air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Three Beginner Satellite i-STEPS Training Programs will be offered over two locations.
Augusta - State Computer Training Lab, Room 104, Cross Office Building
Session A: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Session B: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Presque Isle - Computer Lab, Christie Complex, Northern Maine Community College
Session C: Friday, May 22, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The only prerequisite is a basic understanding of computers and the Windows environment. Lunch is not included with the training program.
Space is limited at each location. Register today for this FREE training opportunity!
To register, contact Daniel Thoma, Maine DEP, telephone: (207)287-8672 or daniel.thoma@maine.gov
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Frequently Asked Questions
When must I submit my company's 2008 air emissions inventory?
The 2008 Annual Air Emissions Inventory is due on July 1, 2009.
Can I use the version of Satellite i-STEPS that I already have installed on my computer?
Yes. Maine DEP is making no changes to the program. If you have a new computer, please download the Maine version of Satellite i-STEPS using the link at the top of this page.
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Why is it important that we start with the facility data set provided by Maine DEP?
Maine DEP annually prepares Satellite i-STEPS data sets for facilities to use to create their emissions inventory. Changes to the design of data screens, additional data fields and additional local emission factors are just some of the changes that Maine DEP may make to a data set. If a facility starts with their prior year Satellite i-STEPS submission and doesn't download the new data set prepared by Maine DEP, their inventory submission will miss important changes and lack key pieces of required information.
For the 2008 emissions inventory, Maine DEP started with the 2007 emissions inventory and made these changes:
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How did DEP develop the default emission factors?
When developing the default emission factors for the thirteen HAPS reference above, DEP reviewed already available factors from EPA, trade groups and source testing in Maine. The DEP also identified equipment and processes described by many source classification codes (SCCs) for which no published emission factors were available. Where there was no SCC-specific, published emission factor, the DEP identified emission factors from other related SCCs that we consider acceptable to estimate emission when no better emission factor is available. We recognize that they may be low quality factors when applied in this manner, and we strongly encourage owners and operators to conduct source testing or otherwise determine more accurate emission factors for their facilities.
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How will default HAP emission factors be used?
In 2008, the Department is once again providing Satellite i-Steps data files to facility owners and operators to use to build their 2008 annual inventory. Those files have pre-populated pollutant records using the default emission factors for the thirteen required HAPs for select fuel-burning and combustion-related process units. This is intended to save owners and operators the effort of creating new pollutant records, not to imply that DEP believes those factors are the most appropriate estimation method. Facility owners and operators may choose to use the default emission factors and to accept the HAP pollutant estimates, or provide their own estimate (using an alternative emission factor or other estimation method), when completing their Satellite i-Steps submittal. We will not require that the default factors be used - we are simply providing them as a way to pre-populate the pollutant records and as tool to help facilities meet the new requirements of Chapter 137.
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Do I need to report emissions for equipment not listed in my air emissions license?
Changes adopted this past November to DEP Rules, Chapter 137, "Emission Statements," now limits annual emission reports to:
"emissions from only equipment and processes required to be included in and described in their air emissions license, with the exception of fugitive emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 (greenhouse gases) greater than the de minimis reporting level." (Sec. 3(B)1, 3(A)1 and 3(C)1).
This change was meant to specifically exclude space heaters, office furnaces and other equipment and processes which are identified as "insignificant activities" by the Air Emissions Licensing Program.
Facilities may choose to delete unlicensed emission units from their Satellite i-STEPS submissions (see instructions for Deleting Information from Satellite i-STEPS) or they may report zero throughput and zero emissions and allow Maine DEP to delete these emission units. All non-licensed emission units will be removed for the 2009 air emissions inventory.
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Is there a preference for how I estimate my emissions?
Chapter 137, Section 5 provides a seven-step hierarchy for emission estimation methods.
- For sources with specification CEMs/PEMs monitoring systems that are required by statute, regulation, or license condition, emission data generated by these systems shall serve as the basis for emissions reported in the Chapter 137 inventory;
- For sources not subject to #1 above and for which reference method emission testing that has been deemed by the Department to be representative of current and normal operating conditions, emission data from such testing shall serve as the basis for estimating emissions reported in the Chapter 137 inventory;
- For sources not subject to either #1 or #2, emissions reported pursuant to this Chapter shall be estimated and reported on the basis of a facility-specific emission factor approved by the Department;
- For sources not subject to either #1, #2 or #3, emissions reported pursuant to this Chapter shall be estimated and reported on the basis of EPA-published emission factors, where available;
- For sources not subject to either #1, #2, #3 or #4, emissions reported pursuant to this Chapter shall be estimated and reported based on emissions factors from other industry and trade groups based on sound science, where available;
- For sources not subject to either #1, #2, #3, #4 or #5, emissions reported pursuant to this Chapter shall be estimated and reported based on default emission factors published by the Department, where available; or
- For sources not subject to any of the above sections, emissions reported pursuant to this Chapter shall be estimated and reported based on best engineering judgment.
When determining how to estimate your emissions, you should consider the method in #1 before #2, #2 before #3, and so on.
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