ECMPS 2.0
About the ECMPS 2.0 Re-Engineering Project
The Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) is engaged in replacing its existing evaluation tool, the Emission Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS), with an updated web-based program. Access the ECMPS Re-Engineering website here, and the Beta Reporting instructions here.
Register for ECMPS 2.0 MATS Customer Feedback Webinar, hosted by Senior Systems and Database Administrator Daniel Frome.
Key Changes for Reporters
The regulatory data reporting requirements (for non-MATS) and structure are not changing as part of this reengineering; however, the reporting format is changing from the current XML format to a JSON file format. The reason behind this change is to reduce file sizes and increase efficiency for data loading purposes, which becomes more important when using a web-based reporting platform.
The ECMPS 2.0 platform allows for functionality that’s a hybrid of the prior shared and stand-alone desktop versions. The EPA specifically asks beta users to evaluate the beta to ensure it meets their workflow needs and to provide feedback to the EPA.
ECMPS 2.0 and the CAMD Business System (CBS) are transitioning to CDX user management. This will provide consistent login and profile management processes across EPA applications (e.g., ECMPS, GHG Reporting Program, CEDRI) and enhanced security.
Facilities using CEMS for MATS (Mercury and Air Toxics Standard) compliance reporting (such as PM, HCl, HF, sorbent traps, etc.) will need to begin reporting Quality Assurance activities. These include Cylinder Gas Audits (CGAs), Absolute Correlation Audits (ACAs), and Sample Volume Audits (SVAs) electronically, to name a few. In addition, compliance reports will be included in the quarterly Quality Assurance (QA) electronic files for the first time, listing the appropriate 30- or 90-day averages, plus other supporting records.
LME plants are required to report for emissions and QA. In April 2023, the EPA announced that ECMPS 2.0 will not support LME file creation. They stated, “ECMPS 2.0 will no longer include the ability to prepare LME emissions files. Affected LME users will need to explore other options outside ECMPS for preparing their quarterly emissions files.”
Contact ESC Spectrum’s Reporting Team for assistance with LME reporting.
ESC Spectrum is currently adapting our two Data Acquisition Systems (DAS), StackVision and Prism, to embrace the upcoming reporting file format changes. Currently, ECMPS is able to evaluate XML formatted files generated by either ECMPS or from a DAS used by a CEM system operator.
During ECMPS 2.0 re-engineering’s dedicated beta testing periods, the StackVision and Prism Data Acquisition Systems are being updated to allow them to generate quality assurance and certification files, along with hourly emission files, both in the existing XML format and the new JSON format files. The intent is to generate both types of files and evaluate them separately, using their respective evaluation tools. The goal behind this comparison is to make sure ECMPS 2.0 can evaluate the JSON file and determine that it is evaluated to the same degree as an XML file in ECMPS.
The ESC Spectrum team has been preparing our software and support team to accommodate the ECMPS 2.0 changes since the announcement of the project. Our regulatory and reporting experts have been meeting with ECMPS representatives and attending EPA webinars that provide critical information to DAS vendors on their progress and timelines.
ECMPS 2.0 Timeline
ECMPS 2.0 Beta Testing begins and is scheduled to extend to December 31, 2022.
December 2021CAMD announces an extension to the ECMPS 2.0 Beta Testing period. It is extended through December 31, 2023.
May 2022CAMD releases updated reporting instructions for the three types of files (Monitoring Plan, Quality Assurance and Certification, and Emission data) submitted using the ECMPS tool. These changes reflect the switch from the XML to JSON file format.
Read MoreDecember 2022An ECMPS conference call covers reporting instruction changes, formatting, PM CEM systems, MATS regulations and instructions, and more.
Read MoreMarch 2023On April 5, the EPA proposes a rule to address findings from the 2020 Residual Risk and Technology Review (RTR) for the Mercury Air Toxic Standards (MATS). This proposed rule reflects the most significant improvements and updates to MATS since EPA first issued these standards in February 2012.
The EPA announces that ECMPS 2.0 will not support LME file creation. They state, “ECMPS 2.0 will no longer include the ability to prepare LME emissions files. Affected LME users will need to explore other options outside ECMPS for preparing their quarterly emissions files.”
Read MoreApril 2023Prism 1.8 release features JSON capability.
August 2023ECMPS 2.0 Beta testing period ends.
December 31, 2023ECMPS 2.0 becomes the EPA's official reporting tool.
January 2024Stackvision 7.4 release
Q1 2024First ECMPS 2.0 quarterly submittal using JSON.
April 30, 2024Your Feedback Needed
We’re moving quickly to make changes to our software to ensure you comply with the EPA’s ECMPS 2.0 requirements by the deadline. We would like to hear your feedback on some of the new modules we’ve developed so far. Please contact us with any questions or comments.
Thank you for your feedback during the ECMPS 2.0 MATS Webinar
Known ECMPS 2.0 Issues
During the testing process, the ESC Spectrum Team has discovered the following issues and reporting them to the EPA. We do not know the current status of these issues, but will update as we learn more.
| Issue | Description | Affected | Date Submitted | Status | Comment |
| “Log In Errors Error authenticating user” | When trying to log in as per usual, ECMPS 2.0 returns an error | General | 07/25/2023 | CLOSED | Login error was caused by expired CDX password |
| “HTTP 500 Error” | Import of Emissions files with “hourlyOperatingData” returns HTTP 500 Error | Emissions | 06/14/2023 | OPEN | error only occurred when importing Emmisions files with “hourlyOperatingData” |
| “[UNITSTACKCONFIG-FATAL-A] The value : XX-XX for unitId must be match the RegEx: [A-z0-9 -*#]{1,6}” | Export and Import of Monitoring Plan returns errors | Monitoring Plan | 06/13/2023 | UNKNOWN | When attempting to import a monitoring plan, which was exported from ECMPS 2.0, multiple errors are returned. |
| “The value for [defaultPurposeCode] for [Monitor Default] is invalid” | Export and then Importing the same Monitoring Plan returns errors | Monitoring Plan | 06/13/2023 | UNKNOWN | When attempting to import a monitoring plan, which was exported from ECMPS 2.0, multiple errors are returned. |
| “[CAPAC-5-B] – You reported a [beginDate] of [1991-03-30], which is outside the range of acceptable values for this date for [Unit Capacity]” | Export and then import of that Monitoring Plan returns error | Monitoring Plan | 07/19/2023 | UNKNOWN | |
| “.[COMPON-12-B] – You reported the value [PM], which is not in the list of valid values, in the field [componentTypeCode] for [Component].” | Export and then import of that Monitoring Plan returns error | Monitoring Plan | 06/06/2023 | OPEN | The issue was reproduced with both the Trimble and Belews Monitoring Plans, which both include a “PM” component code. |
| “[IMPORT-13-B] – The Client Tool database does not contain UnitStackPipeID [EU-3A]. This file was not imported.” | Error when importing QA/QC files to ECMPS 2.0 where their XML equivalent import into ECMPS 1.0 with no issue | QA/QC | 06/08/2023 | OPEN | When attempting to import a QA Certification file into ECMPS 2.0, we are facing errors which state that the Client Tool database does not contain the UnitStackPipeID of interest. When we try to import those exact same records from the ECMPS 2.0 site’s historical records, the same error is returned. |
| “.[COMPON-12-B] – You reported the value [PM], which is not in the list of valid values, in the field [componentTypeCode] for [Component].” | Export and then import of that Monitoring Plan returns error | Monitoring Plan | 06/06/2023 | UNKNOWN | |
| instance.weeklyTestSummaryData.weeklySystemIntegrityData is not of a type(s) array | data as an “object” type – not “array” type | Emissions | 05/26/2023 | UNKNOWN | According to the JSON Emissions schema size, as was downloaded from the ECMPS 2.0 website on 05/25/2023, this node should be of type “object”. The JSON Emissions file submitted to ECMPS 2.0 represents that data as an “object” type – not “array” type. ECMPS 2.0 returns an error message indicating the expected type is an “array” |
| emissons.schema.json and qa-certification.schema.json possible formatting discrepancies | various formatting issues in JSON | MP, Emissions, QA/QC | 04/27/2023 | UNKNOWN |
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| [RATA-130-A] – The run for [RATA Run] was less than five minutes. Each run must be at least five minutes in duration. | It appears that the ECMPS 2.0 system is finding the following error when the attached “FAIL…” JSON is imported into ECMPS 2.0 | QA/QC | 05/15/2023 | UNKNOWN |
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| Evals never complete and hang on “In Queue” | When evaluating files, the status hangs on “In Queue” | Affect MP, Emission and QA/QC | 07/20/2023 | UNKNOWN |
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