The Air Quality Division (AQD) has outlined the general criteria that are used to determine if a source must report in Operational Memorandum 13. The goal is to require emissions reporting for: (1) sources that are specifically required to report emissions or compliance status in accordance with an Air Pollution Control Rule or federal Clean Air Act requirement, including sources subject to an emissions fee and sources that have "opted out" of the Renewable Operating Permit (ROP) Program; (2) sources that wish to be included in the inventory so that they can participate in the emissions trading program; and, (3) sources that emit sufficient quantities of air contaminants to warrant their inclusion in county or statewide inventories used to manage the air resource and support the State Implementation Plan (SIP). Sources that meet the criteria are notified that they must report emissions and related information each January in accordance with Rule 2. The Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System (MAERS) web portal will be used for reporting. This year the notification to report and MAERS web pordtal with log on instructions will be sent in an email to the Facility Emissions Inventory contact in mid-December, 2009. The reports are due by March 15 or within 45 days of the notification.   With allowing for mail delivery and 45 days to complete and return the MAERS information (as provided in Act 451and Rule 2), the due date this year is March 15, 2010.

MAERS accommodates electronic data submittals, the printing of submittal forms, emission unit grouping of source processes, and includes an emissions calculator. There are only a few changes to the MAERS forms and software this year.  The most significant changes are:

On the Activity form, the Material and Unit Codes may be different than what was previously reported.  The software is now pulling this information from the most current EPA tables and replacing these fields with the new Material and Unit Code in MAERS 2009. Before entering the Material Throughput information, verify that you are reporting in the Material and Unit Code required for that SCC, which are automatically filled in on the Activity form.  In some cases, the Activity form Material and Unit Codes may be blank and these codes will need to be chosen from the drop-down lists.  Using these new Material and Unit Codes will ensure that the Emission Calculator will work for all activities that have these codes in the SCC table. 

Facilities that use T-Butyl Acetates are required to report this as a pollutant on the Emission form. 

The AQD Emissions Reporting page now contains a link to a tutorial that can be viewed at anytime using the Microsoft Windows Media Player. The MAERS tutorial includes several sessions that provide an overview of how to complete and submit a MAERS report. It is intended for those that have completed MAERS reports in the past and need a review. To access the MAERS Tutorial, use the following link www.michigan.gov/deqair. Go to"Emissions"on the left panel, then select "Emissions Reporting" in the center panel.

Be sure to check out the MAERS website for additional updates at www.michigan.gov/deqair.  Go to "Emissions", then "Emissions Reporting" as described above.

Sources are only required to report emissions information for criteria pollutants (those related to a National Ambient Air Quality Standard). Emissions information must be reported for following pollutants: Ammonia, Carbon Monoxide, Lead, Oxides of Nitrogen, Particulates (total), Particulates (smaller than 10 microns in diameter), Particulates (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter), Sulfur Dioxide, and Volatile Organic Compounds.

In addition to criteria pollutants, the emissions calculator contains emission factors for hazardous air pollutants. The AQD will use the emission factor generated hazardous pollutant emissions for environmental assessments and planning purposes. Sources are asked to review the hazardous emission levels predicted by the emissions calculator. If they are inaccurate, each source is encouraged to submit emissions estimates for these pollutants voluntarily. Accurate estimates of hazardous air pollutants are necessary to determine the extent of the air toxics problem in Michigan.