Environmental Vigilance and Prevention of Air Pollution with AEIR Standard

AEIR Standard for industrial reporting

What each section covers:

• 1 - A brief overview of the AEIR Standard's purpose, structure, contents, and amendments.
• 2 - AEIR Program Overview: Information about the reporting program, including its purpose, regulatory authority, and scope.
• 3- Information on reporting requirements, including sources, substances, emission rates, and thresholds.
• 4 - Reviewing requirements and planning are the first steps of inventory development.
• 5 - Gathering and reporting administrative information, requirements and tasks.
• 6 - Information about release points including requirements and tasks.
• 7 - Information from non-point sources: Gathering and reporting requirements.
• 8 - Additional information for non-point sources: Specific information you need.
• 9 - Gathering and reporting information about units, processes, and equipment.
• 10 - Information on air pollution control technology and equipment: Requirements for gathering and reporting it.
• 11 - Gathering and reporting normal, emergency, and upset emission limit information.
• 12 - Gathering and reporting temporal operating information: Requirements.
• 13 - Gathering and reporting source monitoring info.
• 14 - Schedule 2 Substances: Identifying Schedule 2 substances.
• 15 - Quantify Emission Rates: Identify the best methods for quantifying emissions.
• 16 - Quantifying and reporting annual actual, normal, and maximum emissions.
• 17 - Gathering and reporting other required information.
• 18 - The AEIR's quality assurance and quality control activities.
• 19 - Preparing the Quantification Methodology Document and making sure it's accurate.
• 20 - Completing the AEIR form, final review, and certification.
• 21 - Submit the AEIR: Covers the AEIR Form, Quantification Methodology Document, and Statement of Certification submission process.
• 22 - Review, notifications, resubmissions, and auditing: Information on department review, notifications, resubmissions, and auditing.
• 23 - Requirements for record keeping and confidentiality.
• 24 - Information about reporting in future years under the AEIR program.
• A - There's an optional method for quantifying PM size distributions in Appendix A.
• B - The AEIR Standard References are in Appendix B.
• C - Appendix C: Field descriptions for each worksheet on the AEIR Form.
• D - A list of common units, processes, equipment, controls for the prevention of air pollution, non-point sources, and Schedule 2 substances by sector is in Appendix D.

There are instructions and guidance in each section to make sure your emissions data is accurate and comprehensive.

1.4 AEIR Standard Version - 3.0 (January 2023) is outlined here and used for reporting in 2022-2024. Updates are expected in future years.

1.5 Changes from the previous version:  Here are a few of the revisions in this version of the AEIR Standard:

• The publisher updated the inventory years.
• The department name and acronym have been modified.
• Typos and spelling fixes.
• Figures 2 and 3 have been updated.
• Reporting of particulate matter sizes clarified.
• How to figure out normal rates for emergency/upset sources.
• Clarified rules when annual/normal rates exceed maximums.
• Info sources added: EPEA approval and Alberta Authorizations Viewer.
• AER Facility IDs and AER Approval (License) numbers.
• Biofuels include renewable natural gas.
• Here's how to find plant capacity info.
• Retaining release points and sources in AEIR forms.
• Updated instructions for various sources, like storage tanks and mine fleets.
• Units, processes, equipment, and pollution controls.
• Methods for quantifying emissions.
• Pre-authorization rules and changing emission factors.
• Recommendations for quality assurance, control and prevention of air pollution.
• Submitting the AEIR Form and Statement of Certification.
• Current processes and URLs updated.
• It's all about making the AEIR Standard more accurate and informative.

AEIR submissions must also include specific documents, according to the revision. Stay up to date with this version so you can report emissions accurately.

Air Emissions Inventory components

Tracking all major air emissions in Alberta and within the different Air Zones is the goal, so we can understand air quality better.

2.3 Requirements for Regulatory Compliance:  The AEIR Program follows the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Substance Release Regulation, Air Monitoring Directive, and individual authorizations. Industrial operations have to do an emissions inventory and report it by September 30. They have to submit an AEIR if certain thresholds are exceeded.

Regulatory authorities can take enforcement action if you don't comply, which could jeopardize their approval. To ensure environmental compliance, you've got to meet these requirements.

2.4 When documents and certifications are due:  The AEIR has to be submitted by September 30 of the following year, e.g., if the threshold is exceeded in 2023, the report for that year has to be submitted by September 30, 2024. To make sure emissions are reported on time, this deadline is in enforced.

2.5 Who needs to meet these requirements?  The AEIR Program applies to Alberta's industrial operations. Here's how to find out if it applies to you:

• EPEA Approval: If your operation has an EPEA approval, go to the next point. If not, you're not eligible for the AEIR Program.
• Did your operation exceed emissions reporting thresholds last year? If so, you need to fill out an AEIR. 
• You don't need to apply for the AEIR Program unless you have an EPEA approval.
• The AEIR Program covers a variety of industries listed on the original document.
• Under the AEIR Program, the person responsible for the industrial operation has to report. It's usually the owner/approver.

2.6 Required reporting and penalties for failure:  Alberta's AEIR Program requires industrial operations to self-report. If your operation has EPEA approval and exceeded certain emissions thresholds in the previous year, you've got to submit an AEIR (Annual Emissions Inventory Report) by September 30. It's up to the person responsible for the industrial operation, usually the owner/approval holder, to determine if thresholds were exceeded.

It's also necessary to notify the authorities if your operation didn't exceed reporting thresholds. Here's how it works:

• Assess the previous year's emissions.
  Check if emissions exceeded thresholds: Compare with reporting thresholds.
• Fill out the AEIR documents - the Reporting Form, Quantification Methodology Document, and Statement of Certification - if thresholds are met.
• Email AEIR documents to emissions.inventory@gov.ab.ca by September 30.
• Regulators may take enforcement action if you don't comply.
• You have to self-report emissions data through the AEIR Program every year if you qualify.