12/13/16, updated 12/16/15 & 1/10/2017

Electronic Reporting Begins

Biosolids reports due to U. S. EPA by February 21*, 2017 must be submitted online.
State reporting remains unchanged.

*The normal reporting deadline, February 19th & the 20th are not business days.

Overview
The NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule goes into effect on December 21st, 2016.  As of that date, all wastewater treatment facilities in New England and New York (and all around the U. S.) are supposed to begin submitting their Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) and other required reports electronically. Biosolids reports are just one of several kinds of reports covered by this regulation. (See more details on NPDES electronic reporting, at bottom of this article.)

Electronic Reporting for Biosolids
None of the New England states and New York are delegated for the biosolids program.  Therefore, all biosolids programs in this region of the U. S. must submit their next biosolids program report electronically to U. S. EPA as part of the “Phase 1” implementation of the new regulation. Biosolids reports are required to be submitted annually by February 19th by the 40 CFR Part 503 regulations. 

EPA has developed an online electronic reporting tool for these biosolids reports and has field-tested it with several biosolids programs.  It will be available online soon, by December 22nd, and training on its use will be provided beginning in January (see webinar dates & times above).

For biosolids, electronic reporting will be done through EPA's NeT electronic system, using a special biosolids reporting form.  This one online form will capture all information for standard Part 503 biosolids reporting. 

Note, some states require additional data. A separate or additional report to the state, either on paper or electronically, may be required; check with your state for state requirements. Here's what we know:

Maine: The new U. S. EPA electronic reporting rule does not change anything regarding biosolids reporting in Maine.  Maine requires all WWTFs that hold an agronomic utilization Program License pursuant to the Maine Solid Waste Management Rules: Agronomic Utilization of Residuals, 06-096 C.M.R. ch. 419 to submit an annual report to the Department.  The annual report summarizes the utilization program and includes information such as: the volume of residual generated that year; the volume of residual utilized, processed, disposed and stored that year; analytical results and processing monitoring records pertaining to the program and residual, including a record of sample locations; a list of licensed utilization sites, loading rates at those sites, analytical data, all license application submissions, a copy of licenses issued by the Department, and all other site-specific utilization information; any other information as specified in the Program License (see 06-096 C.M.R. ch. 419 § 6).  Additionally, Maine's rules require that all analytical data be submitted to the Department within 30 days of receipt by the license-holder (required even for license-holders that landfill their solids), in accordance with the terms of its license.  DEP reviews these data for compliance as it is received.  The frequency of testing will depend on the treatment facility and could be monthly, quarterly, or yearly and is set forth in the facility's Program License. The only time the Residuals Management Program wouldn’t see biosolids analytical data from a WWTF is if that facility does not hold a Program License for agronomic utilization (i.e. it has always sent its sludge to a landfill for disposal). Such programs likely have other testing requirements imposed by the landfill or other receiving facility.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts will continue with the reporting requirements spelled out in each Approval of Suitability, including providing MassDEP with an annual report that is completely separate from any report to U. S. EPA. These state reports are typically provided on paper, but some facilities have recently been sending them electronically (PDFs).

New Hampshire: The Env-Wq 800 rules detail requirements for record-keeping & reporting that are entirely separate from Part 503 reporting to U. S. EPA. The new U. S. EPA electronic reporting does not affect or change these requirements.  Some biosolids programs submit New Hampshire state reports electronically, and some submit them on paper.

Vermont: The VT DEC "Guidelines for Residual Waste Management, April 2011" detail requirements for quarterly reporting on biosolids and septage management.  VT DEC does not receive or review U. S. EPA Part 503 reports - and that will not change with the advent of U. S. EPA electronic reporting.  State biosolids/septage/residuals reporting forms are at http://dec.vermont.gov/waste-management/residuals-management/forms

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Additional Details on the New Electronic Biosolids Reporting System...

Email from Jason Swift, U. S. EPA Office of Compliance, 12/6/2016

We are gearing up for the start of electronic reporting by biosolids generators subject to EPA’s biosolids regulations (40 CFR Part 503). As you are likely aware, Part 503 filers will be using the NPDES ereporting tool (NeT) to electronically submit their Part 503 annual program report to EPA. The electronic report will be available in NeT starting December 22, 2016. This e-mail serves as an invitation to a demonstration of the report that will be filed by biosolids generators in the 42 states where EPA administers the Federal biosolids program, and to alert you to some upcoming outreach and training. We would appreciate any assistance you could provide to spread the word about electronic reporting for the Part 503 program. We are also open to any ideas you have to get the word out.

Outreach and training will be happening over the next couple of months. We will start our outreach to Part 503 annual report filers by mailing out a postcard with basic information and instructions on how to file their annual program report. In addition, we will be distributing an email alerting biosolids generators and preparers to available training. Our plan for training includes webinars that will use PowerPoint and a live demonstration. We are also creating video tutorials that will be available on the EPA You Tube Channel, a Biosolids: NeT user’s guide, and a quick start brochure. Links to the videos and the other material will be on the NeT Zendesk site (epanet.zendesk.com/hc/en-us) and NPDES eReporting website (www.epa.gov/compliance/npdes-ereporting) starting on December 21.

Permittees must go to NeT Zendesk to register for a webinar based training [for biosolids reporting] (https://epanet.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/235008088-Biosolids-Training-Schedule). The training will explain the CDX registration process, how to complete the NPDES ID security form, and provide a demo of how to complete and submit the electronic Part 503 annual report.

Biosolids Generators and Preparers Training dates/times:     

·         January 10, 2017 – 1:30pm – 3:30pm Eastern

·         January 11, 2017 – 9:00am – 11:00am Eastern

·         January 17, 2017 – 9:00am – 11:00am Eastern

·         January 18, 2017 – 1:30pm – 3:30pm Eastern

As mentioned previously, we are developing a user’s guide and a quick start guide that will assist biosolids generators and preparers with using NeT to file their Part 503 annual report. The draft user’s guide is attached. We would appreciate any comments you might have by December 13. Comments can be sent to Jake Nguyen at nguyen.jake@epa.gov. We will circulate the quick start guide shortly. Once these materials are final they will be accessible on epanet.zendesk.com. Our goal is to make these materials available by December 21. 

Additional Resources:
NPDES eReporting website: www.epa.gov/compliance/npdes-ereporting
NeT Zendesk: epanet.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
Help Desk Toll Free:  1-877-227-8965
Help Desk email: NPDESeReporting@epa.gov

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Jake Nguyen at (202) 564-8298 or at nguyen.jake@epa.gov.

We look forward to working with you as we transition to electronic reporting. 

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Electronic Reporting for NPDES (not for biosolids)
Most NPDES electronic reporting to U. S. EPA will be through NetDMR – an online electronic data reporting tool.  NetDMR is already set up for Connecticut, Massachusetts & New Hampshire, and New York here: https://netdmr.epa.gov/netdmr/public/home.htm. Maine and Rhode Island are setting up similar data entry portals in the NetDMR system; for ME, check with rebecca.m.beam@maine.gov and for RI check with aaron.mello@dem.ri.gov for further information. More resources for NPDES electronic reporting is provided below.

Here are resources for electronic reporting for NPDES information (not for biosolids):

• EPA’s NPDES e-reporting page for permitted facilities: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/npdes-ereporting-information-permittees-and-other-regulated-entities .  From this, you can also click on the “Overview” tab to learn about the program in general.
• Guidance for EPA Region 1 (New England):  https://www3.epa.gov/region1/npdes/netdmr/
• Guidance for NY: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/105366.html
• NetDMR Guidance for EPA Region 1 (New England):  https://netdmr.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/209616266-EPA-Region-1-NetDMR-Information
• Training on NetDMR: 
  • https://netdmr.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/209616386-Training-Materials
  • http://www.exchangenetwork.net/npdes-electronic-reporting-rule-implementation-webinar-materials/