1

Quick Update on ICIS-NPDES(PCS Modernization)

David Hindin, U.S. EPADirector, Enforcement Targeting and Data Division

August 30/31, 2005

State EPA Network Operations Board (NOB) MeetingWashington, DC.

2

Outline Our World has Changed

The evolving NPDES Program ICIS-NPDES

System Modernization

3

Our World Has Changed Since its introduction in 1972, the NPDES permit program

is responsible for significant improvements to our Nation's water quality.

The NPDES program has changed considerably since the 1980s Focus on the “wet weather” sources.

o Storm water runoff from municipal and industrial sourceso Discharges from concentrated animal feeding operations

(CAFOs)o Sanitary sewer systems (CSOs and SSOs)

Moving from a facility population of 6,700 Majors to a much larger number of Minor Sources in addition to the Majors.

Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) OMB’s Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)

4

Managing the Changes These changes in the NPDES program

require new tools and policies PCS Modernization (ICIS-NPDES)

Not part of this briefing, although importanto ICIS-NPDES Policy Statemento Guidance on NPDES Wet Weather and CAFO Inspections o Single Event Violation Data Entry Guide for PCS and ICIS-NPDES o Wet Weather SNC Policyo NPDES Compliance Monitoring Strategy

5

PCS Modernization: ICIS-NPDES Before we move into the details:

Thank youICIS-NPDES has been designed with extensive State

involvement:PCS Modernization Concept Workshops

24 state participants representing 18 statesGeneral Design Requirements Gathering Workshops

42 state participants representing 26 statesSix NPDES Data Requirements Workgroups (6+ months)

36 state participants representing 21 statesFive NPDES Design Workgroups (7+ months)

27 state participants representing 14 StatesWeekly Data Migration/Data Clean-up Calls (ongoing)

14 – 20 state participants

There’s not enough room for everything

6

Need for a Modernized System PCS does not support the changes in the NPDES

permit and enforcement program PCS focused on DMR processing while a great deal of our

work is now inspection-based. New program focuses on different facility universes, not just

the traditional majors. EPA and the States are under increasing pressure

from external stakeholders to provide data-driven output and results measures.

Weaknesses in the data system and content in part led to Legacy PCS being listed as a FMFIA Agency Level Weakness since 1999. Modernizing PCS is key component of remedying this

weakness.

7

Need For A Modernized System – Improving Systems Infrastructure and Compatibility PCS uses old technology and is not user friendly.

ICIS NDPES will provide secure, easier access via web-based desktop tools.

ICIS NPDES will provide for “real time” data entry. Streamlined Data Exchange with States.

Will use the National Environmental Information Exchange Network,and Central Data Exchange (CDX – EPA’s Network node), to better exchange data with States.

Support EPA Information Technology Initiatives. Will support data integration, EPA/State data standards,

and the Agency’s Enterprise Architecture.

8

Terminology Check Direct User State

This is a state NPDES program, or EPA Region where the state is not authorized, that will use ICIS-NPDES to manage the NPDES program.

Direct users enter data through the keyboard into web screens. But they also will electronically transfer some data into ICIS-NPDES; this method of data entry will increase, especially with E-DMR.

Indirect User State This is a state NPDES program that uses another software

system to manage the NPDES program; and only enters data into ICIS-NPDES to satisfy national reporting responsibility.

These states are expected to rely heavily on electronic transfer (batch), but will also use keyboard data entry for some types of data or some purposes.

9

Schedule for “Direct Users” December 31, 2005: System ready for User Acceptance Testing (UAT) January 13 – February 2006: User Acceptance Tester Training and

Testing February – March 2006: Training March 31, 2006:

Wave 1 : Live operations for 7 of the 14 Direct User NPDES States and all Federal Enforcement and Compliance users

Region 1 (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island) Region 2 (New York) Region 3 (Maryland, DC) Region 5 (Indiana)

June 2006: Wave 2: Live operations for the remaining 7 Direct User states Region 2 (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands) Region 6 (New Mexico) Region 8

(Utah) Region 9 (Hawaii) Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho)

August/September 2006: Wave 3: Live operations for “all” remaining Direct User NPDES States to

include Territories and Tribes

10

Schedule for “Indirect Users” (Batch)Note: ( some direct user states will be included in this release since they use both data entry methods.)

July 2005: ICIS-NPDES Schemas have been reviewed and

approved December 2005:

NPDES Batch Transmission Independent Review to evaluate applicability of lessons learned from the IDEF project to the ICIS-NPDES Batch functionality.

See one pager attached at end. Spring 2006: Develop a detailed plan for the ICIS-

NPDES Batch release

11

User Previews to Prepare for the ICIS-NPDES Change Monthly 1 – 2 hour WEBX sessions

First one held August 24, 2005 12:00 – 2:00 ESTo A repeat of the User preview from the July PCS National

Meeting – Big picture look at the process of entering a Permit all the way through to an Enforcement Action.

Increase your familiarity with the look and feel Target System specific areas

12

ICIS-NPDES – Outreach & Communication

ICIS-NPDES News YOU Can Use A monthly newsletter – started in February 2005 Sent out via e-mail

o Contact kadish.rochele@epa.gov to get on the mailing list The newsletter presents basic information on

topics, identifying contacts for more in-depth details

13

ICIS-NPDES- EPA Support For States EPA has taken and is taking many actions to ease the transition to ICIS-NPDES: Designing a new system that makes manual data entry much

easier. Working to make sure that states can easily flow data to the new

system using the National Environmental Information Exchange Network.

ICIS Batch Independent Review, planned for December 2005. Using OEI and OECA grant programs to help states

prepare for ICIS-NPDES FY2004

o 10 OECA grants were awarded, totaling $1.87 million.o 6 OEI Exchange Network grants included ICIS-NPDES activities.

FY2005 o 11 OECA grants, totaling $1.7 milion.o OEI Network grant announcements expected shortly.

FY2006: Anticipate continued support in both grant programs.

14

Electronic DMRs: key to burden reduction and better NPDES program management. Some states, with EPA grant funding, have

operational E-DMR systems. In 2004, EPA, in consultation with states,

developed a proposal to create a national, multi-state electronic DMR tool that states could use as part of ICIS-NPDES and the Exchange Network. See NETDMR paper at

www.epa.gov/idea/netdmr FY2005 OEI Network grant applications from

states for developing this tool are currently under review.