This Network Update was distributed via the Exchange Network email alerts list on September 22, 2009.

Opportunity to Help Design the ICIS-NPDES Data Exchange

EPA and states will be collaborating on a team to design the data exchange for sharing NPDES information with EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS-NPDES).  State Exchange Network staff and NPDES data managers are urged to participate in this effort to define the business rules and the XML schema for the data exchange. This request is targeted toward representatives from states that plan to use the Exchange Network to report some or all of their non-DMR data to EPA.  States that are or plan to be direct users of EPA's ICIS-NPDES system are not impacted by the work that this team will undertake.  

Please see the email below for more information about volunteering for this important effort. If you are interested in participating, please contact Glendora Spinelli by October 2, 2009.  She can be reached at spinelli.glendora@epa.gov or 202-564-5042.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Dombrowski.John@epamail.epa.gov [mailto:Dombrowski.John@epamail.epa.gov]
Subject: Invitation to Participate in the ICIS-NPDES Batch Integrated Project Team (IPT)

In early July 2009, EPA Administrator Jackson made her decision on moving forward with the final phase of the PCS Modernization, the development of full batch component of  ICIS-NPDES.  In August 2009, letters to the State Commissioners and ECOS were sent out informing them of the Administrator's decision.  The implementation of the full batch component of ICIS-NPDES would provide for the move of the remaining 22 states in PCS, referred to as "full batch states", to ICIS-NPDES and the flow of all NPDES data from state systems to EPA via the EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX).  This decision was made, in part, based on discussions with full batch states via an EPA/ECOS/State collaborative work group effort and individual open discussion session with full batch state not participating on the group.  EPA's decision is to implement "Alternative 1a", which is a modification of Alternative 1 published in the final ICIS-NPDES Batch Alternatives Analysis of September 2008. This modification adds a "Replace" transaction to Alternative 1, thereby providing states more flexibility in tracking changes in their state systems (see the description of Alternative 1a at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/ICIS-NPDESFullBatchAlternative1a_v2.ppt).

We are now ready to move forward in the actual development of the full batch component of ICIS-NPDES, and one of the first steps to doing so is reconvening the ICIS-NPDES Batch Implementation Integrated Project Team (IPT).  The ICIS-NPDES Batch Implementation IPT was originally formed in September 2006 to focused on implementing the batch flow of Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) data from states to ICIS-NPDES.  Based on its work, EPA implemented the DMR Batch functionality in May 2008, and several states are now regularly batching their DMR data to ICIS-NPDES. We are now seeking members from states, EPA Regions, Headquarters, and EPA /state contractors to join the IPT to facilitate the successful implementation of ICIS-NPDES full batch functionality.

Participation on ICIS-NPDES Batch Implementation IPT is open to all states who plan to batch NPDES data from their state system to ICIS-NPDES.  If your state is already in ICIS-NPDES and your plan is to batch any or all of your NPDES data to ICIS-NPDES in the future, please consider joining the IPT.  We will be working closely with the Environmental Information Exchange Network’s Network Operations Board (NOB) in reconvening the IPT and moving forward with the designing the ICIS-NPDES full batch Network exchange.  The NOB is comprised of EPA and state members.

We are in the process of developing a detailed plan and schedule for developing and implementing the ICIS-NPDES full batch capability.  A draft of this plan will be available for an IPT kick-off call in mid October.  Our plan is to implement the full batch functionality in two phases, as follows:

Phase 1:  all data families related to the Permit (facility, basic permit, general permits, special regulatory components, limit sets and limits, permitted feature, re-issuance, etc.)

Phase 2:  all remaining data families, including inspections, enforcement actions, violations, program reports, effluent trade partner, etc.

We will be asking for some states to volunteer to be "pilot" states for each phase.  The pilot states and the other states participating in each phase will also participate on a Data Migration Work Group.  The Data Migration Work Group is a group of EPA, states, EPA contractors and regions working together to migrate the state's data from PCS to ICIS-NPDES and to test out their data flows for the respective data families.  Please consider whether or not your state could be a pilot state for Phase 1, in particular.

The current charter for the ICIS-NPDES Batch Implementation Project will be updated by the IPT as appropriate for this effort. Click here to view a copy - http://www.exchangenetwork.net/ICIS-NPDESBatchIPTCharter.pdf. This charter describes the background on the plans for the ICIS-NPDES Full Batch releases, and the specific roles and tasks for this IPT.

Please consider participating on this IPT.  It will give your state an opportunity to have real input to the details of the technical solution, and will keep you fully apprised of the progress and status of the ICIS-NPDES full batch development.  If you are interested in participating in this IPT, please contact Glendora Spinelli by October
2, 2009.  She can be reached at spinelli.glendora@epa.gov or 202-564-5042.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and participation in this effort.

John M. Dombrowski, P.E.
Acting Director
Enforcement Targeting and Data Division, OECA/OC
Tele. 202-566-0742