RE: RAPIDS Application

FYI.

To assist agencies preparing an inventory in the XML format, EPA has developed the NIF 3.0 to NEI XML 3.0 software tool ( http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/nif/nif3toxmlconverter.html ) to convert an emission inventory from either ASCII text files or Microsoft® Access files compliant with the NIF 3.0 specifications (November 2003 version) to an XML file compliant with the NEI XML 3.0 schema (April 2004 version). This tool also validates the XML file against the XML schema and produces a log reporting the errors encountered during the validation. I expect EPA will continue support this converter. I used this tool to submit data in XML to EPA.

Chun Yi

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-airtoxics@great-lakes.net [mailto:owner-airtoxics@great-lakes.net] On Behalf Of Van Orden, Dean
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 7:11 AM
To: dettling@glc.org; Tom Velalis
Cc: Airtoxics
Subject: RE: RAPIDS Application

Pennsylvania uses XML for our submissions to the NEI.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-airtoxics@great-lakes.net [mailto:owner-airtoxics@great-lakes.net]On Behalf Of Jon Dettling
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 7:38 AM
To: 'Tom Velalis'
Cc: 'Airtoxics'
Subject: RE: RAPIDS Application

Tom,

This is an excellent question and I wish I had a more certain answer to it. I think we would like to go in the direction of having compatibility with the XML NEI files, but at this point, I believe most states are still working with the text files and those are the easiest to produce an import/export function for, I believe. I think our priority will therefore be to provide compatibility with the NIF text files and then, if possible, to also provide compatibility with the NEI XML format. Timing will be a factor here. When do you anticipate the new system being ready on your end? For example, I’m very doubtful we’ll have XML compatibility for the upcoming 2005 data compilation, but I would say that 2008 is a possibility.

The other issue that comes up is whether there is a work-around that will be easier (or cheaper) in the near-term than either your system being programmed to handle text files or RAPIDS being programmed to handle XML. Is there a tool available to convert between XML NEI data and NIF text files? For example, if you sent your XML to the EPA, could they provide you with a text version of the same data?

Does anyone else have any input on this? Are others moving or considering moving to XML and would they like this as a priority in the software redevelopment?

Jon

______________________
Jon Dettling
Great Lakes Commission
734-971-9135
dettling@glc.org

From: Tom Velalis [mailto:tom.velalis@epa.state.oh.us]
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 5:45 PM
To: Jon Dettling
Cc: Louwana Tortora
Subject: RAPIDS Application

Jon

Ohio EPA is working with a contractor in revising the Permit/Reporting application.

One of the application export requirements is an export file to EPA's NEI program, so a decision had to be made whether the export is an ASCII text file NIF or the XML NEI format.

Ohio EPA is funded via an EPA grant and committed to generate XML files. Also, Ohio EPA is participating through a Governor's agreement on the RAPIDS project. So, the question that I was asked to get answer from you is, if a future RAPIDS version will accept XML NEI import files for point source inventories? Ohio wants to avoid having to generate two outputs from our State application (meaning text NIF files and XML NEI files).

Jon, please provide me with a quick answer on this question.

Thanks. Tom.