2018 Annual Emissions Report (AER) Deadline March 19, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District's (South Coast AQMD’s) Annual Emission Reporting (AER) program was developed to track emissions of air contaminants from permitted facilities.  Fees for emissions of air contaminants are assessed based on the reported data. These fees help to cover the costs of evaluating, planning, inspecting, and monitoring air quality efforts.  Under this program, those who emit more, pay more toward air pollution control efforts – and at the same time are given an incentive to reduce emissions.

The data collected by AER is used to update the comprehensive emissions inventory for the South Coast AQMD, which includes Orange County, the non-desert portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, and the Riverside county areas west of the Palo Verde Valley.

This annual emissions inventory of pollutants and source categories is essential to effectively design and evaluate clean air strategies to comply with state and federal public health standards.  The compiled inventory is published in each update of the Air Quality Management Plan.

The South Coast AQMD requires the filing of an Annual Emissions Report and payment of annual fees based on a facility's emission of air contaminants, as specified in Rule 301, subdivision (e) and paragraph (l)(10).  Facilities required to file an annual emissions report include the following:

• Every facility that receives an Annual Emissions Reporting notification from South Coast AQMD, regardless of the estimated annual emissions levels, even if no fees are due, to update the facility's emissions records.

• Every facility that has estimated annual emissions of four (4) of more tons of sulfur oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), specific organics (SPOG), particulate matter (PM), or emissions of 100 tons per year or more of carbon monoxide (CO).

• Every facility subject to the AB2588 Program for reporting quadrennial updates to its toxics emissions inventory (per Health and Safety Code Section 44344).

Furthermore, facilities are required to report their emissions (both criteria and toxics) for calendar year and pay their emission fees using the current fee rate specified in Tables III and IV of Rule 301(e).  Facilities also have 75 days from the official due date (January 1st) to submit both the emissions report and fee payment to avoid being subject to late filing surcharges.

2018 Emission Reporting Program

• What is new (PDF, 366 kB)

• Reports are due by 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2019.

• The 2018 Annual Emissions Report (AER) applies to the Calendar Year 2018 reporting period (January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018).

• AB2588 Report: For 2018 AER, facilities in Phase 3 are required to file their Quadrennial Report. 

AER Informational Workshops:

CY2018 AER Workshop Presentation

South Coast AQMD has developed a web-based emission reporting tool to assist facilities to enter operational data, calculate emissions and fees, and submit the emission data report.  Users are encouraged to navigate this site and be familiar with the material presented including tutorials, help & support, technical guidance documents, and other useful information.  This web-based program can be accessed at the link below.  Users must register to use the AER Reporting Tool.  

AER Reporting Tool

• AER Demo (PDF, 3.9 MB)

• 1 page AER Overview (PDF, 290 kB)

Tutorial, Help, and Support

• Help and Support Manual

• Supplemental Instructions for AB2588 Facilities - December 2016 (PDF, 823 kB)

• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 806 kB)

• Import and Export Data (PDF, 745 kB)

• How to Amend an Annual Emission Report - December 2014 (PDF, 179 kB)

• How to Pay Emission Fees On-Line - January 2016 (PDF, 141 kB)

Guideline Documents

• Guidelines for Reporting Emissions from the Use of Material Containing Organic Compounds - December 2016 (PDF, 781 kB)

• Guidelines for Working with EPA TANKS Data with New AER System - December 2014 (PDF, 571 kB)

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Cooling Towers - November 2017 (PDF, 528 kB)

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Dairy and Poultry Operations - December 2016 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Paint, Resin, and Ink Manufacturing Operations - December 2014 (PDF, 166 kB)

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Polyester Resin Operations - December 2016 (PDF, 372 kB)

• Guidelines for Reporting VOC Emissions from Component Leaks - February 2015 (PDF, 1.6 MB)

• Particulate Matter (PM) Emission Factors for Processes/Equipment at Asphalt, Cement, Concrete, and Aggregate Product Plant - December 2014 (PDF, 129 kB)

• Supplemental Instructions for Liquid Organic Storage Tanks - February 2017 (PDF, 766 kB)

• Guidelines for Lithographic Printing Operations - December 2016 (PDF, 1.6 MB)

• Guidelines for Calculatin Emissions from Greenwaste Composting and Co-composting Operations - February 2015 (PDF, 2.7 MB)

• Guidelines for Calculating and Reporting Emissions from Bulk Loading Operations - November 2017 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

• Guidelines-MultIple-Identical-Equipment - December 2014 (PDF, 926 kB)

• Guidelines for Reporting Refinery Flare Emissions - February 2015 (PDF, 1.1 MB)

South Coast AQMD Rule 301 - South Coast AQMD Fee Rule

Emissions Data Inquiry System -  Annual totals of both criteria and toxic pollutants for each reporting facility, and each reporting year since fiscal year 2000-2001, are available to the public through an online search application.