Introduction

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Annual Emissions 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) or more tons of either 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 AB 2588 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 the calendar year and pay applicable emission fees using the current fee rate specified in Tables III and IV of Rule 301(e).  Facilities have 75 days (after January 1st) to submit both the emissions report and fee payment to avoid being subject to late filing surcharges.

CY2020 Annual Emissions Reporting Program

• CY2020 What's New (PDF, 125 kB)

• Reports are due by 5:00 p.m. on March 17, 2021.

• The AER submitted for this upcoming reporting period applies to Calendar Year 2020 (January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020).

• AB 2588 Report: For CY2020 AER, facilities in Phase 1B are required to file their Quadrennial Report. 

• CY2020 AER Workshop Presentation (PDF, 14 MB)

• CY2020 AER Workshop Webinar (YouTube Recording)

AER Reporting Tool

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.  

• Access to AER Reporting Tool (click)

Tutorial, Help, and Support

• Help and Support (PDF, 8 MB)

• Quadrennial Air Toxics Emissions Reporting Procedures - June 2020 (PDF, 598 kB)

• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 2 MB)

• Import and Export Data (PDF, 386 kB)

• How to Amend an Annual Emission Report - December 2020 (PDF, 682 kB)

• Storage TANK Emissions Batch Upload File - December 2020 (XLS, 305 kb)

• TAC List - December 2020 (XLS, 22 kb)

Guideline Documents

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

• Guidelines for Importing Storage Tank Data - December 2020 (PDF, 1 MB)

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

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Dairy and Poultry Operations - December 2020 (PDF, 1.9 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 - October 2019 (PDF, 207 kB)

• Supplemental Instructions for Liquid Organic Storage Tanks - December 2020 (PDF, 350 kB)

• Guidelines for Lithographic Printing Operations - December 2019 (PDF, 1.3 MB)

• Guidelines for Calculating Emissions from Greenwaste Composting and Co-Composting Operations - December 2020 (PDF, 4 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)

• Guidelines for Estimating PM and Asbestos Emissions from Asbestos Abatement (Demolition) Operations - December 2020 (PDF, 77 kB)

• Combustion Default Emission Factors - December 2014 (PDF, 570 kB)

• VOC Default Emission Factors for Organic Containing Material - December 2014 (PDF, 445 kB)

• Miscellaneous Processes at Oil Gas Production Plants - December 2014 (PDF, 416 kB)

• Miscellaneous Refinery Operations - December 2014 (PDF, 181 kB)

• Guidelines for Emissions from Abrasive Blasting Operations - December 2014 (PDF, 194 kB)

• Guidelines on Plating Emissions - November 2020 (PDF, 297 kB)

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. 

EPA, AP-42, Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors -  The primary compilation of EPA's emission factor information which contains emission factors and process information for more than 200 air pollution source categories.