Continuous Monitoring System Data – The Risk of Being Isolated
Posted: April 11th, 2017
Authors: Lindsey K.
Annalise recently wrote an article called “What-If Island,” where the “island” represented “creating a story,” usually about something that is not as scary as we make it out to be in our heads. “Being on an island” can also refer to being isolated, which is something I think many of us have experienced in two distinct ways. First, when I’m struggling with something by myself, “spinning my wheels” so to say, I can many times find myself going to What-If Island. But once I engage someone for input, the solution often becomes clear and I can move forward. That independent input acts as a lifeboat that I can use to get back to the mainland. The other type of isolation is of the “ignorance is bliss” variety. Without input from others, it’s easy to believe everything is fine. But once someone else does provide input, it may become clear that everything is not fine and I never would have known. At ALL4, we work as a team to help prevent those two types of isolation from occurring.
Have you experienced isolation around your facility’s continuous monitoring system (CMS) data? We’ve been stressing the importance of being confident in your CMS data now that electronic data reporting is becoming the norm. Even though U.S. EPA is experiencing a shift in administration, their Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI) allows anyone to access and scrutinize your facility’s data. Here are a few reasons you may want to seek independent input:
- Is there something about your CMS data that you’re unsure about and don’t know who to ask?
- Is there only one person looking at your CMS data? Are your CMS resources approaching retirement?
- Have you been submitting the same reports for years even though rules and guidance may have changed?
- Are your CMS data validation and calculations occurring in a “black box” that no one understands?
We can be a resource to look at your CMS data, management procedures, and reporting from an independent perspective. We have a strong CMS team with experience in multiple states across multiple industries to facilitate sharing information and preventing isolation. We’ve already been supporting many of our clients with their CMS data and have identified several vulnerabilities that they didn’t know existed, and that we have successfully resolved.
Don’t get stuck on What-If Island when it comes to your facility’s CMS data. Reach out to me at 610.933.5246 x122 or lkroos@all4inc.com to schedule a call with our CMS team, and don’t be surprised if we contact you directly. ALL4 has been actively reaching out to our clients and other contacts to share our perspective and experiences with CMS and other environmental data management practices.
