Welcome to the Emission Inventory (EI)/Tribal
Emission Inventory Software Solution (TEISS)
Training Curriculum: Course 2-EI Advanced
Module 7-QA/QC and Quality Assurance Project Plans
SLIDE 1: This module discusses QA/QC and Quality Assurance Project Plans for EIs. It also includes a
demonstration on the TEISS IPP Wizard and printing blank forms from the calculators in TEISS.
Objectives for this session:

Orientation to EI-Advanced.

Know what the different QC methods are and how to implement them

Know how to use TEISS to assist with QA/QC

Know what common errors are made in EIs.

Know why planning for your EI with a QAPP is important

Know what resources are available to assist you with writing your QAPP

Know how to get started on your QAPP
SLIDE 2: Welcome to EI Advanced
This is the beginning of the second training, EI Advanced, in the EI/TEISS training series. If you are
taking this training, it is expected that you have completed EI Fundamentals. This training is especially
designed for those needing to collect their own data and use TEISS to estimate emissions for those
sources. If you are completing a Level 4 EI, the EI Fundamentals training should have given you enough
information to complete your project. However, if you are interested in completing a Level 1, 2, or 3 EI at
some point, you might want to continue on with this training. Are there any questions from the first
training?
Roadmap to your Emissions Inventory:
1.
2.
Write QAPP using example provided by ITEP.
List the sources already known about and tentatively categorize them (gas stations might be
treated as point or nonpoint and that can be decided after it is known how many gas stations will
be included).
3. Research online to find information about the sources.
4. Use TEISS to determine what information is needed as input (activity data) to make estimates of
the sources’ emissions.
5. Contact the sources and ask for the information, or any information that you could use to
estimate values for the parameters that you need to enter into TEISS. For example, a community
center manager might not know how many gallons of fuel oil were purchased, but might know
how much they spent on fuel oil. Then the inventory preparer can find the price of that oil that
winter and approximate how many gallons were purchased, and use that as the input to TEISS.
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6. Perform QC checks on the activity values (including units) obtained about the sources. In many
cases this is comparing activity values gathered against activity values from a similar source, with
the similar source data found on the internet (QA dictates that you thoroughly document URLs
and date accessed).
7. Use TEISS calculators to produce estimates.
8. Perform common sense QA and verify that the values produced by TEISS make sense by looking
online at similar facilities or sources.
9. Continue to perform QA throughout the project, including some external review (at a minimum
periodic reviews by ITEP), and internal reviews by tribal program supervisor, perhaps in
conjunction with internal progress reports.
10. Write a draft EI report, perform an internal review and external QA as feasible, rectify any QA
issues identified, and finalize report.
SLIDE 3: Definitions
Quality Control (QC) is:
 Documenting data sources
 Rechecking calculations
 Accuracy checks
 Use of approved standardized procedures for emissions calculations.
Quality Assurance (QA) is an independent, objective review by a third party to assess the effectiveness of
the QC program based on the quality, completeness, accuracy, precision, and representativeness of the
inventory. QA also includes your own “stepping back” and reviewing, with some common sense and
internet research, the results of your data gathering and calculations.
QC is done by the person (or people) conducting the inventory work. It is your responsibility to perform
the appropriate level of QC and technical review prior to releasing your inventory to EPA or others.
Members of the preparation team are active in the QC procedure, not the QA. QA is typically performed
by someone that has not worked on the EI.
SLIDE 4: QA/QC: Where to Start?
QA/QC should start with your QAPP. As we have discussed, you QAPP should answer these questions.
 What are you going to report in EI?
 What will you use the EI data for? The answer to this question determines the minimum level of
QA/QC. (level 1, 2, or 3 dictates more QC.)
 How are you going to review the data?
See the ITEP EI QAPP as an example.
Your QAPP is a blueprint for your EI. If you try to build a house without a blueprint, there might be errors.
For example, you might have bought a bathtub that is too large to fit in the bathroom you built since you
did not plan it out. Doing an EI without a QAPP might introduce similar errors. For example, you might
try to inventory more sources than you have the resources to do if you do not plan it out in a QAPP.
SLIDE 5: QA/QC Levels
Good QA/QC procedures should be followed for all EIs, however how stringent the QA/QC requirements
are depends on the level of the EI. As a review, here is a summary of the levels of EIs, and you can see
that they correspond to the four EI levels:
 Level 1 – supports enforcement, compliance, or litigation
 Level 2 – supports strategic decision making
 Level 3 – general assessment or research
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
Level 4 – Inventory compiled entirely from previously published data or other inventories.
Requirements are least stringent for Level 4 EIs. Since there is not any original data, you are not going to
go back and check calculations for previously published data since this should have already been done
by the data submitter. Requirements are most stringent for Level 1 EIs since the standards are specified
in the regulation, for example, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
SLIDE 6: Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) are statements about the level of uncertainty the decision maker accepts.
Their purpose is to ensure that the data are sufficient for the intention. They are broad statements on
how “good” or “true” your EI results will be and should be stated in your QAPP.
Remember that an EI estimates emissions. You can’t know the exact “truth” about the quantity or type of
pollutants from a given source. Even if a source has continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) on its
stacks, you are still getting an estimate of the emissions.
General ideas if audience needs clarifications:
EI DQO Examples for Accuracy:
 100% of data transcribed from paper forms to TEISS will be verified to be sure they were entered
into TEISS accurately
 EPA methods used to estimate emissions, ensure estimates as close to “truth” as possible. Most
TEISS calculators are based on EPA methods.
Remember to track the accuracy checks you do. Data entry forms should have spaces for who entered
the data and the date it was entered. TEISS keeps track of who entered the data (based on what user is
logged in to TEISS) and when the data were entered. There is also a place in the TEISS data entry
windows to enter who the data were collected from, who the data were collected by, when the data were
collected, who checked the data, when the data were checked, and QA/QC notes.
EI DQO Example for Completeness:
 100% of largest point sources of PM included in EI.
EI DQO Examples for Comparability:
 Emissions calculated represent “truth” on your reservation
 Emissions comparable to similar sources or areas.
For example, if in the NEI summary data, you find that PM10 emissions on unpaved roads for the entire
US are reported as 3 billion tons (not based on actual data) and in your EI, you estimate PM10 emissions
of 4 billion tons for the reservation unpaved roads, that value likely does not represent the truth.
Remember, DQOs are objectives and you may not reach them. For example, one of your point sources
may refuse to give you the data you need. In your EI report, note the areas where you fell short of
your objectives and why you could not reach them.
SLIDE 7: DQOs are set, now what’s the plan?
QC should be included in each EI task.
 QC for data collection
 QC for calculations
 QC for choosing estimation methods
Allocate at least 10% of resources for QA activities. For example, if you estimate it will take you 20 hours
to calculate emissions for one of your sources, including selection of estimation method, data collection,
calculations, entry of data into your spreadsheet or database, and writing a section of your final report on
that source, allow at least 2 hours for your QA Coordinator (or you, although getting someone else to
check at least the data entry of the numbers would be the best) to check it all over. Use 1 QA hour
midway through your process, then 1 hour at the end.
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If you intersperse the QA throughout the project, you are likely to have better results than if you save the
QA until the project has been finished. If errors are caught early in the process, it is going to save you a
lot of additional work and effort. (Melinda worked on a project early in her career without a QAPP and it
turned out the instruments were out of calibration and all of the data gathered in people’s HOMES was
invalid and all the data had to be thrown out and it was really inconsiderate of the people’s time and
opening up their homes to us, to have to tell them it was all for nothing…and if we had done at least ten
minutes of QC we would have thought to check the calibration stickers.)
If you have ITEP do the QA review, it is completely acceptable to ask for a review of pieces of the project
as you work on it. You can email ITEP preliminary data sheets and ITEP can check the methodology for
determining, for example, the total wood consumption value in the spreadsheet before you enter that
value into the TEISS calculator. If there is an error in the spreadsheet, it can be caught before you
calculate emissions with TEISS, and that saves you the effort of having to fix the data in the TEISS
project and your EI report.
SLIDE 8: QC: What is included?
Check transcription of data during inventory preparation and reporting. Often, for a given source, there
are multiple opportunities to check transcription:
 Check transcription of data from raw data collection sheets into electronic spreadsheets or TEISS
calculators
 Check transcription of data results from TEISS summary tables to EI report.
For example, for commercial propane heating reported as a nonpoint source, you might have collected
activity data from several facilities. You need to sum the activity data for each facility to enter into the
TEISS calculator.
 If you are going to sum the values in a spreadsheet, you need to check the transcription of each
of the activity values from the raw data collection sheet into the spreadsheet.
 You need to check that the summed value was entered correctly into the TEISS calculator.
 If you are copying the emissions data from TEISS and entering the data into your own tables in
your EI report, rather than using the TEISS report function to build your table, you need to check
the transcription of the emissions data into the EI.
SLIDE 9: QC: What is included? (cont.)
Check your calculations.
 If you calculated a throughput (activity), make sure you check that calculation. If you calculated
your throughput in a spreadsheet, you need to check that formula. For example, a good method
for the commercial propane source would be to add the individual facility consumption values with
a calculator to verify that they equal the formula answer from the spreadsheet.
 If you are not calculating emissions with a TEISS calculator, check that you are using the correct
emission factor (EF) and that the throughput multiplied by the EF equals emissions.
 Verify that unit conversions are correct. This is where many problems occur. If you converted
data between units by hand, check that you get the same answer by using the unit converter built
into TEISS. Use common sense and think about the values before using them.
 Verify that units of your data match units the TEISS calculator or equation you are calculating
emissions with asks for (tons, cords, miles, thousands-of-gallons, whatever).
SLIDE 10: Unit Example
You might need to convert the data that you collected to the units that the TEISS calculator is asking for.
Perhaps the data were given to you by the propane company in gallons. In this example, you would need
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to convert to 1000 gallons (103 gallons) by dividing by 1000. This is a tricky area, because notice that
TEISS is asking for you to enter the number in thousands-of-gallons.
Also, if you are calculating annual emissions, as is most common for EIs, verify that the throughput you
enter into the TEISS calculator is the annual throughput, unless otherwise specified by the TEISS
calculator. Note that the paved road dust calculator asks for average daily traffic as well as the total
vehicle miles traveled annually if you are calculating annual emissions.
SLIDE 11: QC: What is included? (cont.;[ 3rd slide with this header])
Verify you’ve documented all data sources.
Examples of common QC checks
 Completeness checks
o Check that emissions for all sources listed in your QAPP were calculated. If not,
document why emissions were not calculated.
o Compare the facilities in the EI to local business directories.
 Consistency checks
o The throughputs for some nonpoint sources are based on total land area or population.
Check that the same geographic area or population base was consistently employed for
these nonpoint sources.
 Double counting
o Verify that sources do not overlap. For example, if you are calculating emissions for gas
stations and onroad mobile sources, check that gas station Stage II (refueling) emissions
are not double-counted between the sources.
 Reasonableness
o Verify that emissions are not too large or too small. Check emissions from a previous EI
or a similar EI. If not available, check emissions data from the county for similar sources.
SLIDE 12: QC: How to Track It
Here are some key points on tracking QC.
 Keep a file, electronic, physical, or both, for each source.
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
Use checklist, and/or TEISS QA/QC tabs, to monitor person and date for:
o Data collection
o Data calculations
o Evaluation of data reasonableness
o Evaluation of data completeness
o Data coding and recording
o Data tracking.
SLIDE 13: QC Methods: Reality Checks
Next, we are going to discuss, in more detail, several QC methods. We are also going to discuss some of
the shortcomings of each method. The QA/QC methods employed should be specified in your QAPP.
The DQOs and inventory level determine how many of these methods to employ. The QA/QC methods
assist you with achieving your DQOs. They should be employed together for an effective QA/QC of the
inventory.
QC Method: Reality Check
 Most commonly used
o Is this number reasonable? Does it make sense?
 Do not use the reality check as the sole criterion of quality
 Find data for similar sources on EPA’s EIS Gateway system
Keep in mind:
 The reviewer must have a sound understanding of what is reasonable for the value being
estimated
 Estimate can appear to be reasonable and be wrong
 Estimate could appear to be not reasonable and still be correct—just document how you figured
this out
 The Reality Check method does not yield information about the source of the error.
SLIDE 14: QC Methods: Peer Review
QC Method: Peer Review
 Independent review of calculations, assumptions, and/or documentation by person with moderate
to high level of technical experience
 QA is a form of peer review, but peer review can also be included as part of QC
 Use of checklists or review forms is recommended
Keep in mind:
 In large, complex inventories, it is easier for reviewer to overlook errors.
SLIDE 15: QC Methods: Replication of Calculations—this is HUGE and the primary requirement for
scientific defensibility—someone else being able to retrace your steps and come up with the same values
(perhaps not EXACTLY but within ten percent or so)
QC Method: Replication of Calculations
 Most reliable way to detect computational errors
 Can be done by any team member
 Should be done by author of original calculations as a self check, by a team member as QC, and
as part of QA review
 General rule, minimum of 10% of calculations checked, depending on
o Complexity of calculations
o Inventory DQOs
o Rate of errors encountered in data that are checked
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Keep in mind:
 Does not check to ensure that the approach and assumptions are correct
 Does not involve a check of the accuracy or quality of the original data
 Replication of calculations is a labor-intensive process.
SLIDE 16: QC Methods: Computerized Checks
QC Method: Computerized Check
 Automated data checks can be
o Built-in functions of databases, models, or spreadsheets, or stand-alone programs
o Can process large volumes of data
 Automate to
o Check for data format errors (like Export to NEI component of TEISS)
o Conduct range checks of emissions, stack heights, latitude/longitude coordinates, etc.
o Provide look-up tables to define permissible entries (like TEISS selection boxes)
 Reviewer should document the results of the checks with standardized forms or report formats
Keep in mind:
 Not a substitute for evaluation of the data by an auditor with human reason and judgment
 Only checks the information requested
 Does not check approach and assumptions
 Does not involve a check of the accuracy or quality of the original data.
SLIDE 17: TEISS needs a Human Touch
TEISS is an excellent tool, but it needs your guidance in order to provide the most accurate emission
estimates. It is a vehicle to assist you with completing your EI, but it cannot drive itself. Make sure you
are familiar with the emission methodologies the TEISS calculators are based on before using them to
estimate emissions. Read at LEAST the information tab in the lower left of the calculator page.
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SLIDE 18: Finding Calculator Methodology
When you first open Calc on the Toolbar or Emission Calculators from the Tools menu in TEISS, you get
a summary screen. Scroll down on the summary screen to get to the Reference and Online Link.
To open calculator:
SLIDE 19: Why Review the Methodology?
The methodology can assist you with entering data into the TEISS calculators to estimate emissions. For
example, in this calculator used to estimate emissions for gas stations, it might be confusing what to
select in the Station Operation area. You might question what the difference between splash filling and
submerged filling is or think that selecting one of the options in this area is all that you need to do to
estimate emissions for the gas station.
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SLIDE 20: Because—The Methodology Has Answers
Methodology tells you that
 There are 4 different “station operations” (in most cases) at each gas station that you should
estimate emissions for
o Underground tank filling
o Underground tank breathing
o Vehicle refueling displacement losses
o Vehicle refueling spillage
 Each operation should be included as a different Process
 If using an EPA model to calculate onroad emissions, make sure vehicle refueling emissions are
not double counted (reported as part of the gas station source and included as part of the onroad
sources by the onroad emissions model used to derive whatever you are using to calculate
onroad emissions).
SLIDE 21: Typical Errors in EIs







Missing or duplicate facilities
Improper facility locations
Missing operating or technical data
Erroneous technical data
Double counting
Errors in calculations
Data entry and transposition errors; data coding errors
Each of these could be caught with the QC checks described in this presentation.
SLIDE 22: Most Typical QC Error
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The most typical error in EIs is letting the QA/QC slide. Make sure you set aside time and resources in
your QAPP for QA/QC. Pressure to gather data and “get it done” can harm documentation and
verification and make you work many more hours than you need to. Keeping track of file names and
noting in your logbook what you have in each file, and tracking dates when you worked on files, will help
you pick up where you left off when you have to work on other tasks. Do not assume you will remember,
or put QA/QC off until the end of the project because that makes it more likely not to happen or not be as
efficient.
SLIDE 23: QC Documentation
Goals of QC Documentation
 Ensure that the final written compilation of the data accurately reflects the inventory effort
 Support QA assessments of the inventory
o Identify errors in assumptions, calculations, or methods and the remedial actions taken to
correct any errors
 Ensure reproducibility of inventory estimates
o Include all of the information necessary for an inventory user or reviewer to reproduce the
results of each estimate. A well-documented inventory will provide a "paper trail" for
each data point. If I am reviewing your EI, I should be able to replicate your emissions
calculations without having to contact you and ask, for example, what fuel sulfur content
did you use to calculate heating emissions.
 Enable inventory user or reviewer to assess quality of the emission estimates and identify the
data references
 Foundation for future inventories
o For example, the websites of where you got data should be reported in your EI so that
the person that updates the EI could just click on the link to get the updated data.
SLIDE 24: What About QA?
QA is an independent review by a third party, ITEP, for example. It is good to have someone else look at
your data because they are likely to find errors that you have not seen. QA evaluates the effectiveness of
your QC. Allocate 10% of project resources to QA and do not wait until the end of the project. The QA
reviewer usually only checks a fraction of data entry, calculations, documentation, etc. Your supervisor’s
review is also QA, as long as you document their review (can be in your logbook and in an email to
yourself just describing what they reviewed and their comments, and how to resolved their questions.)
SLIDE 25: What is a QAPP?
A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is a tool to document the type and quality of data needed for
environmental decisions. It describes the methods for collecting and assessing those data. A QAPP
should clearly describe how the inventory preparer will present and document the inventory for
submission to EPA. For most data collection projects funded by EPA, a QAPP is usually required by
EPA.
SLIDE 26: Why is a QAPP important?

EIs are the foundation of decisions, so you want to plan and document the process of developing
your EI to ensure the data integrity.

A QAPP sets goals and objectives.

A QAPP is the road map of how to conduct your EI. Think of how much time and effort maps
have saved you in other experiences. Through planning your EI, you figure out the most efficient
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way to collect, enter and quality assure/quality control (QA/QC) your data. The more time you
spend planning your work, the less likely you are to make mistakes and miscalculations as you
work on the EI. Through planning, you want to anticipate all the steps you will need to take and
determine if you have enough resources (time and funding) to complete those steps.

A QAPP provides long-term guidance. You might already have a pretty good idea of how you are
going to conduct your EI. But what if you move on to another position and someone new is hired,
or you get an assistant who does the data gathering, or the EI is updated in five years?

A QAPP makes writing the EI report easier. You want to put information on how you obtained,
calculated, and analyzed the data in your EI. If that information is already in your QAPP, you
would only need to copy, paste, and edit it in your written EI, or refer to the QAPP and attach it to
the EI report.
SLIDE 27 and 28: TEISS Inventory Preparation Plan (IPP) Wizard
The TEISS Inventory Preparation Plan (IPP) Wizard can be used as a starting point to get you thinking
about what kinds of background information and other information should be included in your QAPP. To
access the TEISS IPP Wizard, launch TEISS and open your project. You will see the IPP icon on the
main toolbar. Click on the IPP icon to open the TEISS IPP Wizard.
The IPP has a number of screens and categories, the Help button in the lower left hand corner will
provide more detailed information on the various screens. There are two ways to progress through the
TEISS IPP Wizard. The first is to click the Next button at the bottom right side of the screen. The second
is to use the Navigation drop-down list at the top of the Wizard. This allows you to go directly to the
sections that you want to work on. It also shows the structure of the IPP.
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You can use the IPP as an electronic logbook (SUPPLEMENTARY to your physical notebook) and enter
information not necessarily in the navigation tree order. Of particular importance is the INVENTORY
RESOURCE section that would describe whether you have any existing EI data, how you will collect
information, who is doing what, and where and how you will store the information you gather. Next, we
are going to demonstrate using the IPP.
Demonstration of TEISS IPP Wizard: Open your TEISS project and click on the IPP button in
the toolbar. I only want to fill out part of the INVENTORY RESOURCE section. I click on the drop-down
button in the Navigation field to bring up the list of sections. I then double-click on the VI. INVENTORY
RESOURCE text.
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That brings up this screen.
I am going to click on the Roles and Responsibilities tab. I am going to type in some information in this
tab.
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I then click on the Save and Exit button. Note that if you are in one of the middle tabs, you do not exit
from the IPP by clicking on this button, but you simply go to the next tab. Keep clicking on the Save and
Exit button to reach the end of the section and then exit from the IPP. Important Note: Make sure to click
on the Save and Exit button to save the IPP when you want to return to the main TEISS screen. Keep
clicking on it until you exit from the IPP. If you simply close the IPP screen by clicking on the x button,
even after clicking on Save and Exit, but not completely exiting the IPP, TEISS does NOT save the data
you entered. It also does not give you a warning message that is not going to save the data.
SLIDE 29: Determine the Use of the Data
Some possible uses of the data:
 Air quality program planning
 Assess contributions of future new sources
 Assess need for tribal permitting program
 Support development of TIP
 Support participation in regional AQ planning efforts.
SLIDE 30: Next Step in a Level 1, 2, or 3 EI
Start working on your QAPP.
 List sources on the tribal land that you plan to estimate emissions for. Each data source type, for
example, point, nonpoint, etc., should have a section in the QAPP.
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
Review TEISS calculators to determine data you need to collect to estimate emissions. Make a
list of the data you need to collect and the method used to estimate the emissions for each
source for inclusion in your QAPP. WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO PRINT FORMS FROM
TEISS THAT SHOW THE DATA NEEDED (this is one of the coolest features of TEISS). You can
even attach blank forms from TEISS that show the information that you need to find, and refer to
these attachments in your QAPP, or turn the items in the form into a list or table in your QAPP.
Slide 32 shows an example of a TEISS calculator as a blank form.
Your Level 4 EI that you put together as part of the first training can be the off-reservation section of your
Level 1, 2, or 3 EI.
 Remember that data for off reservation sources need to be in a separate section of your QAPP
and EI than data for on reservation sources
SLIDE 31: Example List of Point Sources- thanks Kris Ray!
SLIDE 32: Example TEISS Calculator Blank Form
Next, we are going to demonstrate where to find the TEISS calculators and how to print a blank form from
them.
Demonstration on TEISS Calculators: I click on the Calc button in the TEISS toolbar of my
TEISS project. Important Note: You should only access the calculators from the Calc button in
the toolbar to view the calculators to determine what data you need to collect or to see what
TEISS calculators are available. When you use the calculators to estimate emissions, you need
to access them from the TEISS Input View, aka the Linear Data Entry screen. This is because
only when you access the TEISS calculators from Input View can you import the emissions the
TEISS calculator estimates into your TEISS project. More details to come on opening TEISS
calculators from the TEISS Input View in upcoming webinars in this training.
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This screen opens. I want to look at the residential woodstoves calculator to see what data I need to
collect to estimate emissions for this source. I do this by expanding the 1.0 External Combustion Sources
folder by clicking on the plus sign to the left of the folder. Then I click on 1.10 Residential Wood Stoves
and get this screen.
I click on the Estimator button to open the data entry screen for the calculator. From this screen, I can
tell I need to collect data on the type of woodstoves and the amount of fuel burned.
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To print a blank form from this calculator, go to the File menu and select the Print Blank option.
This brings up the screen to specify a printer. If you want an electronic version of the form that you can
include in your QAPP, select the Image Writer printer and click on the OK button on this screen.
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In the next screen that comes up, specify where you want to save the file and click on the Save button.
Alternately, you can physically print the form and scan it for inclusion in your QAPP.
To learn more about the data elements that you need to enter and select in the TEISS calculator, for
example, what is meant by a conventional, pre-phase I woodstove, I can click the x button to close the
calculator data entry window. Then if I scroll down on the page that is shown, I can find an online link to
the source the calculator is based on. I highly recommend you read the source document for any of the
calculators you use in your TEISS project to estimate emissions.
Click on the Close button to close the calculators screen.
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SLIDE 33: Review of Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) and Indicators (DQIs)
Include the Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) and Data Quality Indicators (DQIs) in your QAPP. DQOs
ensure accuracy, completeness, representativeness, and comparability of the EI. DQIs measure
progress towards each DQO. For example, a DQO for completeness could be that you plan to obtain
point and nonpoint NEI data for the area of concern in your EI. The DQI for this DQO could be that you
plan to include 100% of Title V sources in the NEI within the area of concern in the EI. You can have
multiple DQOs and DQIs. DQOs and DQIs can be summarized in a table in the introduction of the QAPP.
These will be simple, such as shown in the following slide.
SLIDE 34: Example DQOs and DQIs
SLIDE 35: The level of detail in the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Section of the QAPP
varies depending on the level of your EI. These are some elements that might be included in the QA/QC
Section of the QAPP.
o An explanation of how data are collected.
o An explanation of how data are documented.
o An explanation of how data are checked.
o An explanation of where data are stored.
o An explanation of how data are reported.
This information can be simple! Just write down what you are going to do—for off-reservation sources,
that is downloading data from EIS, and give an overview of how you are going to store the information (in
TEISS), document what you do (log in EI-dedicated notebook), who does it (me, until we hire someone
else, and then I will supervise them). For on-reservation sources that you gather your own data for, you
may need more text to describe visiting the facility, counting cars, or how you will gather this additional
information. You also need to describe how the data are checked, for example my supervisor will check
ten percent of my numbers, plus I will do a reasonableness check by looking at similar EIs, etc.
The next slide shows an example of what details you might include in the QAPP about how your data are
stored and reported.
SLIDE 36: Example of Details – Data Management and Reporting

Explanation of where data are stored example
o In a TEISS project
o Additional data are also stored in a paper and electronic filing system.
 Data collection and calculations done on paper. This could include survey forms,
telephone logs, and data collection sheets taken into the field.
 Calculations done in spreadsheets. This could include the calculation of activity
data, for example, summing fuel use for the different commercial heating sources.
o
Explanation of how data are reported example
 The TEISS project contains the complete data
 The written EI report is a summary of the data
 Presentations based on the findings to tribal council, the public, etc., also provide
a summary of the data
HOMEWORK: 3 PARTS—pull up the hw doc (EIA-7-QAQC_homework):
1. Read the homework files and answer questions in the file (EIA-7QAQC_homework) and email that document, with answers filled in, to your instructor.
2. Start writing your QAPP, paying special attention to those sections where you
record the sources of information you will use to make the estimates of emissions. If
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you do not already have a logbook for recording phone calls, names, URLs, filenames,
and what you worked on in which file on which day, please obtain one and start using it.
Record enough information so that someone else can read the logbook and could
replicate what you did, using the computer files and TEISS functions that you record in
the logbook.
3. Make a list of the point sources that you plan to include in your EI. First, make
a list of any facilities on the reservation that are already in the NEI data. Next, make a
list of additional facilities that you already know of that are NOT in the NEI data that are
on the reservation that you plan to include in your EI. Write up the Point Sources
section of your QAPP and email it to the instructors. Remember, this is just saying how
you are going to QA/QC the point source data that is not already in the NEI data (in your
project already from the level 4 EI work you did in the last course). You do not need to
actually collect the data yet. Think ahead about how you are going to collect and
double-check the throughput data for these point sources, and describe it in your QAPP.
If there are not any point sources on your reservation that you plan to collect data for,
you would not have a section for on reservation point sources in your QAPP. Please let
your instructors know this.
SLIDE 37: GIOW stands for GET IT OVER WITH (I tell myself that often.) and the picture is a joke
based on “easy as pie”….NOT…but it can be done, step by step, if you allot several days a week to
this project
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