Annual Emissions Reporting (AER) Overview

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).  Facilities required to file an annual emissions report include the following:

• 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).

• Every facility subject to CARB's Criteria and Toxics Emission Reporting (CTR) Regulation (CTR requirements are being phased in for various facility types over several years).

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).  

Data Year (DY) 2023 AER Program

• DY2023 What's New - December 2023

• List of Facilities Notified for DY2023 - Updated January 2024

• Sample DY2023 AER Notification Letter - December 2023

• Reports and any associated fees are due by 5:00 p.m. on May 1st, 2025.

• The AER submitted for this upcoming reporting period applies to calendar year 2023 (January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024).

• AB 2588 Facilities: For DY2023 AER, facilities in Phase 1A are required to file their Quadrennial Report.

Data Year (DY) 2023 AER Workshop

• January 2024 AER Workshop (DY2023 AER Workshop Information) –  1:30PM, January 17th, 2024

  • DY2023 AER Webinar Slides – January 2024

  • Presentation Recording – January 2024

AER WebTool Resources

AER WebTool

South Coast AQMD has developed a web-based emissions reporting tool to assist facilities enter operational data, calculate emissions and fees, and submit the Annual Emissions Report.

Users can become familiar with the tool and the AER program by accessing the resources below which include tutorial videos, help & support documents, technical guidance documents, and other useful information. The web-based reporting tool can be accessed at the link above. Users must register to use the AER WebTool.

Tutorial Videos on AER WebTool Functionality

General Help and Support Documents

Guideline Documents for Facility Specific Operations

South Coast AQMD Rule 301 - South Coast AQMD Fee Rule

Guidance on CARB's Criteria and Toxics Reporting (CTR) Regulation

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.