\vEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of
Solid Waste
Washington, DC 20460
September 1989
NATIONAL
IMPLEMENTATION:
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
/ /?4^4* + ++ 4»« 4
RCRIS
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RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND
RECOVERY INFORMATION
SYSTEM (RCRIS)
NATIONAL
IMPLEMENTATION:
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, DC 20460
September 1989
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RCRIS
NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION:
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THE GOAL:
RCRIS OPERATIONAL NATIONWIDE BY 1992
Results from the 1989 pilot test have confirmed that RCRIS has immense potential
for organizing the massive files of RCRA data across the country. Formally known
as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System, RCRIS is EPA's
latest tool for monitoring the nation's hazardous waste handlers while continuing to
respect States' autonomy in controlling them. The system has been designed for ease
of operation and flexibility, and has been fine-tuned through pilot testing in Region
IV (Atlanta, Georgia) and four States - Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi.
The goal now is to implement RCRIS in every Region and State by the end of FY
1992. EPA's August 1989 RCRIS National Framework for Implementation calls for
all 10 Regions and 39 States to implement RCRIS by the end of FY 1990; for all States
to be reporting in RCRIS format by the end of FY 1991; and for all States to become
full RCRIS implementers by the end of FY 1992. This schedule was developed coop-
eratively by EPA and the States. It will be updated quarterly to reflect any necessary
changes agreed to by EPA and the States.
RCRIS is replacing the Hazardous Waste Data Management System (HWDMS).
During the first two years of RCRIS implementation, both systems will be opera-
tional. Plans include the continuation of parallel operations of both RCRIS and
HWDMS, where necessary, until the end of FY 1991. The data stored in HWDMS
will be archived by the end of FY 1991.
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THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION:
COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT OF RCRA INFORMATION
Managers working with RCRIS will be able to gather, track, and analyze RCRA
information:
3 Easily: RCRIS is user friendly and employs sensible, recognizable data
elements.
3 Flexibly: RCRIS has been designed to allow for necessary modification,
now and in the future.
3 Distinctively: States and Regions can choose the hardware and software
options that match their current needs.
3 Accurately: When users "own" the data they work with, accuracy auto-
matically becomes a personal goal.
3 Knowledgeably: RCRIS users can get access to information in other
related EPA data bases.
The diverse needs of users at EPA Headquarters, Regions, and States have all been
analyzed and answered in one system. RCRIS provides a way to satisfy both
individual and shared information processing requirements. Indeed, RCRIS was
designed to reflect the prized goal of partnership between EPA and the States in
managing RCRA-permitted waste handlers.
The States, as hands-on management partners, have particular data needs that are
unique to their operations. EPA Regions and Headquarters, as overseers and
quality control partners, have their own information requirements. Often, the same
data elements serve both purposes. RCRIS development has helped foster and
strengthen the State/EPA partnership. While analyzing and discussing RCRA
information needs together, RCRA managers across the country evolved a deeper
understanding of one anothers' roles and responsibilities.
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THE FEATURES:
SOMETHING FOR EVERY RCRA MANAGER
"TWO-DOMAIN" CONCEPT SATISFIES DUAL
INFORMATION NEEDS
The two-domain design on which RCRIS is founded makes possible a data-sharing
partnership that meets the individual and common information needs of all RCRA
managers.
The two domains of RCRIS are the Implementer Domain and the Oversight
Domain. These domains, or sets of data elements, are not distinct and separate. The
Oversight domain is actually a subset of the Implementer domain.
Hands-On Managers Use the Implementer Domain. This domain
is designed to collect, enter, track and report day-to-day RCRIS in-
formation. It deals with such activities as handler identification,
permitting, inspections, and enforcement actions. Both States and
EPA Regions will use the RCRIS implementer functions.
RCRA Oversight Managers Use the Oversight Domain. This
domain is designed to track and report the management informa-
tion required to review RCRA program performance and to de-
velop budgeting and program management strategies. EPA Head-
quarters and Regions will use the RCRIS oversight functions.
States can also use these functions for State-level oversight activi-
ties.
RCRIS WAS DESIGNED FOR COMPATIBILITY
Because RCRA managers indicated a need to employ several different hardware/
software configurations, RCRIS designers gave considerable thought to making the
system optimally compatible with different system architectures. Written in FO-
CUSa single database languageRCRIS:
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Runs on IBM-compatible mainframes and PCs.
Can be installed simply on most IBM or IBM-compatible hardware.
Allows small programs to continue manual record keeping and paper re-
porting.
Accommodates other systems. States committed to non-IBM hardware or
non-RCRIS software can develop their own software program that "trans-
lates" their data into RCRIS format for monthly transfers of data to EPA
Regional offices.
Six BASIC MODULES TRACK A BROAD RANGE OF INFORMATION
RCRIS tracks a wide range of information related to facilities that generate,
transport, and/or treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste. This information is
under RCRIS' six major modules, or applications (see Figure 1):
Handler Identification (HID). Tracks and maintains descriptive in-
formation on regulated hazardous waste facilities, generators, and
transporters.
Permitting, Closure, Post-Closure (PMT/CL/PC). Tracks informa-
tion on the status of permit applications for hazardous waste facili-
ties.
Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement (CM&E). Tracks and
maintains data on inspections, violations, enforcement actions, and
return to compliance.
Corrective Action (CA). Supports the permit-writing and program-
enforcement coordination necessary for an effective corrective action
program.
Program Management (PM). Supports the State, Regional, and
national management and evaluation needs of the RCRA program.
Facility Management Planning (FMP). Supports the development
and analysis of facility management plans.
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HANDLER
IDENTIFICATION
FACILITY
MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
PERMITTING/
CLOSURE/
POST-CLOSURE
COMPLIANCE
MONITORING
AND
ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT
CORRECTIVE
ACTION
FIGURE 1
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Among the many functions built into RCRIS to support the six modules are the
Data Assessment and Database Administration functions.
Data Assessment (DA) Provides automated software controls to ensure the
accuracy of data and to generate audit or exception reports to ensure data
quality and data integrity.
Database Administration (DBA) Allows the RCRIS database administrator
in each State and Region to maintain the integrity and status of the entire
system.
FY1989 ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
TESTED AND READY To Go
The RCRIS project has made a great deal of progress in the past year. The Pilot
Software was completed in March 1989. The RCRIS Pilot was conducted in Region
IV over three months. Kentucky tested the manual (paper reporting) method;
Mississippi piloted RCRIS on the PC; Georgia tested RCRIS on the Regional Logical
Mainframe; and Florida piloted the RCRIS "translator" software, which converts
State data to RCRIS format. The EPA Region IV Office tested RCRIS on their
Regional Logical Mainframe.
Participants were asked to evaluate the entire RCRIS system, including both soft-
ware and support systems. Their responses pinpointed four areas where efforts
should be concentrated in preparation for national implementation:
Response time of software
System "bugs"
Training and documentation
Telecommunications
Based upon the pilot results, the RCRIS team set to work on modifying the
software, revising both the documentation and training materials, and redesigning
the training framework. The modifications and revisions have been completed and
RCRIS is now ready for national implementation.
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THE GROUNDWORK:
GETTING READY FOR RCRIS
To prepare for RCRIS implementation, States and Regions will:
Clean up their HWDMS data;
Choose a hardware/software configuration;
Determine parameters for converting HWDMS data to
RCRIS;
Prepare the Memoranda of Understanding between each
Region and State, including the Implementer of Record
(IOR) assignments;
Install RCRIS on the equipment they have chosen;
Convert data to RCRIS format;
Reconcile the converted data.
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THE FUTURE:
WORJCINGTOWARD NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION BY 1992
Training
EPA Headquarters has developed training plans which support
both initial implementation and long-range operation. A week-long
RCRIS Training Program will be conducted in each Region during
Fiscal Year 1990. Trainers will instruct RCRA staff on each module
and other RCRIS functions.
After the initial year of implementation, EPA Headquarters plans to
offer two training sessions to each Region per year. This training is
designed to re-enforce the original training, introduce new aspects of
RCRIS and train newly added personnel. RCRIS training will also be
offered at RCRIS and RCRA related conferences. In addition, EPA
Headquarters will sponsor an annual meeting of RCRIS users em-
ploying translator software in Washington, D.C.
User Support
User support is essential to success and has been made a key
function of the National Implementation Strategy. In addition to
supporting a toll-free RCRIS User Hotline, EPA Headquarters will
sponsor national user group meetings twice each year. The toll-free
User Hotline number is 1-800-767-RCRI.
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Configuration Management
A configuration management process has been developed to encour-
age continued Regional and State input into future operations and
modifications of RCRIS. The RCRIS configuration management proc-
ess will be undertaken as follows:
A representative Configuration Management Board
will review programmatic and technical issues and
make preliminary decisions about modifying and
enhancing RCRIS.
With input from other users, Workgroups will evalu-
ate and recommend changes and enhancements to
RCRIS.
Bi-annual National User Group Meetings will foster
communications between RCRIS partners and pro-
vide a forum for raising issues and suggesting RCRIS
modifications and enhancements.
The Technical Manager and Staff will manage the
User Support Hotline, distribute issues to appropri-
ate workgroups, communicate results and recom-
mendations to users, and facilitate the activities of the
Configuration Management Board.
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