Letter to Owners on ESA Process

NORTH CAROLINA
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April 29, 2019
Dear Permittee,
ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
LINDA CULPEPPER
Director
Subject: Electronic Signature Agreements
Response Required by May31, 2019
Over the last few years the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) has required the submittal of wastewater Discharge
Monitoring Reports (DMRs) through the electronic INC eDMR system. While the data has been transferred electronically to
this point, permittees have still been required to submit signed hard copies of DMR forms because INC DWR was not fully
compliant with EPA's electronic reporting requirements. All of your efforts to this point in making this system work
efficiently are greatly appreciated!
We are currently in the final phases of implementing changes that will achieve full compliance with the federal Cross -Media
Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) for the NC eDMR system. CROMERR compliance will mean that DMR data can
be submitted entirely through the INC eDMR system with an electronic signature. Permittees will no longer be required to
submit signed hard copies of the DMRs. Completion of this process will, however, require action on your part.
On our eDMR webpage under the "Forms and Reports" section you will find a form for our Electronic Signature Agreement
(ESA). You can access the form at: https://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr/forms-and-reports. In order
for a user to receive the required electronic signature credentials from the NC DWR, this form must be completed, signed,
notarized and submitted in hard copy form to the Division. Please note that this process will not impact all current users in
the eDMR system. It only impacts two user groups, Owners and Submitters. Individuals that have user privileges of Facility
Administrators, Certifiers, Data Entry and View Only will not be impacted and no information submittal is required for them.
You can log into the eDMR system and view the approved users for your facilities and the permissions (user groups) they
have been assigned.
Individuals in the Owner and Submitter user's groups will need to submit the ESA form as soon as possible, but no later
than May 31, 2019. After receipt of the forms, NC DWR will have to review, verify and update our database information.
Once this review is complete, the users will receive an email with further instructions requiring them to establish a new
password and to select challenge questions that will be used when submitting documents with electronic signatures. Our
goal is to have the electronic signature process up and running by mid -July. Department IT staff will provide email
notifications regarding the update as the start date gets closer.
Please read the ESA agreement information completely as it establishes responsibilities for users submitting and receiving
information electronically with the INC DWR. The Electronic Signature Agreement, when finalized and approved, will also
allow the individuals with electronic signature credentials to sign electronically a variety of required permit documents in
lieu of the submittal of signed paper copies. The submittal of Electronic Discharge Monitoring Reports (eDMR) will be
available once your electronic signature credentials are in place. Some agreements for other types of document submittals
or acceptance are not currently available electronically, but are included here to have the agreements in place to avoid the
need to complete future agreement forms when these systems are initiated.
Over ->
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919-707-3616

Electronic Signature Agreement
Page 2
If you have any questions about the ESA submittal process for eDMR please contact us by phone at [phone] or by
email at [e-mail].
Please Note The Following:
You may receive multiple copies of this letter if you have multiple permitted facilities.
Individuals that have Owner and/or Submitter permissions in the NC eDMR system will also be contacted and made
aware of this process through email.
Once this process is complete only those individuals that have followed these procedures and received electronic
submittal credentials will be allowed to submit DMR information electronically.
Thanks again for all of your assistance!
Sincerely,
Original Signed by Jeffrey O. Poupart
Jeffrey O. Poupart, Section Chief
Water Quality Permitting Section