The explanation of how to complete the initial written notification that follows below is
organized by type of information (e.g., general facility information, source information, substance
information). Section 4.1 explains how to access the various report screens; Section 4.2 describes
the general facility information screens; Section 4.3 presents screens for the different types of
release sources; and Section 4.4 describes how to fill in hazardous substance information for each
source. :

41 Getting Started

To begin creating an initial written notification, select the Add/Edit option from the Main
Menu by pressing the <Enter> key. Next, select the Written Reports option from the Add/Edit
Menu and then the New .. CR-ERNS :

Case option from the Written Reports

Menu (Exhibit 4.2). CR-ERNS will now Exhibit 4.2 .

prompt you to enter the CR-ERNS case Creating a CR-ERNS Written Report
number given to you by the NRC when
you made your initial telephone
notification.

After you have typed in your CR-
ERNS case number, the system will
prompt you to verify that you have
entered the correct number. It is critical
that you enter the CR-ERNS number
correctly, as all future correspondence
with EPA, the SERC, and the LEPC will
be based on this number.

After you verify your CR-ERNS
number, the system will display the input
screen for reporting general facility
information (Exhibit 4.3). Guidance on -
how to complete this general facility
information is provided below.

4.2 Entering General Facility
Information

Your first responsibility in completing an initial written report involves entering the general
facility information that is required in the continuous release reporting regulation. The required
information is briefly summarized below. For a more complete discussion of the general facility
information-requirements in the continuous release reporting regulations, consult the Facility
Guide referenced earlier in this document.



6. SUBMITTING CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS

This chapter describes how to use Exhibit 6.1 °
CR-ERNS to notify EPA about changes in _ Change Notification Menu Screen 1
the continuous release information
previously submitted. Entering the
required ‘information will occur in the
same manner as.that described in Chapter
4, but you will only enter the changed or
modified information into CR-ERNS.

‘You are encouraged to consult the Facility
Guide before completing a change
notification. The Guide contains
information that will be useful in helping
you understand the reporting
requirements.

There are two types of change
notifications. General change notifications
are used to report such changes as the
facility or vessel name, facility address, or
the magnitude of the upper or lower
bound of your continuous release.
Submitting a general change notification
involves two steps: (1) changing the

information in. CR-ERNS, and (2) sending : Exhibit 6.2
a letter to the EPA Regional Office Change in General Facility Information Screen
detailing the change.

To edit the information that is no ~
longer valid, select the Add/Edit option
from the Main Menu and then select the
Written Report option from the Add/Edit
Menu (as shown in Exhibit 6.1). Next,
enter your facility's CR-ERNS number
and press the <Enter> key, or press the
<Enter> key at the prompt to display a
look-up table of all continuous release
reports you may have submitted. This will:
ensure that you enter the correct CR-
ERNS number. Finally, select the Edit
Existing Information option and then the
General Facility Information option
(Exhibit 6.2).

The second type of change
notification is a notification of change in
source or composition. If there is a



default drive is assumed to be your "C:\" drive). (If you want CR-ERNS installed on a different
drive, such as a "D:\" drive, the install program will prompt you accordingly.) Finally, it will copy
the CR-ERNS program to-your hard drive.

Upon completing Step 3, your computer screen will print the following message, indicating
that you have successfully installed CR-ERNS on your computer: :

"CR-ERNS has been successfully installed."

After installing CR-ERNS on your hard drive, the install program will change your current
directory to the new directory on which CR-ERNS has been installed. For example, if you
installed the system on your "C:\" drive, your computer will be set to the following directory upon
completing the installation program: :

C:\CRERNS\>
Whenever you want to access CR-ERNS on your computer, it will be necessary to make
this "CRERNS'" directory your current directory (or you may want to create a batch file to access
CR-ERNS from a menu). You are now ready to move on to the next section, Getting Started.

3.2 Getting Started

This section explains how to get started using CR-ERNS after installing it on your
computer system. It explains how to enter CR-ERNS and how to set up your printer and default
drives. This section also provides-an overview of some of the commands and features of
CR-ERNS.

3.2.1 Entering CR-ERNS

You must follow the two steps listed below to enter CR-ERNS.

Step 1: Change directories to your "CRERNS" directory.

After installation, your computer will be set to the proper directory for running CR-ERNS.
Thus, as in the example above, your system will be set to the "C\CRERNS" directory. Once you
have installed the program onto your hard drive, you can access the directory by typing :
"ed \crerns" at any DOS prompt. For further information, consult your DOS manual.

Step 2: Type the CRERNS command to enter the program

The next step is to type the CR-ERNS command at the DOS prompt to enter the system.
You will have to type one of two possible commands, depending upon whether you have a color
or monochrome monitor (the example below assumes the default directory is "C:\CRERNS\":

Color Monitor: C:\CRERNS\>CRERNS
Monochrome Monitor: : C:\CRERNS\>CRERNSM



Stack Height: Provide the height’of the Exhibit 4.5
stack from which this release occurs. Stack Release Source Information

Activity Resulting in Release: You must
identify the specific activity that causes the
release. For example, production process
for material X should be indicated as such.
If the release is caused by a malfunction
and you are reporting this as a continuous
release, please describe the circumstances
surrounding the release in the comments
section of CR-ERNS (i.e., press the
<F8> key and explain, press the <Ctrl>-
<W> keys when finished to save and
exit.)

Method of Establishing Pattern of
Release: State the method you used to
determine that the release is continuous
and stable in quantity and rate. Metho
include, but are not limited to, best ”
professional judgment, your knowledge of
the process, and past release data.

Exhibit 4.6
Optional Inputs: CR-ERNS provides the : Area Source Release Information
user with an opportunity to provide .
information on the inside diameter of the
stack, the gas exit velocity, and the gas
temperature. Reporting these three
parameters is optional but would aid EPA in .
evaluating the risks from the release. If this
information is not provided, EPA will use
conservative default values for purposes of
evaluating the risks from the release, which
may result in an overestimation of the risks
and inquiries or site visits from EPA Regional
personnel.

Once you have filled in the. source
information, press the <F10> key to save the
data. At this point, you should proceed to
input substance information pertaining to this
source. (Instructions for completing substance
information is presented in Section 4.4 below.)
After completing the substance information
for this source, you can then continue to complete source and substance information for
additional sources.

18



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION «0... 00.20 eee ecces cece eceueccuescuslenvevaeeenes 1

OVERVIEW OF CONTINUOUS RELEASE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 3

21 Initial Telephone Notification ........... 0... e ccc e eee eee eee ee eens 3
2.2 Initial Written Notification . . we 4 ~

2.3 Written Follow-up Report ................. 200052 o 4

2.4 Statistically Significant Increase ./......00.. 22... ee - 5

2.5 Notification of Change in the Release .......... 00.0 eee e cee eee eee 5

HOW TO INSTALL AND OPERATE CR-ERNS. .....0.-. 0c cece geen eens 7

3.1 Installing CR-ERNS ................. Lecce eet ceeeeeeeneeeeteeus 7

3.2 Getting Started ........ x . 8

3.2.1 _ Entering CR-ERNS . 8

3.2.2 Printer Setup .. 2.2... cece eee cence eee ees - 10

3.2.3. General Note on Protecting Your Continuous Release Data - 10

3.2.4 Configuring Your Computer System to Operate CR-ERNS ......... 12

SUBMITTING INITIAL WRITTEN NOTIFICATIONS ...... 0.0.2. 000ceeeeee 13

41 Getting Started ............0.. 14

4.2 Entering General Facility Information 14

43 Entering Source Information ..... 16

4.3.1 Releases to Air ....... ve. 17

4.3.2 » Releases to Ground Water ....... 25.0 c cece cece eee eee we. 19

4.3.3 Releases to Surface Water ......... 0000s cece cece eee -.. 20

4.3.4. Releases to Soil ........ vee 21

44 - Entering Substance Information : 21

44.1 Assistance in Entering Hazardous Substance Information . wee 23

4.4.2 Reporting Mixtures of Hazardous Substances .......... vee 24

45 Submitting the Initial Written Notification ............ 22. c cece eee eees 25

SUBMITTING ONE-TIME FOLLOW-UP REPORTS ........... 0. eeu eeee eee 29

SUBMITTING CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS ............eeeseeeee eee eeenee 31

iii



5. SUBMITTING ONE-TIME FOLLOW-UP REPORTS

This chapter explains how to fill out
the one-time Follow-up Report. Under
the continuous release reporting
regulation, this report must be submitted
one year after submitting the initial
written notification. You are encouraged
to consult the Facility Guide before
completing the follow-up report. The
Guide contains information that.is useful
in helping you understand the reporting
requirements.

The one-time follow-up reports are
identical in content to the Initial Written
Notification. The procedures for
submitting these reports are also the same
as for the Initial Written Notification. To
begin entering the information for a one-
time follow-up report, select the Add/Edit
option from the Main Menu, select the
Written Reports option, and then
select the "Open .. Existing CR Case"
option from the Written Reports Menu
(as shown in Exhibit 5.1). Next, enter
your CR-ERNS number and press the
<Enter> key, or press <Enter> to call
for a look-up table displaying your
facility’s reports to ensure you enter your
CR-ERNS number correctly. Next, select
the Follow-Up Report option as shown in
Exhibit 5.2. This will place you on the
General Facility Data screen (which is
identical to the one shown previously in

Exhibit 4.3). You can now begin entering _

your follow-up report.

Entering a follow-up report largely
involves verifying the information that you
entered into CR-ERNS when you created
the initial written notification. If you have
any questions, refer to the appropriate
section of Chapter 4 of this Manual.

Exhibit 5.1

- Entering a Follow-Up Report Screen 1

Exhibit 5.2
Entering a Follow-Up Report Screen 2

29


Exhibit 4.3
General Facility Information

-ERNS Case Nunber ... G86 paaeegat

Facility Infornation
Hane: BLANCO’ INDUSTRIES

steset: WHITE ROAD i 2 124-
CLEVELAND \ YAHOGA

FL - Help F8 ~ Connents

15



Stream/River Specific Information: If the release is to a stream or tiver, enter the name of the :
stream or river, and either the stream/river volumetric flow rate or the stream/river order. Report
the stream/river velocity if it is known. :

Lake Specifics: If the release is.to a lake, enter the lake’s name, surface area, and depth, :

Activity Resulting in Release:. You must identify the specific activity that causes the release. For
example, stormwater runoff should be indicated as such. If the release is caused by a malfunction
and you are reporting ‘this as a continuous release, please describe the circumstances surrounding

the release in the comments section of CR-ERNS (ie., press the <F8> key and explain, press the
<Ctrl>-<W> keys when finished to save and exit.)

Method of Establishing Pattern of Release: State the method you used to determine that the
release is continuous and stable in quantity and rate. Methods include, but are not limited to,
best professional judgment, your knowledge of the process, and past release data.

Once you have filled in the source information, press the <F10> key to save the data.
You should now proceed to input substance information pertaining to this source. (Instructions
for completing substance information are presented in Section 4.4 below.) After completing the
substance information for this source, you can then continue to complete source and substance
information for additional sources, if appropriate.

4.3.4 Releases to Soil : Exhibit 4.9
~ “ Soil Release Source Information
To report information on sources

releasing to soil, you must select.the soil
option from the Affected Environmental
Media screen (Exhibit 4.4). After

. selecting this option, the computer will
. display the screen shown in Exhibit 4.9.

The data elements presented on the
Release to Soil screen are identical to
those pertaining to releases to ground
water. See’section 4.3.2 for a description
of these elements.

44 Entering Substance Information

: This section explains how to input .
substance-specific information into CR-
ERNS for your initial written notification.
This information represents the most
critical component of the report because it
provides EPA with information about the

” specific hazardous substances being released, the upper and lower bounds of the amounts released
during each 24-hour period, and the number of releases that have occurred over the past year.

For a detailed discussion of how to report this substance-specific information and other Agency



information on as many SOUrCES 2 as s you Exhibit 4.4
nm would like to report. ° oo Affected Environment Screen

The Affected‘Environment input: -
screen requires you to identify the ©
affected environmental medium for your

. fitst release source. Because the release
information that must be submitted differs
for each medium, it is important that you:
identify the affected environmental —.
medium correctly. CR-ERNS provides
you with four choices: air, ground water,
surface water, and soil. If your release is
a,-multimedia release that could affect
more than one environmental medium,
select the medium that receives the
greatest percentage of the telease.. If ‘your
source releases hazardous. substances in a
continuous and-stable manner to more
- than one medium (eg. gypsum § stack that... FL - Help
releases radon to air and other hazardous.
substances to soil), treat the sourcé as if it
were two distinct sources and report the
release into each medium separately.

As shown i in Exhibit 4.4, if your release is to air, you must further: specify v whether the:
release is from a stack source or an area‘source. If you are not sure which. kind of release:is most -
relevant, consult. the Facility Guide. Generally, most air releases from ground sources should be
_treated as area sources. Thus, if your facility has a tank farm with continuous releases from a
variety of tank vents and valves, the éntire tank farm would constitute your area source:

After you select one of the environmental media shown in Exhibit 4.4, the computer will
display the source screen relevant.to that environmental pathway. These source screens are
described individually below.

43.1 Releases to Air ; eo, . cobs

CR-l ERNS iracks releases. to. air from two basic kinds of sources: stack sources and area
sources. As described’ above, you must indicate which of these two source types is relevant for
each air release.’ After selecting one of these two source. types, the computer will. display the
source screen for the stack source or area source (Exhibits 4.5 and-4.6, respectively).

. Exhibit 45 displays the source information that: you must st report for stack releases: to air.
This-inforniation is briefly described below.

Source Name: Enter the name of the source from which the release | oodure A aes name, 2

is preferable. For example, if the unit is a centrifugal processor, name the source. Centrifugal
Processor #4, rather than Unit #4.

17


To print the follow-up Report and download it to a disk for submittal to the EPA Region,
follow the procedures outlined in Section 4.5 for the initial written notification. The process will
be identical for follow-up reports. Again, you are required to submit a signed printed version of
the report along with the electronic version submitted on a floppy disk.

30



3.2.4 Configuring Your Computer System to Operate CR-ERNS

Many computers that are typically used for wordprocessing or spreadsheet software must be
reconfigured to operate database management software such as CR-ERNS. If your computer is
configured in this manner, it may generate an error when you attempt to run CR-ERNS. This
section provides instructions for reconfiguring your system to allow the proper operation of CR-
ERNS. These instructions assume that you have a working understanding of DOS and that you -
can use an ASCII text editor to edit your system configuration files. :

If you have installed CR-ERNS on an improperly configured computer, you may have
found that CR-ERNS crashes and exits to DOS (your system will also display a DOS error
message). Even if you have not yet encountered this problem, it may be useful to check your
system configuration as explained below to determine whether your system should also be
reconfigured. .

First, you must enter your system’s CONFIG.SYS file using a word processor or editor that
can edit ASCII files. The CONFIG.SYS file is always located in the root directory of your hard
disk (e.g., "C:\"). Once you have entered this file, examine your "FILES=" line; if it is set at 26 or.
higher, you do not need to change it. If it is less than 26, you must change the "FILES=" line to
a value ranging from 26 to 30. Because setting your "FILES=" line too high can cause your
machine to slow down, we do not recommend setting this parameter larger than 30 unless you
have other software that requires it. When you have reset this parameter to 26 or higher, save
the file in ASCII format, and reboot your machine so.that the new value takes effect. For further
information, consult your DOS manual. tot _ : Suid



vessel and enable EPA to link all reports about releases from your facility or vessel. If you
misplace your CR-ERNS number, contact the CR-ERNS Coordinator at the appropriate EPA .
Regional Office and provide information identifying your facility or vessel. The EPA Region will
attempt to assist you. :

If you elect to aggregate your hazardous substance releases from separate, contiguous, or
adjacent facilities for’ purposes of continuous release reporting, the NRC will assign only one CR-
ERNS number to your site. This number will be used by EPA to identify all reports on releases
from your site.

2.2 Initial Written Notification

Within 30 days of the initial telephone notification, you are required to submit an initial
written report to the appropriate EPA Regional Office. (The Facility Guide includes a listing of
EPA Regional Offices.) The purpose of this written report is to confirm your intent to report
your release as a continuous release under the requirements of section 103(£)(2) of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and to
provide government response officials with sufficient information about the release to enable
them to determine if the release qualifies as a continuous release and to identify the potential
risks associated with the release. . .

The initial written notification must include specific information about each individual
source of the continuous release, the environmental medium affected, certain ecological and
population density information, and a brief statement describing the basis for asserting that the
release is continuous and stable in quantity and rate. (A detailed discussion of the requirements
of the initial written and follow-up reports is provided in the Facility Guide.)

To assist you in preparing written reports, such as the initial written notification and the
one-time follow-up report, EPA has made available the IBM-compatible diskette described in this
User’s Manual, to assist those who would like to prepare’ their reports electronically. If you
choose to use the diskette when preparing your reports, you should send the electronic version on
a separate diskette and one signed copy of the report to the EPA Regional Office. (The SERC
and LEPC must also be sent a signed copy of the initial written report.) You can also use the
diskette to prepare the follow-up report and notifications of change, if you properly install the
diskette on the hard drive of your computer using the "automatic install program." Directions for
installing the diskette on your computer are presented in Chapter Three of this User’s Manual.

2.3 Written Follow-up Report

The information required in the written follow-up report is identical to that required in the
initial written notification, but it is based on release data gathered over the year (i.e., during the
period since the submission of the initial written report). The purpose of the follow-up report is
to update, confirm, and refine the information submitted in the initial written notification, thereby
providing government authorities with a more accurate baseline against which to evaluate the
risks associated with the continuous release. After you have submitted the follow-up report to
the EPA Regional Office, you are responsible for reassessing the continuous releases annually,
but you are not required to notify EPA of each reassessment unless there is a change in the
information previously submitted to EPA.



Exhibit 4.18
Download Options Screen

If your floppy disk is not formatted or
cannot be read correctly, CR-ERNS will
give you an error message. Exit CR-
ERNS, reformat your floppy disk, return
to CR-ERNS, and try again.. Finally,
select the facilities or vessels that you
want td download to disk by highlighting
them and then pressing the <Enter> key
(as shown in Exhibit 4.19). If you
accidentally tag a facility you do not want
to download on this disk, repeat the
tagging process and the facility or vessel
will be untagged. .

Once CR-ERNS has completed the
download procedure, place the floppy disk
in a disk mailer and send the disk mailer
along with the signed copy of the Written
Notification to your EPA Regional Office.
Note: The signed copy of the Written
Notification MUST accompany the disk
when you mail it to the EPA Regional Office.
Send another signed copy of the Written Exhibit 4.19
Notification to the SERC and LEPC. Download Facility Pick List Screen



Exhibit 4.12
After entering the chemical name and Chemical Look-Up Prompt
pressing the <Enter> key, the system will - - =
input the correct CAS Number, CHRIS 1. Search on CAS Number
Code, and chemical name in the proper 2. Search on.Chemical Name

entries on the screen. If you misspell the 3. Search on CHRIS Code
chemical name, CR-ERNS will also display : 4. Chemical is a Mixture
the chemical lookup table shown in . :
Exhibit 4.13.

To use the chemical lookup table; =“ “os “Exhibit 4.13 -
scroll through the chemical list with your Chemical Look-Up Table
cursor until you find the chemical that you _
want to report. Press the <Enter> key.”
The chemical, along: with its correct’'CAS
Number and CHRIS Code, will now be
placed in their proper Places i in the input
screen.

4.4.2 Reporting Mixtures of Hazardous
Substances

As described in the Facility Guide,
you may report a continuous release of a.
mixture of hazardous substances in your
written notification. To, specify a mixture,
do not fill in the entry for CAS Number
on the Substance Specific Information

table. Pressing the <Enter> key will call
the prompt for the chemical lookup screen
(see Exhibit 4.12). - Select Option 4, which
corresponds to a chemical mixture. CR-
ERNS will place a string of zeros in the
entry for CAS Number, will ‘leave the CHRIS Code entry blank a and will type *Chemical Mixture"

remainder of the information on the input screen. "While you are entering information on this
screen, treat the mixture as if it were one hazardous substance; that i is, enter all the information,
including the bounds of the normal range, for the réleased mixture.

The next step is to specify the release information for the hazardous substance components
of the mixture. From the Substance Specific Information screen, press the <F4> key; CR-ERNS
will display the Chemical Component Specific Information screen (Exhibit 4.14). The Chemical
Component Specific Information screen is almost identical to the Substance Specific Information
screen (Exhibit 4.11), in that it has entries for CAS Number, CHRIS Code, and chemical name.
In addition to these entries, however, you must report the percentage by weight of the hazardous
substance component in the mixture as a whole. For example, if your mixture contains two
hazardous substance components, each accounting for 15% of the mixture by weight, enter 15 in
the appropriate entry. More detailed information on how to report mixtures’can be found in the
Facility Guide. [Note: Because of differences in units, do not report non-radionuclidé and

24



1, INTRODUCTION

‘

The purpose of this User’s Manual is to help you report continuous releases of hazardous
substances using the Continuous Release-Emergency Response Notification System (CR-ERNS).
CR-ERNS is contained on the diskette accompanying this User’s Manual. CR-ERNS contains a
convenient report format that will assist you in complying with all of the reporting requirements
contained in EPA’s continuous release reporting regulation (55 FR 30166).

This User’s Manual explains how to install CR-ERNS on your personal computer, how to
complete continuous release reports, and how to submit electronic copies of these reports to the
appropriate EPA Regional Office, state emergency response commission (SERC), or local.
emergency planning committee (LEPC). It also includes a brief overview of the information that
must be submitted in order to comply with the continuous release reporting requirements.

For more detailed information concerning the continuous release reporting requirements
and your responsibility to report releases of hazardous substances, you are encouraged to obtain a
copy of the following document through the RCRA/Superfund Hotline or the National Technical
Information Service:

* + US. EPA, "Reporting Requirements for Continuous Releases of Hazardous
Substances: A Guide for Facilities and Vessels on Compliance," Office of
Emergency and Remedial Response, OSWER Directive 9360.7-01, October 1990.

This Facility Guide provides a detailed explanation of the continuous release reporting
regulations, including an extensive question and answer section. The Guide will assist you in
understanding what continuous release information must be submitted to the relevant agencies.
Because this information is presented in detail in the Facility Guide, this CR-ERNS User’s
Manual for Industry only addresses your reporting responsibilities in a brief manner. Instead, this
Manual focuses on how to use CR-ERNS to submit your continuous release reports.

This User’s. Manual has been developed and organized to assist you in submitting the
different types of continuous release reports that may be required for your facility. The first
chapter provides an overview of the continuous release reporting requirements; Chapter Two
explains how to install CR-ERNS; the remaining chapters describe how to complete and submit
each of the following types of continuous release reports using CR-ERNS:

. Initial Written Notification;

. One-Time Follow-up Report; and

. Change Notifications.



Exhibit 3.1
Exhibit 3.2
Exhibit 3.3
Exhibit 3.4
Exhibit 4.1
Exhibit 4.2
Exhibit 4.3
Exhibit 4.4
Exhibit 4.5
Exhibit 4.6
Exhibit 4.7
Exhibit 4.8
Exhibit 4.9
Exhibit 4.10
Exhibit 4.11
Exhibit 4.12
Exhibit 4.13
Exhibit 4.14
Exhibit 4.15
Exhibit 4.16
Exhibit 4.17
Exhibit 4.18
Exhibit 4.19
Exhibit 5.1
Exhibit 5.2
Exhibit 6.1
Exhibit 6.2
Exhibit 6.3

LIST OF EXHIBITS

Minimum Computer System Requirements . .
Main Menu

Printer Setup Screens ....

List of Available Printers .
Information Hierarchy

Creating a CR-ERNS Written Report .
General Facility Information
Affected Environment Screen

Stack Release Source Information .
Area Source Release Information . .
Ground Water Source Information .

* Surface Water Source Information -

Soil Release Source Information :
Release Source and Substance Listing Screens
Substance Specific Information Screens
Chemical Look-Up Prompt

Chemical Look-Up Table

Chemical Component Specific Information.
Chemical Components Listing Screen ... .
Printing Facility Reports

Download Menu Screen . .

Download Options Screen

Download Facility Pick List Screen .. .
Entering a Follow-Up Report Screen 1 .
Entering a Follow-Up Report Screen 2 .
Change Notification Menu Screen 1

Change in General Facility Information Screen .
Change in Source or Composition Screen



4, . SUBMITTING INITIAL WRITTEN NOTIFICATIONS

This chapter explains how to use CR-ERNS to compleie and submit initial written
notifications to the EPA Regional Office, SERC, and LEPC. You are encouraged to consult the
Facility Guide before completing an initial written notification. The Guide contains information
that will help you understand the reporting requirements.

CR-ERNS is structured to. allow you to report more than one continuous release. Thus,
the system can manage a variable number of sources and substances. To understand how to best
complete an initial written notification, it is useful to understand how the system structures the
reports. Exhibit 4.1 below is a flow diagram illustrating how initial written notification
information is organized in CR-ERNS.

. Exhibit 4.1
Information Hierarchy

General Facility Information

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
Substance 1 Substance 2
Component 1 Component 2

As Exhibit 4.1 illustrates, each initial written notification must include the same general
facility information (which is described in Section 4.2). After completing the general facility
information, you must enter information relating to the source(s) of the continuous release(s),
and information on the hazardous substance(s) being released from the source(s). -The order in
which you enter this information, however, is not fixed. For example, once you enter information
about Source 1, CR-ERNS allows you either to enter information on the hazardous substance(s)
being released from Source 1, or to enter information about Source 2. Although CR-ERNS is
designed to allow flexibility in reporting, it is recommended that you complete all of the
information for a given source (including the hazardous substance information) before entering
information on additional sources. This will help ensure that you do not mistakenly omit critical
substance information from your report.

13



2. OVERVIEW OF CONTINUOUS RELEASE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

This chapter provides a brief overview of EPA’s continuous release reporting regulation (55
ER 30166; July 24,.1990). For a full explanation of your reporting responsibilities under these
requirements, consult the Federal Register and EPA’s guidance for facilities and vessels on
complying with these regulations.

The continuous release reporting regulation allows reduced Teporting for releases of
hazardous substances that equal or exceed a reportable quantity (RQ) in a "continuous" and
"stable" manner. "Continuous" is defined as occurring without interruption or abatement, or
routine, anticipated, intermittent, and incidental to normal operations. "Stable" is defined as
predictable and regular in the amount and rate of emission. To report under the continuous
release reporting regulation, you must have a sufficient basis for establishing that the release is
continuous and stable in quantity and rate, as those terms are defined in the regulation. Once
such a basis has been established, you may begin reporting by making the initial telephone
notification.

There are four steps in the continuous release notification process. Each step in the
process involves a different type of continuous release notification. CR-ERNS will assist you in
developing three of the continuous release reports:

. Initial written notifications;
. Follow-up reports; and
. Change notifications.

The discussion below outlines your reporting responsibilities at each stage of the continuous
release reporting process.

2.1 Initial Telephone Notification

. You must make an initial telephone call to three separate government authorities: the
NRC, the SERC, and the LEPC. The initial telephone call will alert authorities to your intent to
report a release as a continuous release; be certain your intent is clear to those receiving your
telephone call. (Part 2 of the Facility Guide includes a summary of the information that must be
provided to government response officials in the initial telephone call.)

When you make the initial telephone notification, the NRC will assign a CR-ERNS number
to your facility or vessel. You must use this number in all future release reports or
correspondence related to continuous releases from your facility. It is important, therefore, to
keep a record of your. CR-ERNS number. The CR-ERNS number will identify your facility or

2 US. EPA, “Reporting Requirements for Continuous Releases of Hazardous Substances: A
Guide for Facilities and Vessels on Compliance," Office of Emergency and Remedial Response,
OSWER Directive 9360.7-01, October 1990. To obtain this document, contact the
RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800) 424-9346 (in Washington, DC, 0) 382-3000), or the
National Technical Information Service at (703) 487-4600.

3



Exhibit 4.6 displays t the source information that you must report for area source releases to
air. This information is briefly described below.

Source Name: Enter the name of the source from which the release occurs. A descriptive ame
is preferable (¢.g., Centrifugal Processor #4, rather than Unit #4).

Surface Area: Enter the total surface area of the release source. For example, this might consist
of the area that encompasses a group of pipe vents releasing a hazardous substance, or the
surface area of a mining waste pile.

Activity Resulting in Release: You must identify the specific activity that causes the release. For
example, fugitive dust emissions from mining waste piles should be indicated as'such.. If the
Telease is caused by a malfunction and you are reporting this as a continuous release, please
describe the circumstances surrounding the release in the comments section of CR-ERNS (i.e.,
press the <F8> key and explain, press the <Ctrl>-<W> keys when finished to save and exit.)

Method of Establishing Pattern of Release: State the method you used to determine that the
release is continuous and stable in quantity and rate. Methods include, but are not limited to,
best professional judgment, your knowledge of the process, and past release data.

Once you have filled in the source information, press the <F10> key to save the data. At
this point, you should proceed. to input substance information pertaining to this source.
(Instructions for completing substance information are presented in Section 4.4 below.) After
completing the substance information for this source, you can then continue to complete source
and substance information for additional sources.

43.2, Releases to Ground Water Sy

To report information on releases to ground water, you must select the ground water
option from the Affected Environmental Media screen (Exhibit 4.4). After selecting this option,
the ‘computer will display the screen shown in Exhibit 4.7. The data elements presented on the
Release to Ground Water screen are described briefly below.

Source Name: Enter the name of the source from which the release occurs. A descriptive name
is preferable. For example, if the unit is a centrifugal processor, name the source e Centrifugal
Processor #4, rather than Unit #4.

Distance to Public Water Well: Provide the- distance to the public water well nearest to the
source of the continuous release. This should include either residential wells or public water
supply wells.

Activity Resulting in Release: ‘You must identify the specific activity that causes the release. For -
. example, leaching from a stockpile of material X should be indicated as such. If the-reléase is
caused by a malfunction and you are reporting this as a continuous release, please describe the.
circumstances surrounding the release in the comments section of CR-ERNS (ie., press the <F8> :
key and explain, press the <Ctrl>-<W> keys when finished to save and e3 exit.)

19


SEPA

United States Office of Emergency EPAVS40/G-91/005

Environmental Protection Remedial Respons March 1991
Agency Washington, DC. 20460
Superfund

Continuous Release —
Emergency Response

Notification System

User's Manual for Industry





2.4 Statistically Significant Increase

A statistically significant increase (SSI) is any release of a hazardous substance that exceeds
the upper bound of the normal range. The normal range is defined to include all the releases of
a hazardous substance reported or occurring over any 24-hour period under normal operating

‘ conditions during the preceding year. Only those releases that are both continuous ‘and stable in
quantity and. rate may be included in the normal range. ,

An SSI in a continuous release of a hazardous substance must. be reported to the NRC,
SERG, and LEPC as soon as the person in charge is aware that the release exceeds the upper
bound of the normal range. The upper bound of the normal range is often referred to as the
"SSI trigger." SSIs are a type of episodic release and are treated as such by the NRC. When
reporting an SSI, therefore, the caller should anticipate that the NRC will ask for information
that is similar to the information requested when a person reports any other‘episodic telease
incident.

SSI reports to the NRC must include the CR-ERNS number assigned to the facility or
vessel by the NRC during the initial telephone notification. It may be possible to adjust the SSI
trigger (ie; change the normal range of the release) if a particular continuous release frequently
exceeds the upper bound of the normal range. Specific procedures for modifying the SSI trigger
for a hazardous substance are contained in the Facility Guide. ~

2.5 Notification of Change in the Release

‘You must notify the EPA Regional Office if there are any changes in a continuous release.
If there is a change in the source or composition of a continuous release, the release is
considered a "new" release. A change in the source(s) or composition of a release may be caused
by such factors as equipment modifications or process changes. To continue reporting the release
under CERCLA section 103(f)(2), you must establish the new release as continuous and stable in
quantity and rate, with an initial telephone call to the NRC, SERC, and LEPC and, within 30
days, submit an initial written notification to the appropriate EPA Regional Office, SERC, and
LEPC. When telephoning the NRC, clearly identify the release as a change in the source or
composition of a previously reported release and provide the CR-ERNS number assigned by the
NRC in your original initial telephone call. The CR-ERNS number identifies your facility or
vessel. .

For all other changes (i.e., changes other than source or composition) in the information
submitted in the initial written notification or follow-up report, you must notify the EPA Regional
Office by letter within 30 days of determining that the information submitted previously is no
longer accurate. Examples of changes in information other than a change in source or
composition that would require notification include a change in the identity of the person in
charge of the facility or vessel or a change in the frequency of the release. All notifications of
changes in releases must include the original CR-ERNS number assigned to the facility or vessel
by the NRC in the initial telephone notification. You must also include a signed statement with
the notification certifying that all the reported information on the release submitted to date is
accurate and current. (A similar signed statement is required in all written correspondence
pertaining to the continuous release.) :



The next step involves printing a
copy of the Report and verifying the
information. Before printing your report,
you may wish to reinc.>x your files (see
Section 3.2.3) To print, first select the
Reports option from the Main Menu
(Exhibit 4.16). Enter your CR-ERNS
number and then select the Facility
Report option from the Reports Menu.
Next, select the Print Report option from
the Facility Reports Menu. Finally, specify
how many copies you would like to print;
this number can be as many as nine.
Once you have a copy, review it to ensure
that the information you entered is
correct. If the information is correct, sign
the last page of the report. The report
should then be sent to the EPA Regional
Office, SERC, and LEPC (along with the
electronic diskette). Note: If you have not
configured CR-ERNS to the printer you are
using, see Section 3.2.2, Printer Setup, of
this document. ,

The last action you must take
before you are finished is to download the
Notification to a floppy disk for submittal
to the EPA Regional Office, along with
the signed copy of the Report. To
perform this function, place a blank,
formatted floppy disk in your "A:\" drive
(the rest of this example assumes that you
are using the "A:\" drive; if not, substitute
the drive you are using wherever the "A:\"
drive is indicated here). Next, select the
Utilities option from the Main Menu,
select the Upload/Download option from
the Utilities Menu, and finally select the
Download option from the
Upload/Download Menu (as shown in
Exhibit 4.17). At the options screen for
selecting the path for downloading your
report, press the <Enter> key twice to
download your report to your “A:\" drive
(Exhibit 4.18). If you are downloading
your report to another drive, specify the
proper drive and path accordingly.

Exhibit 4.16
Printing Facility Reports

Exhibit 4.17
, Download Menu Screen

26



radionuclide releases together in a single
mixture. Rather, for purposes of -
reporting such combinations, you can
report the radionuclide releases as one
mixture, and the other hazardous
substances as a second mixture.]

After you have finished entering the
required information for the first
hazardous substance component, press the
<F10> key to save the information and to
return to the Chemical Components
Listing Screen (Exhibit 4.15). This screen
provides a list of the hazardous substance
components that you reported for this
mixture. To add another hazardous
substance component to the report on this
mixture, press the <F9> key. Repeat this
procedure until you have reported all of
the hazardous substance components of
this mixture. From the Chemical
Components Listing screen, press the
<Enter> key to return to the Substance
Specific Listing Screen (Exhibit 4.11).

45 Submitting the Initial Written
Notification

Once you have entered information
on all the hazardous substances for a given
source, complete the required information
for the next source you wish to report and
enter the information on all of the
hazardous substances released from that
source. Continue this process until all of
the sources and. hazardous substances
released in a continuous and stable
manner from your facility have been
reported. When you finish each section,
save your work, thus eliminating the need
to save the entire report before returning
to the Main Menu.

Exhibit 4.14

Chemical Component Specific Information

Exhibit 4.15
Chemical Components Listing Screen





Notification Date: Enter the date on which you complete this report.

Facility Information: You must provide the name of your facility, along with its street address,
city, county, state, an¢ ZIP Code.

Latitude and Longitude: Enter the latitude and longitude of your facility in degrees, minutes, and
seconds. If you are teporting a continuous release from a vessel, leave this entry blank and
identify your location in Loran Coordinates. -If you do not know your latitude and longitude, CR-
ERNS includes a validation function to ensure that you enter values that are within your county.

Vessel Loran Coordinates: If you are reporting a continuous release for a vessel, enter the Loran
Coordinates of the location where the release occurs. If you are reporting a release from a
facility, leave this entry blank.

s -
Vessel Port of Registration: If you are reporting a continuous release for a vessel, enter the ‘port
name and state in which your vessel is registered. Enter "N/A" if the release is from a facility.

Dun & Bradstreet Number(s) of Facility: Enter the Dun & Bradstreet Number(s) assigned to
the whole physical facility. If there is more than one profit-center (and, therefore, more than one
Dun & Bradstreet Number) per physical facility, report the Dun & Bradstreet Number for the
profit-center where the release is occurring.

Population Density within a One-Mile Radius of Facility: You must provide an estimate of the
population per square mile within a one-mile radius of the facility. You can report population
density in a number of ranges specified o1 on the continuous release reporting regulation (e.g., 101-
500 persons per square mile).

Person in Charge: Provide the name and phone number of the person at the facility with the
highest level of responsibility concerning the continuous release(s). Provide an alternative phone
number if available. :

Sensitive Populations and Ecosystems within a One-Mile Radius of Facility: If there are
sensitive populations or ecosystems located within a one-mile radius of the facility, you must
provide the identity and location in your report. To enter this information, you must press the
<F8> key to display the comments field. Type your sensitive populations and ecosystems
information in this field, and then press <Ctrl><W> to save.

After completing all of the general facility information, you should review your report
carefully. Once you are confident that you have accurately reported this information, press the
<F10> key to save the information displayed on the screen. The computer will prompt you to
verify this information; if it is correct proceed as indicated. The next step will be to enter source
and substance information associated with your continuous release.

43 Entering Source Information

After completing the general facility information, CR-ERNS will display the Affected
Environment screen shown in Exhibit 4.4, which relates to the first source of a continuous release
that you are reporting. As described in the Facility Guide, you may report several releases and
sources in one initial written notification. CR-ERNS is designed to allow you to submit

16





Environmental Protection
Agency

Information
Cincinnati OH 45268

BULK RATE
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No. G-35

Official Business
Penalty for Private Use, $300

Please make all necessary changes on the above label,
detach or copy, and return to the address in the upper
left-hand corner,

If you do not wish to receive these reports CHECK HERE 0;
detach, or copy this cover, and return to the address in the
upper left-hand corner.

EPA/S40/G-91/005



policy. on compliance with the continuous
release reporting requirements, you are
encouraged to refer to the Facility Guide.

Once you have filled in the source
information for a given source, press the
<F10> key to save the data. You will .
then be placed on the Release Source
Listing screen shown in Exhibit 4.10 (this
exhibit also displays the Substance Listing
Screen described below). You should now
proceed to input substance-specific
information pertaining to this source.
After completing the substance
information for this source, continue to fill
in source and substance information for
additional sources, as necessary.

From the Release Source Listing
screen (Exhibit 4.10), press the <F4> key
to enter substance-specific information to
the highlighted source. A Substance
Specific Information screen is shown in
Exhibit 4.11.

To enter information in the .
Substance Specific Information screen,
move the cursor to each entry, type in the _
correct response, and press the <Enter>
key. After completing all of the
information on the screen, press the
<F10> key to save the information. Each
of the data elements that must be
completed are described briefly below.

CASRN: You must provide the hazardous
substance’s Chemical Abstract Service
Registry Number (CASRN). This number
is a (maximum) ten digit number and.
should be entered without the usual
dashes. See section 4.4.1 of this Manual
for assistance in identifying a CAS
Number for a particular hazardous
substance.

CHRIS Code: If available, you should
enter the hazardous substance’s Chemical
Hazards Response Information System

Exhibit 4.10
Release Source and Substance Listing Screens

Esc) fibort,

Exhibit 4.11
Substance Specific Information Screens

22



NOTICE

This document has been reviewed in accordance with
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and
approved for publication. Mention of trade names

or commercial products does not constitute endorse-
ment or recomméndation for use.



After pressing the <Enter> key, you will have entered the CR-ERNS program and will be
teady to configure the program to your system specifications (primarily setting it up to recognize
your printer). The Main Menu that you will see is illustrated in Exhibit 3.2.

The Main Menu displays the five : Exhibit 3.2
primary options available on CR-ERNS.  - no Main Menu -
To access any of these system ‘options,
simply use the cursor keys to highlight the
selected option and press the <Enter>
key to select it; or, you can press the firs!
letter of the desired command. :

The five menu options are described
below:

: System: This component provides
general information on CR-ERNS
and allows the user to access a
scheduler and pop-up calculator. It
also can be used to exit from CR-
ERNS. You can also exit CR-
ERNS by pressing the <Ctrl>-
<Q> key from anywhere in the
system.

. Add/Edit: This function allows the
user to add or edit continuous
release reports.

° Reports: This function allows the user to’ print or view the continuous release reports that
will be submitted to EPA. It also contains a display that can be used to track how many of
the various kinds of continuous release reports have been submitted by your company.

. To DOS: This auxiliary function allows the user to exit temporarily from the system to
access the operating system; by typing "EXIT" the user will then be’ brought back into-CR-
ERNS. This function can be accessed from anywhere. in CR-ERNS by pressing the
<Ctrl>-<F10> key. . : wea

° Utilities: The Utilities option contains a’ number of functions necessary for system setup ©
‘and for submitting reports. It contains the functions for specifying your printer to allow
you to print reports, transferring your continuous release reports to a floppy disk for
submittal to EPA, backing up your data, and reindexing your files. .

3.2.2 Printer Setup

Because you must submit a printed, signed copy of your reports along with the electronic
disk version created with CR-ERNS, it is necessary to configure CR-ERNS. to communicate with
your printer. Exhibit 3.3 presents the computer screen that you must access to select your printer.



AST TurboLaser
Alphacom 8125

Anadex 9620A

Anadex DP-6500

Anadex DP-9000/DP-9500
Anadex DP-9001/DP-9501
Blaser

Brother HR1

Brother HR15/25

C. Itoh 8510A

C. Itoh F10

C. Itoh LIPS 10+

Canon LBP-8 A1/A2

Canon LBP-8 A1/A2(ISO)

Centronics 351/352/353
Centronics H80-1/H80-2
Citizen MSP-10/MSP-15
Comrex CR-I

Comrex CR-II

Cordata LP300. -
Cordata Lbls 10x1"high
DaisyWriter 1500/2000
Data Products SPG-8010
Datasouth DS 180
Diablo 620 & 630
Dynax DX-15

Epson E/F/J/RX/LQ
Epson EX-800/1000
Epson LX

Epson LX-90

Epson MX-

Generic printer

HP 2225C+ (Epson Mode)
HP 2225C+ (HP Mode)
HP LaserJet (2000)/II
HP LaserJet 500/+/1
HP PaintJet (HP3630)
IBM 80 CPS Graphics
IBM 80 CPS Matrix
IBM Color Printer

IBM LetterQuality 5218
IBM Pageprinter 3812
IBM Proprinter

IBM Quietwriter 5201

Exhibit 3.4
List of Available Printers

IBM Quietwriter IIT
IBM Wheelprinter 5216
IDS 460 :
IDS Prism 80/132

Juki 6100

Kyocera F-1010 (Land)
Kyocera F-1010 (Port)
Mannesmann MT160/180
Mannesmann Spirit-80
NEC Pinwriter P2/P3
NEC Pinwriter P2200
NEC Pinwriter P5/P6/P7
NEC Silentwriter LC850
NEC Silentwriter LC860
NEC Spinwriter 3550
NEC Spinwriter 5515/25
NEC Spinwriter 7710/20
NEC Spinwriter 7715/25
NEC Spinwriter 7730
Oki Laserline6

Oki Microline 182/183
Oki Microline 192/193
Oki Microline 292/3/4
Oki Microline 82A/83A
Oki Microline 84/92/93
Oki Okimate 20 .

Oki Pacemark 2350

Oki Pacemark 2410

Oki Pacemerk 2410-IBM
Oki Plug&Play 192/193
Oki Plug&Play 82A/83A.
Oki Plug&Play 84/92/93
Other Printer
Panasonic KX-P1090
Panasonic KX-P1091
Panasonic KX-P3151
Postscript

QuadLaser

Quadram QuadJet’
Qume-Sprint5
Qume Sprint 9/45, 9/55
Sanyo PR-5500

Silver Reed 550 (Line)
Silver Reed 550 (Ser)

11

Silver Reed 770

Star Gemini 10-X/15-X
Star Radix 10/15 —
Texas Inst 850/855
Texas Inst 860/865
Toshiba P 341/351
Toshiba P1340
Toshiba P1350

Toshiba P1351

Xerox 2700 IT

Xerox 4045 - 630 Mode



OSWER Directive: 9360.7-02
March 1991

Continuous Release—Emergency
Response Notification System

User's Manual -
for

Industry

Office of Emergency and Remedial x1 Response (0s 21 9)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Washington, DC 20460
& Printed on Recycled Paper



change in the source of a hazardous substance (this includes the addition of a new source or the
release of a new hazardous substance from an existing source), then the release is considered a
new release. In this case, you must make an Initial Telephone Notification to the NRC and then
submit an initial written report within 30 days of your call to the NRC. You will continue to use
your original CR-ERNS case number for this new continuous release, and you will be prompted
by the NRC to provide this when you call.

The examples presented above are situations in which a source or composition change ~
would be necessary. They do not represent the entire spectrum of situations where such a change
notification would be required. Again, consult the Facility G ‘Guide for more information regarding
your reporting requirements.

To enter a notification of change in source or composition, select the Add/Edit option from
the Main Menu and then-select the Written Report option from the Add/Edit Menu. Next, enter
your facility’s CR-ERNS number and press the <Enter> key. Finally, select the Change
Notification option and the Source and Composition option (as shown in Exhibit 6.3).

After completing the entries in the Exhibit 6.3
report, which are identical to the initial Change in Source or Composition Screen
written notification screens, you may
submit the report to the EPA Regional
Office, SERC, and LEPC. Submitting the
notification of change in source or
composition involves the same steps as
those required for submitting a written
initial report; consult Section 4.5 of this
Manual for details.

32 3CUS. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1991 - $48-187/20887



Method of Establishing Pattern of
Release: State the method you used to
determined that the release is continuous
and stable in quantity and rate. Methods
include, but are not limited to, best
professional judgment, your knowledge of
the process, and past release data.

Once you have filled in the source
information, press the <F10> key to save
the data. You should now proceed to
input substance information pertaining to
this source. (Instructions for completing
substance information are presented in
Section 4.4 below.) After completing the
substance information for this source, you
can then continue to complete source and
substance information for additional
sources.

4.3.3 Releases to Surface Water

To report information on sources
releasing to surface water, you must select
the surface water option from the
Affected Environmental Media screen
(Exhibit 4.4). After selecting this option,
the computer will display the screen
shown in Exhibit 4.8.

To report a release to surface
water, you must indicate whether the
hazardous substances are released to a
stream/river or a lake. You must fill in
one or the other of these two types of
surface water bodies, but you cannot
specify a release to both. The data
elements presented on the Release to
Surface Water screen are described briefly
below.

Source Name: Enter-the name of the
source from which the release occurs. A
descriptive name is preferable. For
example, if the unit is a centrifugal
processor, name the source Centrifugal Processor #4, rather than Unit #4.

Exhibit 4.7
Ground Water Source Information

Hethad of Establjshing the Pattern

FB -Cornents FB - Saves

Exhibit 4.8
Surface Water Source Information







(CHRIS) Code. This is a three letter code that may not exist for every substance.

Chemical Name: Enter the name of the hazardous substance. There may be several-names for
each hazardous substance; you must use the name that appears in the lookup table described
below in section 4.4.1 of this Manual. In most cases, you must specify the chemical name using
the International Union of Physical and Applied Chemists UPAC) ¢ convention, although the
common name may be appropriate in many cases.

Mixture WN): Indicate whether or not the. release it in question is. a mixture of hazardous
"substances.

Upper and Lower Bounds of the Normal Range:. In this field, you must report the largest and.
smallest amounts of the hazardous substance or mixture that was released under Rormal operating -
conditions during a 24-hour period over the previous year.

Number of Releases per Month: Provide the average number of releases per month that
occurred over the previous year. When estimating this number, do not include months when the
release does not occur. : .

Number of Releases per ¥e Indicate the number of releases per rionth multiplied by the
number of months in whiich'the hazardous substance was released

Total Annual Quantity Released in Previous Year: Indicate the total amount of. this bacardous ,
substance or mixture released in the preceding year.

Months During Which the Release Occurs: Indicate the months i in a. which the release occurred.
You must select at least one month.

After you ‘have finished efitering the hazardous substance information, press the <F10>
key to save the entry. CR-ERNS will return you to the Substance Listing screen (shown in
Exhibit 4.10), which will now display the chemical that you have reported for this source: If you
need to report an additional substance, press the <F9> key; CR-ERNS will display the Substance
" Specific Information screen again. Complete the same information for the second substance
released from the source. Repeat this until you have » Reported! all of the hazardous substances ~
being released from this source.

441 Assistance in Entering. Hazardous ina Information

To assist in adding accurate hazardous substance data to your notification, CR-ERNS
- includes a detailed chemical database of all CERCLA hazardous substances subject to the
continuous release reporting requirements. To ensure that you designate the chemical name or
its CAS Number properly, CR-ERNS has a built-in chemical validation function that helps ensure

the accuracy of your response.

If you are unsure of the CAS Number for a substance being released from your facility,

- leave the CAS Number entry blank and press the <Enter> key. The computer will display a
window in the Substance Specific Information screen that will. prompt you to specify how you
would like to search for the relevant chemical (Exhibit 4.12). If you select Option 2, for example,
you must specify the chemical name; CR-ERNS will then identify the correct CAS Number.

23


3... HOW TO INSTALL AND OPERATE CR-ERNS

This chapter explains how to install CR-ERNS on the hard drive of your personal computer
system and how to operate CR-ERNS. CR-ERNS requires an IBM or 100% compatible
personal computer system to operate. Exhibit 3.1 below presents the minimum hardware
requirements that are necessary to install and operate CR-ERNS properly.

: Exhibit 3.1
Minimum Computer System Requirements .

IBM or compatible personal computer
512 KB available random access memory
One 3-1/2" or 5-1/4" floppy disk drive
Laser jet or dot matrix printer

One hard disk drive (1.5 MB available)
DOS 3.x or higher

3.1 Installing CR-ERNS

CR-ERNS has been provided with an installation file to assist you in installing it on your
personal computer. Step-by-step instructions describing how to install CR-ERNS using this batch _
file are provided below.

Step 1: Turn on your computer system and start DOS.

As described above in Exhibit 3.1, your computer system must be equipped with a hard disk
drive with at least 1.5 MB of free space available. The Disk Operating System (DOS) should
start automatically when you turn on your computer. DOS must be started before you can install
and use CR-ERNS. You. must have DOS 3.x or higher to operate this system properly.

Step 2: Place CR-ERNS in your floppy disk drive.

Next, place CR-ERNS in your floppy disk drive. (The diskette is available from EPA in
either the 3-1/2" or 5-1/4" disk formats.) If your computer has two floppy disk drives, insert CR-
ERNS in one of the drives; for the remainder of the installation all references to the floppy drive
must be to this drive. For example, if you insert CR-ERNS in the floppy disk drive designated as
the "A:\" drive on your computer, set your computer to this drive when completing Step 3 below
(ie., be sure your computer displays the "A:\>" prompt).

Step 3: At the "A:\>" DOS prompt, type the following installation command: |
A:\>install

The "install" command will access the install program on CR-ERNS (placed in the "A:\"
drive in this example). Next, it will create a ""CRERNS\" subdirectory on your hard drive (the



To select your printer, select the . Exhibit 3.3
Utilities option from the Main Menu. Printer Setup Screens
There are three menu options under the
Utilities Menu: Reindex Files, System
Functions, and Upload/Download. : Select
the System Functions option and then the
Printer Selection option as shown in
Exhibit 3.3. Once you have selected this
option, the system will display a list of
over 100 printer options (Exhibit 3.4).
‘You can scroll through the various printer
options using your cursor keys. Once you
have found your printer, select this printer
by pressing the <Enter> key.

Next, you must specify the printer
port to which the printer is attached on
your computer. This will typically be one
of a few options, depending upon the
number of printer ports on your computer;
the printer port will be designated "LPT1,
LPT2, or LPT3." ‘Typically, the printer
port will be LPT1. Type in the proper .
printer port at the prompt and press the <Enter> key to finish setting up your printer. Press the
<Esc> key to return to the Main Menu.

3.2.3 General Note on Protecting Your Continuous Release Data

CR-ERNS has been designed to allow you to manage all of your continuous release data
for as long as may be necessary. Accordingly, it contains several data security features with which
you should be familiar, most notably the backup/restore and reindexing features. With all.of your
computer data management activities, it is important that you backup your data frequently t
minimize the potential for data corruptions or losses. .

In addition to your general backup procedures, you should take note of one additional
source of potential data problems. Your data may be compromised any time that your computer
crashes while-you are entering data or working with CR-ERNS. For example, you may
experience a power failure while you are entering substance information, or your computer may-
crash due to memory limitations while entering data (should you have less than the required 512
kB RAM available on your computer). In these cases, it is important that you "reindex" your files
immediately upon reentering CR-ERNS after such a crash. Reindexing will ensure that the files
that you have entered are not corrupted or lost. .

To reindex CR-ERNS, select the Utilities option from the main menu (see Exhibit 3.2) and
press the <Enter> key. Next, select the Reindex Files option from the Utilities menu and then
press the <Enter> key. CR-ERNS will display a message for you to confirm that you have
correctly selected the reindex option; enter <Y>es at this prompt. CR-ERNS will now reindex
all of the database files. :