john a. coates, p.e., administrator wastewater compliance evaluation section,

John A. Coates, P.E., Administrator

Wastewater Compliance Evaluation Section,Office of Wastewater Management

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Florida’s Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (EDMR) System

Preserving Data Credibility

Present paper based system...

~4,500 individually permitted wastewater facilities

3 parts to DMRs Part A, Summary statisticsPart B, Daily ValuesPart D, Groundwater wells

... can be burdensome!

Implementation Approach

Specify Functionality

balance technology vs. administrative process

reduce unforeseen risks by keeping control within system

build in administrative controls

enfoTech & Consulting, Inc. www.enfoTech.com

System Description... Web-enabled “Thin Client” application

X.12 EDI protocol text file

Data encryption during Internet submission

Registered Users with access control via user names and passwords

PIN-based electronic signature for submitters

Registration Process... “Who are you?”

Existing legacy system tracks permittees & “Authorized Representatives”

Notarized Application Forms for:

Permittee request for permit modification & designation of “Viewers” or “Certifiers”

Electronic Signature Agreement for Certifiers

Registration Process... “PINs & Electronic Signatures”

“Electronic Signature Act of 1996,” in Part II, Chapter 282, F.S. (§ 282.70-282.75, F.S.)

Confidentiality & PIN compromise issues addressed in ESA and minor permit revision

Preliminary (non functional) PIN issued via certified mail in confidential envelope

Certifiers obtain Functioning PIN via system (being built)

EDMR Status“Ready, Set, Verify, Go”

Initial Trial Status

Review period during which paper DMRs are submitted for “verifying” file compatibility & accuracy

Information is not automatically transferred to legacy system

Functions for suspension, etc.

Manual status changes and historical tracking

Automatic after repeated failures in password or PIN entry

Submission Process“Mail that Report”

SSL encrypted connection

StepsFile selectionPIN entry (& verification)Required Check for Certification StatementSubmit

Enhanced Certification Statement

“Return Receipt” submittal response (being added)

EDMR Submission Logs“While you were submitting...”

EDMR Submission Log

user name, password, PIN

submission date/time for File Selection, Submit, Received, & Acknowledgement Sent.

IP address captured and stored

Checksum

Copy of Record“While you were submitting...”

Copy of Record

X.12 EDMR file

self-monitoring data

limits/requirements

Submission Log (with forensic information)

EDMR Storage and Access“The EDMR Afterlife...”

X.12 EDMR file stored as Binary Large Object in Oracle 8i

Processed for online viewing and data transfer

EDMR Status/error messages and human readable views/download provided

Revisions allowed, but, each submission maintains records of revisions

Database Functionality... “enhancing credibility”

PIN & Password instances encrypted

Database constraints set to “Insert Only” for Key fields

submission file (X.12)

password, PIN, & checksum

rest of Submission Log

Audit Trail feature

records any changes to selected tables/fields

Fundamentals for Credible and Enforceable Data

Authentication

Report Integrity

Nonrepudiation

AuthenticationIdentifying the SubmitterReliance on Notary laws

Person must be permittee or authorized representative

ESA and Permit confidentiality requirements

Functional PIN issuance procedure

preface to certification statement

forensic data (e.g., IP address)

Report IntegritySecuring the DataDuring Transmission

SSL and TCP/IP protection during transmission

Capturing Checksum as received

After Receipt

general system security

Department roles

database design (e.g., Insert Only and Audit Trail features)

Permanent Copy of Record

NonrepudiationVerifying Intent

Design of Submission Steps

Proximity of PIN to Certification statement

Certification statement language

System requires active “check” of Certification statement for each submission to demonstrate intent to be bound by the content of the data

“Data” file includes data & limits

Demonstrating Credibility “The Persuasive Expert”

Well documented system design and operating procedures

Generation of Log Reports

System Access

Electronic Signature

Submission

Record Integrity Report

reproduces copy of record

compares original checksum with current

provides related Audit Trail records

Summary

Credible Data ?

Administrative (procedural) & technological solutions

reduce unforeseen risks

Reasonable to build, implement & maintain

Contacts or questions

John.Coates@dep.state.fl.us

tony_jeng@enfotech.com