Technical difficulties delay start of ECARS Published June 4, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Jake Carter 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The new Employee-Certification and Reporting System program has been delayed from its June 1 start here. ECARS, which was supposed to begin June 1, has been postponed until further notice due to program technical problems. "Late Friday afternoon [May 30], it was decided to postpone the implementation on ECARS due to program technical problems," said Fred Zorbas, 99th Civil Engineering Squadron Nellis air quality manager for Nellis and Creech AFB. "[We will let everyone know when] the new start date has been decided." ECARS is designed to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act Section 118 (d). The CAA requires privately-owned vehicles operated by federal employees on federal facilities be in compliance with the emission standards for the vehicle inspection and maintenance program area wherein the federal installation as a way to keep the environment safe. This requirement applies to any federal employee who drives their personal vehicle on a facility for 60 or more days per year, regardless of whether the vehicle is registered in another state. ECARS is a module under the Air Program Information Management System. APIMS is the Air Force information system for air quality permit management, air emission inventory and air emission reporting. According to the ECARS implementation guidance, each Nellis member will receive a registration email notification with a link that connects to ECARS. The embedded link is connected to the specific members Directory Service Records and cannot be used by anyone else. Each Nellis member will have to sign up for the new program and present valid smog test at the time of registration. "Creech AFB personnel are not required to participate, nor do their active duty members who live in Nellis AFB housing," Zorbas said, "Creech AFB is located within Indian Springs that is [considered] clean air." For more information about ECARS, please email questions to NellisAirQuality@nellis.af.mil.
