The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requires minor source facilities to submit an emissions inventory once every three years. In 2026, facilities in the Central third of the state, plus portable plants, were required to complete the inventory. Facilities required to submit the Minor Source Emissions Inventory (MSEI) received a letter from the DNR in January.

Many of these facilities (fewer than 100 employees) don’t have a dedicated or experienced staff member to complete this technical reporting requirement. This is where the Iowa Air Emissions Assistance Program (IAEAP), housed within the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC), steps in.

"Jennifer was very reassuring and made the process very simple. This was my first time doing MSEI and I had no prior experience with any air permitting tasks, so she explained what everything meant and made the process easy, even for me." - 2026 Client

How does a facility learn about the MSEI assistance? 

The IWRC's Iowa Air Emissions Assistance Program (IAEAP) begins outreach in January, notifying businesses about the reporting requirements and assistance available. Outreach continues throughout the five-month reporting window. 

What MSEI assistance is available from the IAEAP?

The IAEAP provides one-on-one training/assistance and has developed several resources, tools and calculators that facilities can use to complete their reports. 

Assistance to businesses includes any or all of the following:

• Answering questions, educating facilities on the process, and clearing confusion
• Determining emissions sources that need to be included in the inventory
• Assisting with emissions calculations, including assisting with filling out calculation spreadsheets
• Assisting with SLEIS account creation/access
• Guiding facilities through the data entry and submittal of their inventories in SLEIS

This year, 71 facilities contacted the IAEAP regarding their MSEI reporting requirements.

What are the benefits of using IAEAP’s MSEI assistance?

Collaboration

The reporting process may feel overwhelming at times, but the IAEAP has designed the assistance to be more of a collaborative educational process. The goal is to help you:

• Clear up confusion on emission sources
• Complete your emissions calculations
• Navigate the SLEIS web application

With the collaborative approach, you receive help in completing the report on time and with quality data!

The most recent assistance evaluation survey revealed that 75% of facilities reported an increase in the overall quality of their reports.

As one first-time reporter shared, "Jennifer Wittenburg assisted me greatly during our MSEI. She was such a great resource, followed up with me multiple times to ensure I was progressing appropriately, and gave me the peace of mind I needed when completing this report for the first time. Such an incredible resource!"

Reduced anxiety

Completing the emissions inventory report shouldn’t keep you up at night. According to our evaluation survey, 82% of participating facilities reported that working with the IAEAP directly reduced their stress levels. Much of this relief comes from the gift of time—89% of facilities reported that the IAEAP saved them valuable hours.

One client commented, "They were very helpful and understanding with the level of knowledge I had. Jordan treated me very well and helped me keep on task to hit our goal as soon as possible. As we walked through everything, Jordan explained what and why we were doing everything in a way that made this complex task understandable and easy to relate to."

Should I use the IAEAP’s assistance to complete our MSEI reporting?

You DO NOT have to use the IAEAP services to complete your reporting requirements. However, they love helping ease the burden and educating facilities to eliminate any confusion, so why not give them a call first! Of the facilities receiving assistance this year, 55% of surveyed facilities stated they would have struggled to complete the report accurately and on time without the IAEAP’s help. 

Yokohama in Charles City reports: "Jordan Henniges helped me out with our company's Minor Source Emissions Inventory and submitting it in the SLEIS web application. Prior to speaking with Jordan, I was running myself in circles trying to figure out what was required of us and how to complete it. I was beginning to feel like I would need to hire a consultant in order to get this task completed by the due date." 

Is the IAEAP too good to be true?

The IAEAP only works because of the great relationship we have with the Iowa DNR and the focus on business support. 100% of facilities assisted by the IAEAP stated in the assistance evaluation that they are likely or extremely likely to recommend this program to other entities. As the team at Dras Cases in Lake Mills shared,

 "I've been working with IAEAP for years and have always been extremely satisfied with their assistance. They've been knowledgeable, polite and very helpful. I wouldn't have been able to complete it (MSEI) without them.

The 2025 MSEI has come to a close, but we will be ramping up in December to prepare our outreach for next year. Beginning in January 2027, facilities in the Western third of the state will be required to submit their 2026 MSEI report by May 15, 2027. 

The IAEAP truly enjoys supporting Iowa small businesses and ensuring your compliance journey is as seamless and stress-free as possible. 

The IAEAP provides one-on-one training and assistance to small businesses. Available tools, resources, and the assistance request form can be found at iwrc.uni.edu/environmental-assistance/msei.