As we enter 2026, environmental compliance is no longer just a regulatory checkbox – it’s a business-critical function that impacts operational efficiency, risk management, and operating costs.
Now is the time to set resolutions that will keep your organization ahead of the curve.
1. Align with partners that have your best interests in mind
Are you working with companies that are controlled by private equity?
- Why it matters: Private equity companies are motivated by profits. How are you going to handle unexpected price increases and obsolescence notices that are designed to drive their revenue and ultimately their profits?
- Action steps: Talk to other customers before deciding on your compliance partner. Private equity has entered the compliance space and is raising pricing considerably to meet their goals. Do their goals align with your goals?
- VIM Advantage: Not only is VIM Technologies (VIM) the leader in compliance data collection and reporting for many of the industries we serve, but we are also privately owned, and you can talk with our owner. Feel free to reach out to Matt Caldwell at matt.caldwell@vimtechnologies.com.
2. Accelerate Digital Transformation
Manual compliance processes are inefficient and prone to error. In 2026, make it your mission to automate your compliance infrastructure.
- Why it matters: Automating data collection reduces reporting errors, improves data integrity, and saves countless hours.
- Action steps: Implement advanced Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) that automate QA/QC checks and provide real-time visibility into emissions data.
- VIM Advantage: Our DAS solutions are designed to meet all sorts of regulatory requirements while delivering operational efficiency on a large scale. You will be amazed at the time you will save using CEMLink 6.
3. Prepare for ECMPS 2.0 Transition
According to EPA’s projections, electric utilities will have to begin reporting through EPA’s ECMPS 2.0 platform starting with Q1 2026.
- What’s changing: Everything associated with reporting emissions data is changing with ECMPS 2.0 including new data formats, validation protocols, and submission workflows.
- Action steps: Get up-to-speed on all the latest information from EPA at https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/ecmps-re-engineering-effort.
- VIM Advantage: We provide migration support, validation tools, and training to help you transition smoothly without compliance disruptions. Please visit our Training page for more information at https://www.vimtechnologies.com/training/ or feel free to contact our Compliance Consulting group at COMPAS@vimtechnologies.com.
4. Review your QA/QC Plans
A new year is a great reminder to review and update existing QA/QC Plans.
- Why it matters: Experience shows that a review of a source’s QA/QC Plan is a key component of a regulatory audit.
- Reality: Many QA/QC Plans remain stagnant without being updated to reflect permit revisions, new CEMS equipment, changes to plant operations or new regulatory requirements.
- VIM Advantage: Our compliance specialists offer a FREE review of your existing QA/QC Plan. Contact our Compliance Consulting group at COMPAS@vimtechnologies.com.
5. Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) Fleetwide Standardization
We’re seeing a push toward standardizing entire corporations on one DAS platform.
- Why it matters: Limited resources in our industry make it difficult to manage multiple DAS platforms.
- Action steps: Standardize your fleet on a single DAS platform and allow your engineers to report from anywhere while allocating resources as needed without the need to understand multiple platforms or locate valuable resources on-site.
- VIM Advantage: VIM’s CEMLink 6 DAS platform is the most comprehensive product in the industry and is a proven winner with fleetwide standardizations.
6. Partner with a Market Leader
When it comes to compliance, you don’t want to take chances.
- Compliance Risk: Partner with a Market Leader so that you have experts on your team.
- Action steps: Make sure you do your homework when picking a company to partner with on your compliance. Get references to verify what a partner can and can’t do, and how they treat their customers.
- VIM Advantage: VIM’s CEMLink 6 product handles many different applications and holds market leadership in most of the industries we participate in. We also have industry experts on staff that understand your processes and understand what works and what doesn’t work for your application.
Don’t wait for compliance challenges to catch you off guard—take control now.
2026 is the year to transform your compliance strategy, master ECMPS 2.0, and optimize your CEMS performance. VIM is ready to help you every step of the way with proven solutions, expert guidance, and training tailored to your needs.
✅ Schedule a consultation today and discover how VIM can make your compliance program smarter, stronger, and future-ready.
📧 Contact us at sales@vimtechnologies.com
