Approvals
Every AI-generated filing in AEGIS must go through a human-in-the-loop (HITL) approval process before it can be submitted to the RRC. This page explains how the approval workflow works and how to make your decision.
Why Human Review Is Required
AEGIS is designed to assist with filing preparation, not to replace human judgment. AI agents can make mistakes, miss nuances, or work with incomplete data. The mandatory review step ensures that:
- Every filing is verified by a qualified person before submission
- Legal and regulatory requirements are met
- Data accuracy is confirmed against source documents
- The organization maintains accountability for its regulatory submissions
HITL approval cannot be bypassed or skipped. This is a core safety principle of the AEGIS platform. Every filing must be reviewed and explicitly approved by a human reviewer.
What Requires Approval
Different agents have different checkpoint types:
| Agent | Checkpoint | What Is Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 37 | Pre-Filing Review | The complete Form W-1 filing package |
| Rule 37 | Good Cause Review | The good cause narrative for legal sufficiency |
| Rule 32 | Pre-Filing Review | The complete Form R-32 application package |
| Rule 32 | Emissions Review | EPA emissions calculations for OOOOb/GHGRP compliance |
The Review Actions Panel
When you select a pending filing, the right side of the screen shows the Review Actions panel with three options:
Approve Filing
Use this when the filing package is complete, accurate, and ready for submission.
- Review all sections of the filing (form data, analysis, narrative, attachments).
- Optionally, add reviewer notes in the text field. These notes are recorded in the audit trail.
- Click Approve & Submit to RRC.
- The filing status changes to “Approved” and the approval is recorded with your user ID and timestamp.
Reject Filing
Use this when the filing has significant issues that cannot be resolved through minor changes.
- Enter a reason for rejection in the text field. This is required — you cannot reject without explaining why.
- Click Reject.
- The filing status changes to “Rejected” and your reason is recorded in the audit trail.
A rejected filing is not submitted. The compliance team may need to start a new filing or address the underlying issues before trying again.
Request Changes
Use this when the filing is mostly correct but needs specific revisions.
- Describe what needs to change in the text field. Be specific about which fields, sections, or calculations need revision.
- Click Request Changes.
- The filing status changes to “Modified” and your instructions are recorded.
The agent can then be re-engaged to address the requested changes, and a revised filing will appear in the queue.
Already-Decided Filings
If you select a filing that has already been decided (approved, rejected, or modified), the review actions panel shows the decision status, the timestamp, and any reviewer comments. No further actions are available on a decided filing.
Audit Trail
Every approval decision is permanently recorded in the audit trail with:
- The reviewer’s identity
- The decision (approved, rejected, or modified)
- The timestamp
- Any reviewer comments or rejection reasons
- The original agent execution details (execution ID, token usage, cost)
The audit trail uses tamper-proof storage. Entries cannot be edited or deleted after they are written. This provides a complete regulatory record of all filing review activity.
Best Practices for Reviewing Filings
- Start with the agent summary to understand the overall picture.
- Check every form field against your source data, especially operator name, API number, and legal description.
- Review spacing calculations (Rule 37) or volume data (Rule 32) for reasonableness.
- Read narratives carefully for accuracy and professional tone.
- Verify attachments are complete and correctly identified.
- Use the review checklist (when provided) to ensure nothing is missed.
- Add notes when approving, especially if you made any mental notes during review. These become part of the permanent record.
- When rejecting, be specific about what needs to be fixed so the next attempt addresses the issues.
HITL in Conversations
When you are chatting with an agent in the Conversations page and the agent prepares a filing package, the conversation will display a banner indicating that the filing is ready for review. Click the Review button on the banner to go directly to the filing queue.