January 26, 2012
Recent EH&S Trends Based on 2011 Data
February 2, 2012
The EH&S Compliance Cycle: Audits, Development, Implementation, and Maintenance
February 9, 2012
Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) & August Mack’s eCAP Programe
February 16, 2012
Background Contaminants
February 21, 2012
IDEM Rule 6 Storm Water Permits
February 23, 2012
Environmental Due Diligence for Commercial Property Transaction
March 2, 2012
How Do You Manage Your Safety Risk in Environmental Remediation Projects?
March 8, 2012
Changes to Indiana Closure Guidance
March 15, 2012
Environmental Considerations with Land Use Redevelopment
March 22, 2012
Updated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed two regulations related to industrial boilers and process heaters which are intended to reduce the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). The proposed rules include:
- Major Source Boiler & Process Heater Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT): National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters; and
- Area Source Boiler & Process Heater MACT: NESHAPs for Area Sources: Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters.
Major Source Boiler & Process Heater MACT
The Major Source Boiler and Process Heater MACT affects industrial boilers, institutional boilers, commercial boilers and process heaters located at a major source facility. Process heaters are defined as units in which the combustion gases do not come into contact directly with process material or gases in the combustion chamber (e.g., indirect fired). The proposed rule establishes emission limits for new and existing sources for 11 subcategories. The proposed emission limits will not apply to existing boilers and process heaters that have a designed heat input capacity of less than 10 million British thermal units per hour (MMBtu/h). Instead, these units must have a biennial tune-up. Other requirements of this proposed rule generally include:
- Development of site-specific monitoring plans.
- Work practice standards, rather than emissions standards, would apply to natural gas/refinery gas units.
- A one-time energy assessment of cost-effective energy conservation measures would be required for affected units.
- Annual stack testing. (Stack testing can be reduced to once every three years if test results for three consecutive years show emissions at less than 75 percent of standard.)
- Reporting of annual stack test results would be required using an EPA web-based electronic reporting tool.
- Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) would be required for carbon monoxide for units having a designed heat input capacity of 100 MMBtu/h or greater and for particulate matter for units of 250 MMBtu/hr or greater.
Area Source Boiler & Process Heater MACT
The Area Source Boiler & Process Heater MACT affects facilities with the potential to emit less than 10 tons per year (tpy) of a single air toxic, or less than 25 tpy of combined air toxics. This proposed rule applies to you if you own or operate a boiler combusting coal, biomass or oil located at an area source. This includes gas-fired boilers that switch to combusting coal, biomass, or oil. The proposed rule includes emission limits for mercury (Hg) and CO (as a surrogate for particulate organic matter), along with the proposed generally available control technologies (GACT) standards for particulate matter (as a surrogate for urban metals). The emission limits for existing area source boilers are only applicable to area source boilers that have a designed heat input capacity of 10 MMBtu/h or greater. A work practice standard is being proposed for existing area source boilers that are units with designed heat input capacity of less than 10 MMBtu/h. The work practice standard for existing small area source boilers requires the implementation of a tune-up program. An additional standard is being proposed for existing area source facilities having an affected boiler with a designed heat input capacity of 10 MMBtu/h or greater that requires the performance of an energy assessment, by qualified personnel, on the boiler and the facility to identify cost-effective energy conservation measures.