Division of Air Quality
Update on EPA Boiler MACT Rules
Steve Schliesser
Environmental Engineer
March 2012
NORTHAMPTON
PERSON
DAVIE
IR
ED
EL
L
ALEXANDER
MARTIN
WAKE
RANDOLPH
CATAWBA
WASHINGTON
PITT
BEAUFORT
HYDE
POLK
CLEVELAND
GASTON
MECKLENBURG
LEE
STANLY
M
ON
TG
O
M
ER
Y
HARNETT
WAYNE
MOORE
CRAVEN
LENOIR
LENOIR
MACON
CLAY
RICHMOND
UNION
GREENE
ANSON
HOKE
CU
MB
ER
LA
ND
RUTHERFORD
JACKSON
TRANSYLVANIA
CA
BA
RR
US
HENDERSON
GRAHAM
DARE
WILSON
CHATHAM
JOHNSTON
CHEROKEE
TYRRELL
ROWAN
LINCOLN
TA
NK
EDGECOMBE
HAYWOOD
SWAIN
PE
RQ
PA
UIM
SQ
AN
UO
S
DURHAM
DAVIDSON
BURKE
MCDOWELL
BUNCOMBE
BERTIE
NASH
CE
AN
M
LA
A
K
UC
L
EL
CH
IT
M
FRANKLIN
GUILFORD
CALDWELL
HERTFORD
HALIFAX
ORANGE
FORSYTH
YANCEY
GATES
WARREN
VANCE
AN
OW
CH
GR
AN
VIL
LE
CASWELL
IT
RR
CU
ROCKINGHAM
YADKIN
AVERY
MADISON
STOKES
SURRY
WILKES
EN
MD
CA
ALLEGHANY
ASHE
WATAUGA
PAMLICO
JONES
SAMPSON
DUPLIN
ON
SL
OW
SCOTLAND
ROBESON
BLADEN
PENDER
COLUMBUS
NEW HANOVER
BRUNSWICK
T
TERE
CAR
Topics to be Covered
Background on EPA Boiler MACT Rules
Highlights & Proposed Changes to Boiler MACT
Highlights & Proposed Changes to Boiler GACT
- EPA Boiler MACT and GACT Rulemaking
process continues until at least May 2012
- Litigation expected after May 2012 final rule
Background on EPA
Boiler MACT Rules
Clean Air Act Requires National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP)
 Develop Maximum Achievable Control Standards
(MACTs) for major facilities emitting one HAP >
10 ton/yr or multiple HAPS > 25 ton/yr
 Develop Generally Available Control Standards
(GACTs) for non-major facilities emitting one
HAP < 10 ton/yr or multiple HAPS < 25 ton/yr
Boiler MACT Impact
in North Carolina
Affects 98 facilities and ~1,000 boilers
All but one facility has 112(j) permit,
shielding MACT compliance up to 8 yrs
(2018/2019)
State of NC has 2nd highest projected impact
from Boiler MACT in U.S. with cost > $1
billion
Boiler MACT Rulemaking
Process Timetable
EPA Proposed Rule in Jan 2003
EPA Promulgated Final Rule in Sept 2004
U.S. Court Vacated and Remanded Final Rule in June 2007
EPA Proposed Rule in June 2010
U.S. Court Denied EPA Time-Extension Request in Jan 2010
EPA Promulgated Final Rule in March 2011
EPA Stayed Effective Date of Final Rule in May 2011
EPA Proposed Amendments to Final Rule in Dec 2011
U.S. Court Vacated EPA Stay in Jan 2012
EPA Expects to Promulgate Final Rule by May 2012
Recently (Re)Proposed
Boiler MACT
U.S. Court vacated EPA stay in January 2012
Slight national impact, but one NC facility lost 112(j)
permit since rule’s restored effective date occurred before
permit was issued
DAQ submitted comments on re-proposal in Feb 2012
EPA expects to finalize Boiler MACT in May 2012
Recently (Re)Proposed
Boiler MACT
MACT procedure sets the bar of top 12% -- for each boiler
type/fuel sub-category and each HAP -- for remaining to meet
Re-proposal changes offer more flexibility, less cost impact,
with offsetting increases/decreases in HAP emissions
Highlights of proposed changes
 Added new sub-categories for total of 19
 New and alternative HAP emissions limits
 New work practice standards and provisions
 Modified clean gas specification for natural gas and
equivalent gaseous fuels
Synopsis of Boiler MACT
Emission Standards for Existing Units
HAP/ Fuel and/or Design
Mercury
- Biomass
- Coal
- Oil
Hydrogen chloride
- Biomass
- Coal
- Oil
Particulate
- Biomass Wet Stoker
- Biomass Dry Stoker
- Coal Pulverized
- Heavy Liquid Oil
- Light Liquid Oil
Units
lb /
Trillion Btu
lb /
Million Btu
lb /
Million Btu
Sept 2004
Final
June 2010 May 2011
Proposal
Final
No limit
9
No limit
0.9
3
4
No limit
0.006
0.02
0.0009
Dec 2011
Proposal
4.6
3.1
3.5
26
0.035
0.022
0.0034
0.0012
0.07
0.02
0.039
No limit
0.004
0.0075
0.029
0.32
0.044
0.062
0.0034
Recently (Re)Proposed
Boiler GACT
GACT procedure uses generally available (not maximum
achievable) control technologies or management practices
Re-proposed rule eases requirements without changing
emissions, costs, or benefits
Affects 300 permitted facilities and 600 boilers
> 90% conduct periodic tune-ups and
some perform one-time energy assessment
Remaining burn coal and must meet emission limits for
mercury and carbon monoxide.
For more details see http://www.epa.gov/airquality/combustion/docs/20111202asboilersfs.pdf
Boiler GACT Emission and
Work Practice Standards
Source
Category
Fuel Category
All
Heat Input,
MMBtu/hr
PM,
lb/MMBtu/hr
< 10
Biomass
4.8E-6
≥ 10
None
Oil
Coal
New
Biomass
Oil
CO,
ppm
≥ 10 < 30
0.42
≥ 30
0.03
≥ 10 < 30
0.07
≥ 30
0.03
≥ 10 < 30
0.03
≥ 30
0.03
400
@7% O2
None
Boiler
tune-up
only
4.8E-6
400
@3% O2
None
Work Practice
Standard
Boiler tune-up
every two years
None
Coal
Existing
Mercury,
lb/MMBtu/hr
Boiler
tuneup
One time energy
assessment
No energy
assessment
Questions?
Steve Schliesser
Environmental Engineer
919-707-8701
Steve.Schliesser@ncdenr.gov
http://www.ncair.org/