PADEP Announces Mandatory PM Testing for Coal-fired Electric Generation Units

On December 4, 2008, PADEP Deputy Secretary Tom Fidler announced that PADEP will be notifying owners of coal-fired Electric Generation Units (EGUs) in Pennsylvania that they will be required to conduct emission tests to measure emissions of particulate matter (PM). The announcement was made during his presentation at the PA Chamber Quarterly meeting with PADEP. The PM testing initiative was initiated by PADEP Acting Secretary John Hanger and is based on his concern that current PM emissions data is not available for all coal-fired EGUs within the state. PADEP is intending to notify all owners of coal-fired EGUs before the end of 2008 of the requirement to conduct PM testing before the end of 2009.  Testing will be required for filterable PM, PM10 (including condensible back-half), and PM2.5 including condensible back-half in conformance with the latest approved (or proposed for PM2.5) U.S. EPA test methods. The results of the tests will be used to determine each unit’s compliance with applicable PM limits and/or to ensure that accurate PM emissions data is provided for future AIMs reports. At this point it is not anticipated that the PM emissions information will be used for standards setting.  PADEP will ultimately require PM testing of all coal-fired EGUs every 2 years through revisions to the EGU’s Title V operating permit.