Pennsylvania Proposes Glass Furnace Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Rule

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) published the proposed rule “Control of NOx Emissions from Glass Melting Furnaces” in the April 19, 2008 Pennsylvania Bulletin. The proposed rule includes additions to Title 25, §121.1 – Definitions, and adds the proposed rule to Title 25, Chapter 29 of the Pennsylvania Code at §129.301 through §129.310. The proposed rule will apply to owners or operators of glass melting furnaces with the potential to emit NOx at greater than 50 tons per year or 20 lbs per hour and will limit NOx emissions during the ozone season (May 1 through September 30) beginning on May 1, 2009.  The public comment period closes on June 23, 2008.

Under the proposed rule, NOx emissions from affected glass furnaces will be limited to 4.0 lb NOx/ton glass pulled for container glass furnaces, 7.0 lb NOx/ton glass pulled for pressed or blown glass furnaces, 4.0 lb NOx/ton glass pulled for fiberglass furnaces, and 7.0 lb NOx/ton glass pulled for flat glass furnaces during the ozone season.  The proposed rule will not apply to glass furnaces in which heat is supplied solely by the use of electric current from electrodes submerged in molten glass. The emission requirements also do not apply during periods of startup and shutdown. The rule includes a requirement and specifications for a startup plan for each new glass melting furnace or glass melting furnace rebuild. The rule also requires the installation, operation, and maintenance of continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) for NOx and other monitoring systems to convert the monitoring data to required reporting units in accordance with Chapter 139, Subchapter C. Finally, the rule includes requirements for applicable furnaces to minimize emissions of NOx during periods of startup, shutdown, and during furnace idling by operating emission control systems when it is technically feasible to do so during such periods.

Allowable ozone season NOx emissions (in tons) will be determined each year by multiplying the tons of glass pulled from each affected furnace by the appropriate allowable emission rate, expressed a lb NOx/ton of glass pulled basis. Compliance will be determined by calculating actual NOx emissions during the ozone season, determined by CEMS, and comparing actual ozone season NOx emissions (tons) to the calculated allowable ozone season NOx emissions (tons).  Compliance with the proposed rule may be based on an individual furnace basis, facility-wide emissions averaging, or system-wide averaging for glass melting furnaces under common control in Pennsylvania.

For each ton of NOx by which the actual combined NOx emissions exceeds the allowable NOx emissions, the owner or operator will be required to surrender current year vintage Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) NOx Ozone Season allowances in accordance with the following schedule:

• 2009 Ozone Season – 0.25 CAIR NOx Ozone Season Allowance
• 2010 Ozone Season – 0.50 CAIR NOx Ozone Season Allowance
• 2011 Ozone Season – 0.75 CAIR NOx Ozone Season Allowance
• 2011 Ozone Season (and thereafter) – 1.00 CAIR NOx Ozone Season Allowance

The proposed rule allows sources to purchase current year CAIR NOx allowances in accordance with the above schedule for emissions greater than the allowable emissions over the entire ozone season in lieu of meeting the allowable NOx ozone season emission rate.  Surrendered CAIR NOx allowances are due by November 1.  If the November 1 deadline is missed, allowances must be surrendered at a 3 to 1 basis.