U.S. EPA Amends New Source Performance Standards for Steam Generating Units

On January 28, 2009, U.S. EPA issued a final rule amending the Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources (NSPS) for electric utility steam generating units and industrial-commercial-institutional steam generating units.  In this action U.S. EPA amended subparts D, Da, Db, and Dc of 40 CFR Part 60 to add compliance alternatives for owners and operators of certain affected units, to eliminate the opacity standard for certain facilities voluntarily using particulate matter (PM) continuous emission monitors (CEMS), and to correct technical and editorial errors.  The final rule became effective on January 28, 2009.

The amended final rule includes an alternate sulfur dioxide (SO2) limit during SO2 control system maintenance and allows for parametric monitoring of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions for coke oven gas-fired steam generating units.  In addition, the new rule specifies the opacity monitoring requirements for all affected facilities that are subject to opacity limits.  The opacity standard and all opacity monitoring requirements have been eliminated for units that choose to install and operate a PM CEMS to demonstrate continuous compliance and are complying with a PM limit of 0.030 lb/MMBtu or less.  Facilities that elect to install PM CEMS will be required to perform condensable PM testing and report results to U.S. EPA.  The condensable PM testing and reporting requirements of the final rule do not become effective until after July 1, 2010, when U.S. EPA anticipates its proposed method for measuring condensable PM (Method 202) will be finalized and when U.S. EPA’s WebFIRE Electronic Reporting Tool becomes fully operational.