U.S. EPA Proposes Air Toxics Standards for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE)

On February 25, 2009, U.S. EPA released proposed National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE) that are not currently regulated by the existing, so called, RICE MACT (i.e., 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart ZZZZ) promulgated in 2004.  The proposed rule would establish limits for emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and formaldehyde (CH2O) for:

• RICE that are located at area sources of air toxics emissions, 
• RICE with site ratings of less than or equal to 500 brake horsepower (bhp) located at major sources of air toxics emissions that were constructed or reconstructed before June 12, 2006, and
• RICE with site ratings of greater than 500 bhp located at major sources of air toxics emissions that were constructed or reconstructed before December 19, 2002.

RICE affected by the proposed rule are primarily located at power plants and chemical and manufacturing facilities, and are used to generate electricity during periods of utility power outages, or to power pumps and/or compressors.  However, information technology (IT) or business sector companies utilizing emergency generators to power servers in times of utility power outages would also be affected.

U.S. EPA will accept comments on the proposed RICE rule until April 26, 2009 (i.e., 60 days following the February 25, 2009 publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register).