STATE OF MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

ANGUS S. KING, JR. MARTHA KIRKPATRICK

AuGUSTA GOVERNOR COMMISSIONER



### MEMORANDUM

TO: B**)~ of** 

### Environmental Protection 

# r .**~Bureau** ofAir Quality

# Co~trol

# AJ~:st4, 1999 FROM: DATE: 

### RE: Adoption: Chapter 111 Petroleum Liquid Storage Vapor Control 

### ************************************************************************ Statutory andRegulatory Reference: Title 38 M.R.S.A. Section 585-A, Establishment of Standards

- This statutory section provides that the Board of Environmental Protection 11

### may establish and amend regulations to implement ambient air quality standards and emission standards. These regulations shall be designed to achieve and maintain ambient air quality standards and emission standards within any region andprevent airpollutionII. 

### Location/ Applicability: Statewide 

### Description: This rule went to public hearing on August 26, 1998. Based on comments received at the hearing, the Departmentproposed a significantchange to this rule, whichrequired a 30-day comment period. The Department is proposing petroleum storage vessels be inspected every ten years with a routine visual inspection required monthly. (The proposed ru1e for.the August hearing required a five or ten year inspection frequency dependingonthe type oftank.) Tank inspections involving the degassing and refilling of a storage tank cause volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to be emitted to the atmosphere, with these emissions contributing to the formation ofground-level ozone. Decreasing the inspection frequency from annually to every ten years reduces the overall VOC emissions emitted from this activity. This proposal would also allow inspections to

### beperformedwithout degassing the tanks as long as there is visual access to all deck components, further reducing emissions. 17 STATE HOUSE STATION BANGOR PORTLAND PRESQUE ISLE AUGUSTA, MAI:-.oE 04333·0017 106 HOGAN ROAD 312 CANCO ROAD 1135 CE::-;'TRAL DRIVE, SKY\\'AY l'.·'.i:I' (107) 1o7·76A8 BANGOR, MAINE 04401 PORTLAND, MA!::-;'E 04103 PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE**04769·2,'''~** RAY BLDG., HOSPITAL ST. (207) 941·4570 FAX: (207) 941·451:l4 (207) 822·6300 FAX: (207) 822·6303 (207J 164·0477 FAX: (207)**764-15·2~** printed on**r~c\dc~: ;~**  ··At the Board's March 10, 1999 meeting, the Board voted to propose a prohibition againstemptying and degassing tanks from June 1to August 31 ofeach yearbecause of VOC emissions released during periods when high ozone levels canbe expected. This was a significant change so the rule went to a 30-day comment period. During the comment period industry members expressed concern about meeting Chapter. 600 provisions which require cleaning, inspections, repair and upgrading of above-ground storage tanks with the three monthprohibition inplace. Industrybelieves that the June 1 to August 31 prohibition will make it very difficult to comply with these requirements. In order for industry to meet the proposed Chapter 600 requirements and the Department to address concerns for.reducing VOC emissions on high ozone days, the Departmentbelieves a two-part approach is warranted. This ruleproposes thatbetween January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2003, emptying and degassing tanks for the purpose of performing a complete inspection is prohibited on those days for which the Department has issued an ozone health warning. Beginning January 1, 2004, this activity is prohibitedbetweenJune 1 and August 31 ofeachyear. The January 1, 2004 date ties in with Chapter 600 provisions which require certain tank inspections to be completed by that date. With this approach the Department believes industry can comply withproposed Chapter 600 regulations and Chapter 111 requirements and VOC emissions willbereduced onhighozone days. 

### EnvironmentalIssues: Volatile organic compounds contribute to ground-level ozone formation, which can impair lung capacity and cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. 

### DepartmentRecommendation: The Department recommends that the Board adopt Chapter 111, Petroleum Liquid StorageVapor Control, as amended. 

### Estimated Time ofPresentation: 15 minutes

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