NR G Middletown Operation s inc . P.O

. Bo x 100 1 186 6 Rive rRoa

d Middletown , C

T 0645 7 

### NR G Direc t (860 ) 343-696 2 Fax(860)343-696 8
an NRG Energy

company
Februar y 20 , 200 4 Ms
. Kare n L
. Rega s DEP/BWP/Busines s Complianc e Divisio n On e Winter Street , 8 t hFloor Boston , M A 0210 8 Attention : 31 0 CM R 7.0 0 Comment

s Dea r Ms
. Regas : NR G - Somerse

t Powe r (NRG ) submits comment s on th e Departmen

t o f Environmenta

l Protection' s (DE

P o r Department

) propose d revisio n t

o 31 0 CM R 7.00
. Ou

r comment

s focu s on th

e proposed additio n o f

31 0 CM R 7.54 , Larg e Combustio n Emissio n Unit s but , als o include comments o n Limite d Pla n Applicatio n (31 0 CM R 7.02) , an d (31 0 CM R 7.06)
. Ou

r comment s ar e contained i n th

e attache d document
. W e ar e disappointe d tha

t th e Departmen

t chos e to issu e suc h asignifican t

revisio n to th

e regulation s withou t

prio r inpu t o r discussion wit h th

e regulated community
. W e believ e tha t i t i s throug h suc

h discussion s tha

t meaningfu l an

d effectiv e regulation s ca n b e issue d tha t wil l ensur

e ahealth

y busines s communit

y an d provide environmenta

l benefits
. I n addition , th

e Backgroun d Documen t on th e propose d revisio n doe

s littl e to justif

y th e changes , o

r th e financia l impac t

o f suc h changes
. I f yo u hav e an y question s regarding ou

r comments , please cal l m e a t (860 ) 343-6962
. Ver y trul y yours , NR G - Somerse

t Powe r

Attachmen

tNR G Somerse t Powe r Comment s o n Propose

d Change s to 31 0 CMR7.0

0 31 0 CM R7.02(1 ) - Presumptive Pla n Approval s I n thi s ne w proposed section , th

e Departmen

t o f Environmenta

l Protectio n (Departmen

t o r DEP) propose s tha

t th e curren t limite d pla

n approva

l (LPA ) proces s b

e replace d wit h presumptive approvals
. Th e intentio n o f

th e chang e i s to streamlin

e th e approva l proces s fo r LPAs
. Th

e revise d proces s woul d requir e aP E stam p prio r to submitta

l to th e Department
. Thi s requiremen t ma y resul t i n additiona

l wor k an d expens e fo r th e regulated community
. Th e majority o f

LPA s tha

t ar e currentl y file d ar

e simpl e enoug

h tha t man y facilitie s ca

n complet e th e filin g usin g in-hous e personnel
. Th e P E stam p requiremen

t wil l mak

e companie s contract

out th e wor k tha t ca n no w b e don e wit h acompany' s curren t personnel
. Fo

r companie s tha

t ma y alread y us e outsid e resource s t o complet

e LPAs , th

e P E requiremen

t wil l ad d a n additiona

l charge , perhap s a

t apremiumrate . I f th e Departmen

t i s trul y interested i n streamlinin g it s approva l process , i t

should investigativ e action s tha

t hav e bee n take n i n othe r states . On

e exampl e i s i n Connecticu

t wher e tha t state' s ai

r regulations , allo w fo r th e implementatio n o f

mino r permi t modification s 2 1 day s afte r the submitta

l o f th e modificatio n reques

t (Se e 22a-174-2a(e

) o f th e Regulation s o f

Connecticu

t Stat e Agencies)
. Anothe

r exampl e i s throug h th

e us e o f Genera l Permit (GP ) fo r certai n activities
. I n th

e cas e o f Connecticut , som

e genera l permit s hav

e bee n issue d tha t hav e apresumptiv e approva

l includin g aG

P fo r distribute d generation
. Th

e us e o f aG P combine d wit h th

e presumptive approval , withou t aP E stam p requirement , wil l result i n astreamlin

e process . Finally , th

e Departmen

t ha s proposed th

e eliminatio n o f

31 0 CM R 7.02(4)(c) , whic h permit s facilitie s holdin g a n Appendi x C permi t

to foreg o th

e submitta

l o f LPA s fo r modification s t o th

e facility , a

s lon g a s aminor modificatio n t

o th e Appendi x C permi t

i s applie d fo r

pursuan t t o Appendi x C (8)
. Th e Department' s background documen t justifie s thi s b y expressing aconcer n tha t BAC T requirements ma

y no t b e satisfie d unde

r th e curren t scheme
. Rathe

r tha n increas e th

e cost s an d effor t fo r mino r modification s to heavily regulate d source s b y requirin g tw o application s fo r th e sam e activity - a

s th e mino r modificatio n applicatio n i s stil l require d b y Appendi x C - th e Departmen

t ca n ad d asentenc e to th e en d o f th e curren t 7.02(4)(c ) to th

e effec t of : "Th e applicatio n mad

e pursuan t t o 31 0 CM RAppendi x C (8 ) shall demonstrat e tha t th e BAC T requirements o f 31 0 CM R7.02(4 ) ar

e satisfied. "
31 0 CM R7.0

6 - Visibl e Emissio n Limit s Th e Departmen

t i s proposin g to revis e 31 0 CM R 7.06(c ) to allo w afacilit y to compl y wit h avisibl e emissio n limi t no t t o excee d 1 5 percen

t durin g norma

l operatio n an

d no t to excee d 2 7 percen t durin g period s o f

start-up , shutdown , sootblowing , an d othe r specifie d operating conditions
. I n addition , afacilit y must develo p aGood Operating Practice s Pla n (Plan)
.

1Th

e proposed chang

e i n th e opacit y limit s i s a

n attemp t to recogniz e tha

t th e operatio n o f boiler s ca

n result i n opacit

y spike s du

e to certain conditions
. Thi s attempt however, leave s aquestio n o f

practicality
. Othe

r states hav

e revise d thei r

opacit y regulation s t

o recognize th

e sam e operating condition s tha t th e Departmen

t i s addressing
. I n particular , Connecticu

t ha s recently issue

d i t propose d fina l opacit

y regulations , whic h ar

e schedule

d fo r fina l approva

l o n Februar

y 24 , 2004
. Thes

e regulation s (22a-174-1 8 o f th e Regulation s o f

Connecticu

t Stat e Agencies ) se

t th e opacit y standard

s fo r sources greate

r tha n 25 0 MMBTU/hr
. Th

e standard

s ar e a20 % 6-minut

e bloc k averag e an d a40 % 1

- minut e bloc k average . I n addition , th e standard

s ar e no t applicabl e fo r

0.5 % o f th e operating time i n acalenda r quarte r provide tha

t an y exceedances o f

th e standard

s ar e du e to start-up , shutdown , equipmen t malfunctions , sootblowing , fue l switching , sudde n loa d changes , and/o

r DE P approved stac

k testing
. Thes

e regulation s wer

e developed ove

r a five-year perio d wit h numerou s discussion s an d meeting s wit h th

e regulate d sources . Th e Connecticu

t regulation s addres s th

e sam e (an d more ) operating condition s tha t th e Departmen

t i s tryin g t o addres s i n it s propose d revisions
. I f

th e Department' s inten

t i s t o addres s certai n operatin g condition s i n it s opacit y standard

s then , i t woul d b e wel l serve

d to loo k a t th e regulation s tha

t Connecticu

t ha s finalized an

d implemen

t asimila r regulatio n fo r

al l affecte d sources . Th e requiremen

t i n 31 0 CM R 7.06(c) 2 fo r aGoo d Operating Practice s Pla n (Plan) doe

s littl e t o provid e additiona

l environmenta

l benefi t fro mth e affecte d sources . Th e requiremen

t t o us e athir d part

y combustion syste

mexper t t o develo p th e pla n i s acos t tha t shoul d no t

b e force d ont

o sources . I n general , th e contents o f

th e Pla n ar e ver y detaile d an

d burdensome , an

d ar e not necessary . Th

e Pla n wil l en

d u p being a voluminou s documen

t i n orde r fo r asourc e to b e covere d b y an y an d al l case s wher e th e opacit y standards ma

y b e exceeded
. A s a

n example , asourc

e mus t describ e th

e duratio n an d frequenc y o f

start-u p shutdown , an

d soo t blowing
. Th

e frequency o f

operatio n o f

th e boiler (hours pe

r day , day s pe

r week, etc.) , an

d duratio n o f

operatio n o f

th e boiler , ca

n b e s o varie d ove

r ayear' s tim e tha

t thi s section alon

e ma y encompas s severa

l page s o f text . Th e Departmen

t shoul d firs t

loo k a t revisin g it s opacit

y standards , i n tota l an

d then , loo k a t requirin g aGoo d Operating Practice s Pla n fo r thos e sources wh o cannot, du e t o technica l constraints , mee

t th e revised standards
. 31 0 CM R7.5

4 - Larg e Combustio

n Emissio n Uni t Th e Departmen

t i s proposin g to ad

d ane w section to it s air

regulations
. Thi s section i s title d Larg e Combustio n Emissio n Unit , an d woul d b e foun d i n 31 0 CM R 7.54
. A s state d i n the Background Documen t to th e propose d regulator

y changes , on Februar

y 27 , 2003 , DE

P returne d to th

e EP A th e implementatio n o f

th e PS D progra

mfo r sources i n th e Commonwealth
. Th

e propose d regulation s ar

e a n attemp t on th e DEP' s par

t to regulat e source s tha

t the y believ e woul d b

e exemp t fro mth e federa l PS D program .

2Th

e EP A issue d revision s to it s Ne w Sourc e Revie w (NSR) regulation s on Jun e 13 , 2002 , wit h a n effectiv e dat

e o f Marc h 3 , 2003
. Th

e revision s include d change s t o th e PS D program . (Th

e reference s t o th

e federa l NS R progra

mmean s changes to th

e NS R an d PS D programs)
. Th

e changes wer

e issue d a s awa y to streamlin

e th e NS R proces s whil e maintainin g th

e environmenta

l protectio n afforde d b y th e regulations
. I n it s Fac

t Sheet , EP A stated , " Th

e curren t progra mi s unnecessaril

y complex
. I t

i s widel y recognized tha

t th e 2 0 yea r ol d progra

mneed s t o b e modernized no

t onl y t o allo w fo r th e increase

d energ y need s o f th e America

n publi c an

d to reflec t

th e improve d competitivenes s o f

America

n industr y ~ but als o t o ensur

e th e protectio n o f

th e environment. " I n addition , "EPA' s improvement s targe t situation s wher

e owner s nee d t o mak e change s to thei r existin g facilitie s i n orde r to ensur e reliable , efficient , an

d saf e operations
. Th

e overal l approac

h i s to creat

e incentive s fo r

facilitie s t

o reduc e ai r pollution
. Th

e curren t NS R progra

mi s effectiv e fo r

ne w industria

l facilit y construction , bu t i t i s problemati c fo r

existin g facilities. " Unde r th e federa l program , project s tha t result i n an y significan t

increase i n an

y pollutant s regulated unde r th e NS R progra

mar e require d t

o g o through th

e federall y permittin g process . No w th e Departmen

t i s proposin g asimila

r proces s fo r

larg e facilitie s tha

t the y stat e "..wer e exempte

d fro mthe ne

w federa l PS D program..."
. I t

i s unclea r whic h typ e o f

facilitie s th

e DE P i s referencin g but

since afacilit y rathe

r tha n a sourc e i s referenced , i t

i s assume

d tha t th e referenc e i s to facilitie s tha t coul d utiliz e th

e federa l Plan t wide Applicabilit y Limit s (PAL ) o r th e Clea n Uni t exemption
. Plantwid e Applicabilit y Limit s EP A allow s afacilit y to obtai n PA L base d on it s actua

l emission s baseline
. Th e PA L i s effectiv e fo r

aperio d o f

1 0 years . Durin g th

e 10-yea r period , afacilit y ca

n mak e an y chang e withou t undergoin g majo r

NS R approva

l provide d tha

t th e emission s d

o not increase abov

e th e PA L level
. Th

e benefi t o f aPA L i s tha

t thi s provide s operationa l flexibilit y t

o asit e whil e ensuring environmenta l protection
. I f

afacilit y wa

s t o increase emission s fro mon

e sourc e a t th e sit e abov e the significan t

increas e limit , n

o NS R permittin g woul d b

e require d provide d tha

t th e PA L wa

s met . A s a

n example , i f

asourc e retire d auni t

i n yea r 2 o f th e PAL , asignifican t

increas e i n yea

r 8 i s allowe d provid

e tha t PA L i s not

exceeded
. Unde

r th e proposed Sectio n 54 , ane t emission increase onl y allow s fo r

increase s o

r decrease s withi n a5-yea

r window
. I n th

e give n example , th

e sourc e wit h th e significan t

increas e woul d requir

e Departmenta

l approva

l sinc e th e decreas e occurred mor

e tha n fiv e year

s fro mth e increase
. W e recommen

d th e followin g wordin g fo r Subsectio

n (1) , Applicability , o f

31 0 CM R 7.54 : "Fo

r sources tha

t hav e a n approved Plantwide Applicabilit y Limi t (PAL) , th

e ne t emission s increas e definitio n o f Subsection(2)(d

) i s no t applicable. " Clea n Uni t Exemptio n EP A consider

s auni t to b e "clean " i f

i t underwen

t arevie w proces s tha

t resulted i n it s achieving BAC T o

r LAER A contro l levels
. A clea n uni t woul d onl y trigge

r NS R i f th e
3permitte d allowabl e emissio n increased
. Th e Clea n Uni t exemption allow s sources to instal l BACT/LAE R o n existin g sources undergoing amodification
. Th e exclusio n i s vali d fo r 1 0 t o 1 5 years , an

d i s base d on th e dat e tha t th e contro l technology wa s installed
. Th

e Departmen

t does no t recognize th

e Clea n Uni t exemptio n i n it s propose d Section 54
. W e recommen

d tha t th e followin g wordin g fo r Subsectio

n (1) , Applicability , o f

31 0 CM R 7.54 : "Thi s sectio n i s no t applicabl e to asourc

e tha t meet s th e definitio n o f

aClea n Unit. " Also , th

e definitio n o f

aClea n Uni t foun d i n 4

0 CF R 51.165(xxix) , should b e incorporated int o Subsection (2) , Definitions , o f 31 0 CM R 7.54
.

4