p. 1



# OAR Box 1208 Prepped byOllie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 118 ) ll-E- 4 Docket Number: 

# A-89-1 0

Printed 5/9/200810:08:23 AM

Sheet 118of 127P. 2 

# A-89-1 0

LA WOFFICE S PHILI PJ . HARTE R

SUIT E 40 4 230 1 M STREET , N . W . WASHINGTON . O.C . 2003 7 II-E- 4



# F^OLLli^ (202 ) 687-103 3

^EE-ORANDUE .

Septembe r

8 , 198 9 ^'j lFE

B I5 199 1 [L ' 

# 'u s

To : Intereste d Partie s Fr : Phili p J . Har l Re. : EPA' s Negotiate d Rulemakin g o nFugitiv e Emission s fro m Equipmen t Leak s I enclos e th e Notic e tha t i s schedule d t o appea r i nth e Fed

era l Registe r o nTuesday , Septembe r 12 . I t announce s tha t th e firs t meetin g o f th e Committe e wil l b e o nSeptembe r 27-2 8 a t th e Qualit yHotel—Capito l Hill ; 41 5 Ne wJerse yAvenue , N.W. ; Wash

ington , DC ; 202-638-1616 . Th e meetin g wil l begi na t 9:00 . Th e notic e als o indicate s th e partie s tha t ar e currentl yrepresente d o nth e Committee . Anumbe r o f other s ar e considerin g whethe r the yshoul d participate . Th e meetin g wil l star t wit ha discussio no f th e scop e o f th e fugitiv e emissio nproble mand o f th e regulator ynegotiatio nit

self . W e wil l the n tak e up th e compositio no f th e Committee . W e wil l nex t develo p th e groundrule s fo r th e operatio no f th e Com

mitte e an d th e Resourc e Poo l whic hth e Committe e wil l b e abl e t o dra wupo ndurin g th e negotiations . Followin g th e lunc htha t wil l b e served , th e Conservatio n Foundatio nwil l provid e a nintroduc

tor ytrainin g o nth e technique s o f negotiatin g publi c polic y questions ; member s o f prio r negotiate d rulemakin g committee s hav e foun d simila r orientation s helpful . Substantiv e discussion s wil l begi n o nThursday . Tha t wil l entai l identifyin g th e issue s tha t w e wil l nee d t o resolve , th e dat a tha t wil l b e require d t o d o so , an d ho wi t wil l b e generated . W e wil l als o develo p a schedul e fo r ou r meeting s and a "flo wchart " t o provid e a norde r fo r ou r deliberations . W e wil l conclud e b y5:0 0 o nThursday . I wil l forwar d draf t protocol s an d a mor e complet e agend a shortly . I f ther e ar e anyquestions , pleas e le t m e know .P. 3

U.S . ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENC Y NOTIC E O F ESTABLISHMENT AND OPE NMEETINGO F TH E NEGOTIATE D RULEMAKINGADVISORYCOMMITTE E FOR TH E VOLATIL E ORGANI C CHEMICAL EQUIPMENT LEAK RUL E

A s require d b

ySectio n9(a)(2 ) o f th e Federa l Advisor y Committe e Ac t (P.L . 92=463) , w e ar e givin g notic e o f th e establishmen t o f a nAdvisor yCommitte e t o negotiat e a rul e t o contro l fugitiv e emission s o f toxi c volatil e organi c compound s (VOCs ) from

chemica l equipmen t leaks . W e hav e determine d tha t thi s i s i nth e publi c interes t an d wil l assis t th e Agenc yi nperformin g it s dutie s prescribe d i nSection s 11 1 and 11 2 o f th e Clea n Ai r Act , a s amended . Copie s o f th e Committe e Charte r wil l b e file d wit hth e appropriat e committee s o f Congres s an d th e Libraryo f Congress . Th e committee' s initia l meetin g wil l b e hel d o nSeptembe r 27 , 198 9 from10.0 0 a

mt o 12;3 0 pman

d o nSeptembe r 2 8 from9s0 0 amt o 5:0 0 pma t th e Qualit yHote l Capito l Hill , 41 5 Ne wJerse yAvenu e N.W./Washington , D.C . Th e Committee' s facilitato r ha s notifie d intereste d partie s o f th e meetin g dates . Th e purpos e o f th e meetin g i s t o complet e outstandin g procedura l matters , determin e ho wbes t t o addres s th e substantiv e issue s an d begi nt o addres s them . Anorientatio nfo r Committe e member s o nSeptembe r 27 , 198 9 a t from2:0 0 t o 5:0 0 pma t th e Qualit yHote l Capito l Hill , Washington , D.C . Person s needin g furthe r informatio no n th e substantiv e matter s o f th e rul e shoul d cal l Rober t Ajax , Offic e o f Ai r Qualit yPlannin gP. 4

2 an d Standards , EPA , (919 ) 541=5579 . Person s needin g furthe r informatio no nprocedura l matter s shoul d cal l Debora hDalton , RegulatoryNegotiatio nProject , EPA , a t (202 ) 382=549 5 o r th e Committee' s facilitator , Phili p Harte r a t (202 ) 887-1033 . SUPPLEMENTARYINFORI-IATIO N Background Fugitiv e emission s o f toxic s an d volatil e organi c compound s (VOCs ) fromequipmen t leak s (valves , etc. ) contribut e significantl y t o ai r qualit yproblems . Fo r example , som e estimate s indicat e tha t fugitiv e emission s accoun t fo r approximatel yon e thir d o f al l rou ° tin e (non-accidental ) toxi c ai r emissions . Recen t report s complete d unde r Sectio n31 3 o f th e Superfund Amendment s and Reauth ~ orizatio n Ac t (SARA ) include d 385,87 8 ton s pe r yea r fromfugitiv e sources . Moreover , becaus e the yar e release d nea r th e ground , th e impac t fro

mfugitiv e emission s i s 10= 4 0 time s greate r tha nequa l release s fro

mstacks . Curren t regulation s adopte d unde r Section s 11 1 an d 11 2 o f th e Clea nAi r Ac t an

d i n Stat e Implementatio n Plan s (SIPs ) hav e bee n effectiv e i nheightenin g awarenes s o f th e significanc e o f th e sourc e an

d i n stimulating contro l efforts . Th e rule s basicall y requir e tha t equipmen t i nplac e b e inspecte d quarterl yfo r leak s wit ha portabl e hydrocarbo ndetector . I f concentration s i nexces s o f 10,00 0 ppm

ar e found , th e componen t i s identifie d a s a "leaker " an d maintenanc e i s required . Thi s approac hi s knowna s "lea k detectio nand repair " (LDAR) . EPAstudie s from

th e earl y1980 s indicate d tha t typica l3

uncontrolle d chemica l plant s an d refinerie s hav e a lea k frequenc y o f 1 1 t o 1 2 percent . Maintenanc e studie s indicat e thi s ca nb e reduce d b

yabou t 60=7 0 percen t wit hth e curren t lea k detectio nan d repai r program . Th e actua l frequenc yrate , an d associate d emissions , varie s widely , however , and i s believe d t o b e a functio n of s origina l desig n(e.g , numbe r o f valves) , ag e o f th e proces s unit , equipmen t selected , qualit yo f maintenance , standar d operatin g procedure s use d b yth e company , trainin g provide d t o employees , an

d motivation . Recen t dat a fo r highl ytoxi c chemical s demonstrat e tha t lea k frequencie s i nth e 0. 0 t o 2 percen t rang e ca nb e achieve d i nsome situations . But , n o on e i s sur e wha t combination

- o f factor s guarantee s suc hresults , no r ho wt o requir e the mthroug henforceabl e regulations . Accurat e quantificatio no f fugitiv e emission s fromchemica l equipmen t leak s i s becomin g a highpriority , ye t regulatory approache s currentl ybein g use d d o no t develo p accurat e profile s o f emissions . Specifi c emissio nlevel s ar e necessaryfo r baselin e an d residua l ris k assessment s neede d fo r makin g regulatory decisions . Thes e includ e setting o f ne wregulations , issuing permit s fo r ne wfacilitie s o r establishin g appropriat e emissio n fees . Further , companie s mus t repor t emission s unde r th e Communit y Righ t t o Kno wAc t (Titl e II I o f th e Superfund Amendment s an d Reauthorizatio nAc t (SARA)) . Thes e figure s wer e widel ypublicize d earl ythi s summe r an d sparked^considerabl e publi c attentio no nth e leve l o f emission s o f toxic s an d VOCs . Unde r th e curren t approach , and i nth e absenc e o fP. 6

4 comprehensiv e componen t b ycomponen t testing , a companycomplying wit hth e regulation s i s assume d b yEPAt o achiev e a nestimate d percentag e reductio ni nth e baselin e emissions . These , i nturn , ar e base d entirel yo na nuncontrolle d plan t usin g th e technology tha t wa s prevalen t a t th e time th e regulation s wer e written . Th e actua l emissio nlevel s a t man yfacilitie s ar e probabl y significantl ydifferen t tha nthes e assumptions . Th e bes t controlle d plant s emi t les s tha nth e typica l plant s usin g LDAR , Theoretically , th e actua l emission s fromchemica l equipmen t leak s coul d b e measured ; however , i t i s expensiv e and impractica l t o d o so . Indirec t measurement s hav e bee n use d i nrelativel yfe w plant s thu s far , bu t thei r us e i s increasing . Th e accurac yo f thes e indirec t approache s varie s wit hth e procedure , wit hth e mor e expensiv e one s providin g reasonabl e accuracy ; interestingly , however , th e accurac yo f thes e measurement s ma yb e th e poores t a t th e bes t controlle d plants . No t onl ydoe s th e curren t regulatoryapproac hno t achiev e accurat e estimate s o f th e actua l emissions , i t doe s no t provid e incentive s o r credi t t o firm s fo r establishin g program s and fa

cilitie s tha t achiev e th e bes t control . No r doe s th e approac h ensur e tha t emissio nrate s ar e reduce d t o level s tha t ar e readil y achievabl e wit havailabl e technology . Becaus e o f thes e shortcoming s i nth e curren t regulatoryap = proac ht o contro l o f VOC s from equipmen t leaks , EP Adecide d tha t a ne wstrategyi s needed . Th e ne wmetho d woul d provid e a mor e accurat e pictur e o f th e actua l emission s fromfugitiv e source s an dP. 7

5 woul d assur®tha t emission s rate s ar e reduce d t o level s achievabl e wit hbes t technology . Ne wregulation s coul d b e base d o n performanc e and/o r emission s an d coul d giv e credi t fo r origina l plan t design . EPAha s concluded , however , tha t developin g suc ha regulatio nusin g traditiona l dat a gatherin g and analysi s woul d b e ver ydifficult , costly , tim e consumin g an d controversial . Scop e o f th e Propose d Negotiatio n O nApri l 25 , 1989 , EPAannounce d it s intentio nt o for ma n Advisor yCommitte e t o Negotiat e ANe wApproac hfo r Contro l o f Volatil e Organi c Chemica l Equipmen t Leak s (5 4 Fed . Reg . 17,944 , * » 17,945).

- Thi s notic e announce d aninformationa l meetin g i nMay , 198 9 with-th e star t o f committe e deliberation s i nJun e o r Jul y 1989 . A s a resul t o f informatio nreceive d durin g an d afte r th e informationa l meetin g an d fromcomment s provide d t o th e docket , th e decisio no nwhethe r t o procee d wit hnegotiatin g thi s rul e wa s delaye d t o conside r modificatio ni nth e scop e o f th e negotiation . Discussion s wit hmanyo f th e potentia l partie s reveale d tha t withou t addressin g actua l level s i nsom e manne r o r another , th e issu e wa s no t rip e fo r resolution : th e leve l o f contro l woul d no t hav e bee ndefine d i nth e negotiation s bu t rathe r woul d hav e bee n se t i na subsequen t EPAproceeding . Moreover , th e natur e o f th e approac hmigh t als o b e a functio no f th e actua l requirements . Further , withou t addressing th e regulatio nitself , th e partie s woul d no t b e participatin g i nth e actua l decisio n a s t o th e critica l aspec t o f th e rule : wha t i s t o b e require d wit hrespec t t o fugitiv e emissions .P. 8

6 Equall yimportant , some partie s wer e vitall yintereste d i n revisin g th e ©missio nfactor s whil e other s wer e vitall yintereste d i nensurin g a reduce d leve l o f emissions ; combinin g th e tw o woul d mak e fo r mor e productiv e negotiations . Broadenin g th e negotiation s t o encompas s th e minimu mrequirement s o f technologybase d control s woul d mak e th e negotiation s sufficientl ytangibl e and rip©s o tha t th e committe e coul d adequatel yaddres s th e issues . I nsubsequen t discussions , severa l partie s agree d explicitl y wit hth e nee d t o includ e technologica l stringenc yan d requeste d EP A t o includ e i t i nth e negotiations . EPAand th e partie s believ e tha t thi s negotiatio ni s no t th e foru mt o decid e th e goal s o r limit s o f specifi c risk-base d standards . EP Aha s mad e th e decisio nt o focu s th e negotiatio no nth e fugitiv e emission s fromequipmen t leak s fo r sourc e categorie s tha t woul d b e affecte d b yEPA' s forthcoming HON(hazardou s organi c NESHAP S (Nationa l Emissio nStandard s fo r Hazardou s Ai r Pollutants)) . Th e sourc e categorie s an d compound s expecte d t o b e affecte d b

yth e HONregulatio nar e liste d belo wi n Tabl e l . Th e curren t objective s o f th e propose d regulatorynegotiatio n are :

o revis e th e emissio n factor s fo r fugitiv e emission s o f

VOC s fromequipmen t leaks , leading t o a bette r quantificatio n o f th e magnitud e o f th e leaks ; o develo p a ne wstandar d fo r contro l o f toxi c fugitiv e organi c emission s fromequipmen t leak s a t HONsourc eP. 9

7 categorie s base d upo nbes t technologyan d lowes t achievabl e rates . Thi s standar d woul d b e designe d t o reflec t th e maximu mdegre e o f reductio n o f emission s o f toxi c organi c compound s a s define d i nth e Administration' s propose d amendment s t o Sectio n11 2 o f th e Clea nAi r Ac t (Hous e Bil l = H.R . 303 0 and Senat e Bil l

- S.1490) . o develo p a forma t tha t coul d b e use d t o implemen t a ris k base d standar d fo r toxi c organi c emission s fromequipmen t leaks . Specifi c ris k limit s o r goal s wil l no t b e a topi c fo r negotiation . Partie s t o th e Negotiation : Th e following partie s hav e bee nidentifie d a s tentativ e committe e members . Membershi p wil l b e finalize d a t the-initia l meeting . Rober t Aja x U.S . EP A Offic e o f Ai r Qualit yPlannin g & Standard s Researc hTriangl e Park , N C

Davi d Dunn Sterlin g Chemica l Corp . Texa s City , T XP.1 0

8 Thoma s Kittlema n E.I . DuPon t d e Nemour s & Co . Newark , D E O nBehal f o f Chemica l Manufacturer s Assn . Davi d Donige r an

d Alle nHershkowit z Natura l Resource s Defens e Counci l Washington , D.C . an d Ne wYork , NY

Anupo mGangul i Sout hCoas t Ai r Qualit yManagemen t Distric t E l Monte , C

A

Le s Montgomer y Texa s Ai r Contro l Boar d Austin , TX '

Gu s Vo nBodunge n Departmen t o f Environmenta l Qualit y Bato nRouge , LA

Harvel e Roger s Ai r Pollutio n Contro l Distric t Louisville , K

YP.1 1

Bruc e Bower s Standar d Chlorin e Delawar e City , D E

Joh nProko p Independen t Liqui d Terminal s Assn . Washington , D.C . Internationa l Institut e fo r Syntheti c Rubbe r Producer s Houston , TX

Several-othe r partie s hav e bee ncontacte d and ar e considering whethe r t o participate . Organization s o r individual s tha t believ e thes e partie s d o no t adequatel yrepresen t thei r interest s shoul d contac t th e committe e facilitator , Phili p Harter , a t (202 ) 887=103 3 o r attend th e initia l meeting . 

### Dated : q/$fffi

e^-r^... 2J^7*-5>

_., , TerryDfflvie

s Assistan t Administrato r Offic e o f Policy , Planning and Evaluatio nP.1

-

TABL E 1 HONSOURC E CATEGORIE S AND CHEMICAL COMPOUND S Sourc e CategoryCompound s Butadien e Productio n B D SB RProductio nB D Polybutadien e B D Neoprene/Chloropren e B D Chlorin e Productio nC T CF C Productio n CT , CF , PC E EDC * Productio nED C E O Productio n E O Pesticid e Productio nCT , EDC , M C Chemica l Plant s CT , MC , PCE , CF , ED C (Chlorinate d Compound Users ) Chlorinate d H C Productio nCT , HC,PCE,CF,TC E ' Pharmaceutica l Manufacturin g MC , C T Othe r Productio nProcesse s B D tha t Us e Butadien e Compound s ar e abbreviate d a s follows : (BD ) Butadiene , (CT ) Carbo n Tetrachloride , (CF ) Chloroform , (PCE ) Perchloroethylene , (EDC ) Ethylen e Dichloride , (EO ) Ethylen e oxide , (MC ) Methylen e Chloride , (TCE ) Trichloroethylen e