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# OAR Box 1168

Prepped by Ollie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 81 ) ll-C- 9

Docket Number: 

# A-89-1 0

Printed 4/29/2008 11:23:19 AM Sheet 81 of 131P. 2

* A \ UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA L PROTE C A.Q Q H ft I ^WP ? 3 Offic e o f Ai rQualityPlannin g an d S t r\, O W TM I W y^JIfi*'

/ Researc h Triangl e Park , Nort h Caroli n n-c- 9 %««< /

E P 1 5

Dr

. Terr yF

. Yosi e , FE B 1 # 5 Vic e Presiden t America n Petroleu m Institut e ioA/ S ~;i , ^

^ r 1220 L Street , Northwes t LJZZZrrrtrr^r Washington , D.C

. 2000 5 Dea rDr

. Yosie : Thi s i s i

n respons e t o you r lette r o f Septembe r 13 , 1989 , regardin g th e regulatory

negotiatio nfo r equipmen t leaks . In you r lette r yo uaske dfo r m y view s on ho

w th e outcom e o f th e negotiatio nma y affec t th e futur e regulatio n o f refinerie s an

dothe r petroleu

m facilities , an

dspecificall y

whethe r th e technologie s an

demissio nfactor s develope di n th e negotiation s woul db e applie d t o othe r substance s a t petroleu m facilities . I understan dtha t thes e ar e importan t question s t o b e considere di n makin g a decisio nt o participat e i n th e negotiation , an

d I wil l attemp t t o answe r you r question s a s directl y a s possible . First , however , I thin k i t i s importan t t o conside r i n th e broa dperspective , tha t th e motivatio nfo r th e negotiatio nstem s fro

m th e conclusio ntha t curren t lea k detectio nan drepai r rule s d o no t resul t i

n th e emissio nreduction s tha t ca nb e achieve dwit hth e bes t technology . Thi s i s s o bot hfo r refinerie s an dchemica l plants . In addition , th e emissio nrate s tha t resul t afte r applicatio no f curren t rule s appea r t o var y

widel y fro m plan t t o plan t an

dth e actua l emissio nlevel s ar e no t readil y

quantifiable . Thes e problem s wer e eviden t i n th e recen t benzen e rulemakin g fo r equipmen t leak s an dar e describe di

n th e preambl e t o tha t rule . Clearly , ther e i s a nee dt o develo pnew rule s tha t ar e consisten t wit h availabl e contro l technolog y andtha t wil l achiev e ai r qualit y goals . Thi s nee dapplie s t o al l sourc e categorie s includin g refineries . Th e negotiatio ni s intende dt o overcom e th e curren t deficiencies . I t i s possibl e tha t th e negotiate drul e wil l b e differen t conceptuall y from th e curren t rules , an

dwil l includ e a numbe r o f new provision s designe dt o mee t th e interest s o f th e affecte dparties . Assumin g th e negotiatio ni s successful , i t woul db e reasonabl e t o expec t tha t EPA woul dextendthes e concept s an

dprovision s t o othe r sourc e categorie s an d substance s tha t wil l b e regulate di

n th e future . Regardin g emissio nfactors , i t i s ou r intentio ntha t th e factor s tha t wil l b e develope di

n th e negotiatio nwil l appl y broadl y t o syntheti c organi c chemicals , no t onl y

thos e liste d i

n th e Septembe r 1 2 Federa l Reaister . I t i s no t ou r intentio na t thi s time t o appl y thes e factor s t o refiner y emission s unles s subsequen t analysi s shoul dsuppor t suc hextrapolation .P. 3

Wit hregar dt o th e "technolog y basis " fo r regulation , i t i s clea r tha t effectiv e lea k preventio ninvolve s a combinatio no f many technologie s an

d practice s beyon dlea k detectio nan drepair . Thi s i s discusse dbriefl y i nth e Federa l Registe r an

di s tru e fo r bot horgani c chemica l plant s an d refineries . A goa l o f th e negotiatio nwil l b e t o identif y a performanc e standar dtha t i s achievabl e throug hcombination s o f th e availabl e technologie s an d whic h achieve s maximu

m emissio nreduction . I expec t tha t ther e woul d b e on e performanc e standar d(no t chemica l b y chemica l standards ) tha t woul dappl y t o al l th e categorie s an

dchemical s liste di

nth e Federa l Rgg_M§ r announcement . Thi s standar dwoul dno t necessaril y b e applie di

nfutur e regulation s fo r othe r sourc e categorie s an

dchemicals . However , thi s woul dcertainl y b e a noptio n an dprobabl y

a presumptiv e startin g poin t i ndecision s onfutur e rule s fo r organi c chemicals . Finally , yo uma y

wan t als o t o conside r tha t a new regulator y

approac h wil l encompas s a numbe r o f element s beyon demissio nfactor s an dperformanc e levels . Th e lis t o f "interests " tha t ar e describe d i nth e Septembe r 12 , 198 9 ESiiin_l Registe r announcemen t give s insigh t int o th e element s tha t migh t resul t fro

m th e negotiation . Fo r example , th e curren t rul e doe s no t contai n enforceabl e emissio nlimit s fo r valve s an dpumps . A s such , EPA' s interes t i s i na new rul e tha t i s directl y

enforceable . Fo r example , a rul e tha t woul d allow a ninspecto r t o perform

a quic k on-sit e inspectio nt o determin e complianc e woul db e optimum . I ncontrast , th e occurrenc e o f leak s i s no t completel y

predictabl e an

dindustr y

ha s th e nee dt o b e abl e t o predic t complianc e status . A

goa l o f th e negotiatio nwould , therefore , b e regulator y provision s tha t mee t bot hinterests . Th e potentia l t o develo pnew an dperhap s innovativ e approache s whic hrespon dt o suc hinterest s i s on ®o f th e majo r benefit s o f negotiation . I f th e negotiatio ni s successful , I woul dthin k tha t thes e sort s o f provision s woul dexten dt o any futur e rule s o r rul e revision s tha t woul dappl y

t o othe r organi c compounds'o r t o refineries . Thus , i nshort , I woul danticipat e tha t th e result s o f th e negotiatio n coul db e extende ddirectl y fo r th e regulatio no f othe r organi c chemical s an d sourc e categories . I woul dno t expec t tha t EPA woul dexten dth e negotiate d rul e directl y

t o refineries . However , th e conceptua l framewor k o f th e rul e woul dlikel y

b e a basi s fo r futur e rule s affectin g refineries . I hop e tha t thi s informatio ni s usefu l t o yo ui ndecidin g t o participat e i nth e negotiations . I f I ca nb e o f furthe r assistance , pleas e cal l me . Sincerely , 

# a^4* / Oy^y

Rober t L . Ajax , Chie f Standard s Developmen t Branc h Emissio nStandard s Divisio n