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e o f H>cmtf ) Carolin a Offic e o f tfj e <§otoerno r
NIKK I R

. HALE Y 120 5 PENDLETO N STREE T GOVERNO RCOLUMBI A 2920 1
Jun e 2 , 201 1
Gwendoly n Keye s Fleming , Esq

. Regional Administrato r U S EP A Regio n 4 Atlant aFederal Center 6 1 Forsyt h Street , S.W

. Atlanta , GA 30303-890 9
Re : Sout h Carolin aRecommendation s fo r Sulfu r Dioxid e (SO 2 ) Boundary Designation s Dea r Ms

. Fleming , Thi s letter

i s i n respons e t o th e Unite dState s Environmenta l Protectio n Agency' s (EPA ) reques t t o submi t boundary recommendation s fo r th e revise d1-hou

r primary Nationa l Ambien t Ai r Qualit y Standar d(NAAQS ) fo r Sulfu r Dioxid e (SO 2 ) establishe db y th e EP A vi a7 5 Federal Register 35520 , Jun e 22 , 2010

. Pursuan tt o thi s request , I recommen d thateach count y i n th e state o f

Sout h Carolin a b e designate d a s attainmen tfo r th e ne w 1-hou r primar y NAAQ S fo r SO 2 . Backgroun d an d Rational e
Le t m e firs t say , with th e EP A Administrator' s commitmen t t o uphol dth e value s o f

transparenc y an dopennes s i n conductin g EP A operations , I amdisappointe di n th e way tha t EP A introduce dth e us e o f ai r dispersio n modelin g a s th e principal indicato r fo r implementatio n o f

th e SO 2 NAAQS

. Failur e t o openl y an dadequatel y engag e th e publi c i n decision s that

hav e fa r reachin g economi c implication s durin g thes e difficul t budgetary time s i s no t

i n th e public' s bes t

interest

. I n addition , I amconcerne dwith EPA' s historica l practic e o f usin g guidanc e i n lie u o f rulemakin g t o impos e regulatory requirement s o n th e states , a s guidanc e i s no t develope dthroug h arobus t publi c involvement

process
. I n term s o f

historical practices , th e EP A state s i n it s February 199 4 (EPA-452/R-94-008 ) SO 2 Guidance Document, that

"modelin g may b e necessary t o determin e th e representativenes s o f th e monitore ddata, " an dtha t thes e factor s "shoul d b e considere dinterdependently. " Th e ne w designatio n stanc e take n b y th e EP A i n it s Marc h 24 , 2011 , memo Area Designations fo r th e 2010Revisions to th e Primary Sulfur Dioxide National

Ambient Ai r Quality Standards i s no t

i n lin e with it s historical practice s wit h regar dNAAQ S implementatio n an di s contrary t o th e explici t

expressio n o f

th e standard. 1 Base do n th e curren t guidanc e i t

appear s tha t

EP A wil l b e makin g attainment

decision s base dentirel y o n modele dconcentration s usin g federall y enforceabl e maximu mallowabl e

l 40CFR§5850.17(b )Gwendoly n Keye s Fleming , Esq

.

Pag e 3 Jun e 2 , 201 1
emissions. 2 Thi s i s adepartur e fro mth e way i n whic h attainmen t modelin g ha s bee n don e fo r al l othe r NAAQS , whic h insteaduse s actual/typical emissions. 3 Fo r example , Sectio n 17.3 , p
. 17 2 o f EPA' s curren t

attainmen t modelin g documen t

states : "Fo

r poin t sources , hourl y Continuou s Emission s Monitorin g dat aar e recommende d fo r us e i n model-evaluatio n runs
. Fo r future-year

runs , w e recommen dcreatin g a n 'average-year ' o r 'typica l year ' temporal allocatio n approac h that create s representativ e emission s fo r th e 'baselin e inventory ' bu t that als o include s simila

r dail y tempora l variability a s coul db e expecte dfo r an y give n year. " With EPA' s ne w approach , contrary t o attainmen t

demonstration s base do n monitorin g data , attainmen t decision s wil l b e base do n simulate d concentration s base do n fictiona l operatin g scenario s rathe r tha n empirica l dat abase do n th e actua l operatio n o f thes e source s an dambien t ai r qualit y monitor

measurements

. Further , thi s overl y conservativ e modelin g approac h wil l falsel y identif

y area s a s no t

meetin g th e ne w standards , wastin g resource s o n additiona l modelin g effort s and/o r emissio n controls/operatin g change s that coul dhav e bee n directe dat prioritie s deeme dimportan t t o brin g abou t ai r quality improvements

. Sout h Carolin aalready ha s amonitorin g networ k an dpermittin g program addressin g NAAQ S attainmen t revie w with flexibilit y t o addres s implementatio n o f th e ne w SO 2 standard

. Th e permittin g proces s fo r

ne w an dmodifie dsource s (includin g PS D projects ) shoul ddriv e source s t o sho w the y d o no t caus e o r contribut e t o an exceedanc e o f aNAAQS , no t

th e NAAQ S attainmen t

designatio n process
. Th e Sout h Carolin aDepartmen t

o f Healt h an dEnvironmenta l Contro l (SCDHEC ) currentl y requires , unde r Stat e Implementatio n Plan (SIP ) approve dStat e Regulatio n 61-62. 1 Definitions an d General Requirements, Sectio n II.C.3. n an dSectio n II.H.i , that al l constructio n permi t

application s (alon g with modifications ) includ e "A n ai r dispersio n modelin g analysi s o r other informatio n demonstratin g tha t emission s fro mth e facility , includin g thos e i n th e application , wil l no t interfer e wit

h th e attainmen t

o r maintenanc e o f

an y ambien t

ai r quality standard. " Le t m e reinforc e tha t

ou r state' s revie w requiremen t applie s t o an y ne w o r modifie dsourc e requirin g a n ai r constructio n permi t

an dassure s that

facilitie s d o no t

caus e o r

contribut e t o an exceedanc e o f aNAAQ S an d applie s t o al l source s - no t jus t th e ver y larges t Preventio n o f

Significan t

Deterioratio n (PSD ) source s that EP A require s t o b e modeled

. SCDHE C ha s ha dthi s proces s i n plac e fo r over twenty (20 ) year s an drequirin g SCDHE C an dbusinesse s t o reru n dispersio n modelin g fo r al l potentia l SO 2 source s i n th e state , especiall y at atim e whe n ou r stat e ha s face dunprecedente dbudge t cuts , i s unnecessar

y an dredundant

. With regar dt o monitors , Sout h Carolin acurrentl y operate s seve n SO 2 monitors : Greenvill e ES C (45-045-0015) , Lon g Creek

(45-073-0001 ) Irm o (45-063-0009) , Parklan e (45-079-0007) , Congare e (45-079-0021) , Jenkin s (45

- 019-0003) , an dCap e Romai n (45-019-0046)

. A ma p o f thes e monitor s i s include di n Attachmen t 1

. Si x o f

thes e seve n monitor s ar e currentl y documentin g desig n value s belo w th e 7 5 part s pe r billio n (ppb ) 1-hou

r standard

. Th e Irm o monito r

ha s indicate dadesig n valu e o f 8 0 pp b base do n dat afro m2008 , 200 9 an d2010

. Evaluatio n b y SCDHE C o f availabl e dat aindicate s that th e predominan t

caus e o f hig h value s at

thi s monito r

i s emission s fro mth e SCE& G McMeeki n facilit y (Titl e V Permi t 1560-0003)

. Th e Irm o SO 2 monitor , locate d approximatel y 3. 5 mile s du e eas t (se e Attachmen t

1 ) o f th e facility , wa s site dto specificall y monito r SO 2 impac t fro mth e facility' s units

. I n a n effor t t o achiev e cleane r

ai r sooner tha n woul dotherwis e b e require db y processe s outline di n th e Clean Ai r Act , SCDHE C bega n meetin g with SCE& G las t year t o discus s option s t o contro l ai r emission s at

thi s source
. A s aresult , SCE& G ha s agree dt o an di s currentl y implementin g th e us e o f lowe r sulfu r conten t coal tha n that

whic h th e McMeeki n facilit y i s currentl y permitte dt o use
. The y ar e als o makin g othe r operatin g restriction s whic h wil l furthe r reduc e SO 2 emissions

. A Memorandu mo f Agreemen t

(MOA ) betwee n th e stat e an dSCE& G outlinin g thes e requirement s ha s bee n executed

. (The facility' s titl e V permi t i s unde r revie w fo r

renewa l an dth e MO A wil l b e addresse ddurin g thi s review. ) A cop y o f thi s MO A i s include da s Attachmen t

2

.

2 Area Designations fo r

th e 2010Revisions to th e Primary Sulfur Dioxide National

Ambient Ai r Quality Standards, Marc h 24 , 201 , Pag e 4 "Identifyin g attainmen t areas. " 3 Guidance on the Use of

Models and

Other Analyses for

Demonstrating Attainment of Air Quality Goals for

Ozone, PM2.5, an d Regional Haze (EP A -454/B-07-002) , Apri l 2007

.Gwendoly n Keye s Fleming , Esq

.

Page 3 Jun e 2 , 201 1
Th e EP A continue s t o remin du s that man y ne w federa l rule s wil l furthe r reduc e SO 2 ambien t

ai r concentration s throughou t

th e natio n an dwil l hel p mos t area s attai n th e SO 2 NAAQS

. Th e "Transpor t Rule " a s propose dAugus t 2 , 2010 , woul dreduc e powe r plan t SO 2 emission s b y 7 1 percent over 200 5 level s b y 2014. 4 A s aco-benefi t o f ai r toxic s reductions , th e National Emission Standards fo r Hazardous Ai r

Pollutants From Coal an d Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units standar da s propose dMa y 3 , 2011 , wil l reduc e SO 2 emission s fro mpowe r plant s b y u p t o 5 5 percen t onc e full y implemented, 5 an dNational Emission Standards fo r Hazardous Ai r Pollutants

fo r Major Sources: Industrial/Commercial/Institutional Boilers an d

Process Heaters (a s proposed ) an d National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air

Pollutants From the Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry standard s ar e expecte dt o reduc e annua l SO 2 emission s b y 340,000 6 ton s an d110,000 7 tons , respectively

. Base do n th e decrease dSO 2 emission s fro mth e change s at th e McMeeki n facilit y an dth e ne w federa l rules , downwardtrend s i n SO 2 concentration s throughou t th e state are expected

. Becaus e o f thes e decrease dSO 2 emissions , th e Irm o monito r i s expecte dt o mee t

th e revise dSO 2 NAAQ S befor e are adesignation s mus t b e finalize do n Jun e 3 , 2012

. SCDHE C expect s t o submi t 201 1 monitorin g dat awhic h demonstrate s ful l attainmen t o f th e 7 5 pp b 1-hou

r standar di n earl y 2012

. I woul dlik

e t o than k

yo u fo r considerin g thi s designatio n reques t an dshoul dyo u hav e an y question s regardin g th e state' s recommendation , pleas e contac t Myr aReece , Chief, Bureau o f Ai r Quality , at

(803 ) 898-412 3 o r

b y emai l atreecemc@dhec.sc.gov

. Sincere !

cc : Mr

. C

. Earl Hunter , Commissioner , SCDHEC ; Mr

. Robert W

. King , Jr. , P.E. , Deput y Commissioner , EQC , SCDHEC ; Ms

. Myr aC

. Reece , Chief , BAQ , SCDHE C
Attachments : 1

. Dat aillustratin g th e contributio n o f SCE&G' s McMeeki n facilit y (T V Permi t #1560-0003 ) t o level s at th e Irmo monito r

(45-063-0009)

. 2

. MO A and/o r

Propose dTitl e V amendment s fo r SCE&G' s McMeeki n facility

.

4 A s indicate di n th e preambl e o f Federal Implementation Plans T

o Reduce Interstate Transport o f Fine Paniculate Matter an d Ozone (1 5F R52210 , Augus t 2 , 2010)

. 5 Preamble , National

Emission Standards fo r

Hazardous Ai r

Pollutants From Coal- an d Oil-Fired

Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and

Standards of

Performance for

Fossil-Fuel-Fired

Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial- Institutional, an d Small Industrial- Commercial-Institutional Steam Generating Units (7 6 F R24976 , May 3 , 2011)

. 6 A s indicate di n th e preambl e o f National Emission Standards fo r

Hazardous Ai r

Pollutants fo r

Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial, an d

Institutional

Boilers an d

Process Heaters (7 6 F R15608 , Marc h 21 , 2011)

. 7 A s indicate di n th e preambl e o f National Emission Standards fo r

Hazardous Ai r

Pollutants From th e Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry an d Standards o

f Performance fo r

Portland Cement Plants (7 5 F R54970 , Septembe r 9 , 2010)

.

# Attachment 1 Data Illustrating the Contribution of SCE&G’s McMeekin Facility to Levels at the Irmo Monitor

### This page intentionally left blank

### I. Background South Carolina currently has seven SO 2 

### monitors: Greenville ESC (45-045-0015), Long Creek (45- 073-0001), Irmo (45-063-0009), Parklane (45-079- 0007), Congaree (45-079-0021), Jenkins (45-019- 0003), and Cape Romain (45-019-0046).

Figure 1: Map of monitors located in the state. As illustrated in Figure 2, the stat e’s historical design values have shown an overall downward trend. Six of these seven monitors are cu rrently showing design values belo w the 75 parts per billion (ppb) 1- hour standard; however, the Irmo mo nitor is showing a design value of 80 ppb which is 5 ppb above the current standard.

Figure 2: Historical Trends in SO 2 

### Design Values at the Irmo Monitor

### The Irmo monitor’s SO 2 

### design values have had the highest design values statewide since it began monitoring in 1989, and has consis tently been greater than the new SO 2 

### NAAQS. However, from 1991 – 2010, there was a 40 percent reduction in SO 2 

### design values in Irmo from 134 ppb to 80 ppb, which is similar to the statew ide average reduction of 37 percent during the same time period.
Evaluation of available data indicates that the cause of high values at this monitor is due to emissions from the SCE&G McMeekin facility. II. McMeekin Facility Description The McMeekin facility (TV Permit #1560-0003) is a Title V electric steam gene rating facility located immediately east of SC Hwy 6 and the Dreher S hoals dam in Lexington County, approximately 3.5 miles due west of the Irmo SO 2 

### monitor and is flanked by a river va lley which funnels into a relatively flat plane where the monitor is situated. The facility has an elevation of approximately 210 feet above sea level, and has primary stack which is 400 feet tall.

Figure 3: Topographical Map of the Irmo Monitor/McMeekin Facility Area. Operations at the McMeekin facility consists of co al handling systems, two co al-fired boiler units and associated ash handling facilities. Each boiler is a Combustion Engineering m odel WT pulverized coal, water-tube boiler rated at 1,134 x 10 6 

### Btu/Hr (910,000 pounds of steam/hr). Each boiler is coupled to two steam turbines. The high-pressure and medium-p ressure turbines are on a common shaft driving a General Electric (GE) 75 MW generator. Low-pressure steam exiting the first tu rbine is routed over to a secondary turbine that drives a 25 MW GE generator. Total nomi nal output is 125 MW per boiler,

### and it is currently permitted to emit 3.5 lb SO 2 

### /10 6 

### BTU at each unit (7 lbs SO 2 

### /10 6 

### BTU total). This emission limit allows for the use of approximately 2.3 percent sulfur coal based on current pollution controls. III. Evaluation of Meteorological and Mo nitoring Data at Times of Exceedences Wind patterns in the Columbia area show dominant winds from the west, though there are significant southwestern and northeastern components. Figure 4 is a wind rose of 2007-2009 data from the Columbia/Metro Airport, approximately 7 miles away from the McMeekin facility and Irmo monitor respectively.

Figure 4 : Wind Rose of all Meteorological Data from Columbia/Metro Airport Station (2007-2009) Wind patterns before, during, and after times of exceedences of the 75 ppb standard, however, are almost completely out of the west as indicated in Figure 5.

### Figure 5 : Wind Rose of Meteorological Data Be fore, During and After Exceedences of the 75 ppb standard from Columbia/M etro Airport Stations (2007-2009)
The clear wind bias at the time of exeedences indi cates that high readings at the Irmo monitor are entirely due to a source to the west of the m onitor. This would implicate the SCE&G McMeekin facility as the primary c ontributor to high ambient SO 2 

### concentrations at the monitor as it is the primary producer of SO 2 

### emissions in the area and is situated approximately 3.5 miles due west of the monitor. The only other major facilities (Title V) emitting SO 2 

### are nearly 50 kilometers east of the Irmo monitor. V. Comparison of Emissions from Other Local Facilities The only other major (Title V) source located near the monitor is the Shaw Industries Group, Inc., Plant 8S (TV Permit # 1560-0016) floor manufacturing facility. Actual emissions from this facility were less than 7 tpy when last evaluated in 2003. The f acility has since not been required to report their actual emissions to the Department of Health and Environmental C ontrol (Department), due to being below the thresholds required in State Regulation 61-62.1 Section III. Th is facility, though closer to the monitor, has very little effect on monitored readings when compar ed to the nearly 13,000 actual tpy that were emitted from the McMeekin facility in 2008. This is further reinforced by all but one of 32 hours over 75 ppb (between 2007 and 2009) occurred while winds were from the west as illustrated in Figure 5.

### Included on the same property as the McMeekin facil ity is the SEFA Group fl y ash processing plant. This facility is a conditional major facility and has SO 2 

### emissions below 100 tpy. Again, these emission are dwarfed by the 13,000 tpy emitted by the McMeekin facility.

Figure 6: Illustration of Statewide SO 2 

### Sources Based on Actual Emissions with a Detail of Those Sources Within 50 km of the Irmo Monitor.
VI. Conclusion Based on available emissions, meteorological, and m onitoring data, exceedences at the Irmo monitor are almost entirely attributed to emissions from SCE&G’s McMeekin facility. Exceedences have consistently occurred when winds are out of the we st and at times when the atmospheric mixing layer passes a height of 600 feet. This fa cility, with its wester n orientation to the monitor, 600 feet-abovesea-level stack, and actual SO 2 

### emissions, which are several orders of magnitude above all other large facilities in the area, is th e primary cause of exceeden ces at the Irmo monitor.