## Date: December 16 , 2009

Subject: Summary of Test Data

Nitric Acid NSPS Review

EPA Contract No. EP

- D

- 06

- 118; Work Assignment No. 3

- 22

RTI Project No. 0210426.003.022

From: Melissa Icenhour

To: Bill Neuffer

OAQPS/SPP D/MMG (D243

- 02)

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

Introduction

The EPA is required by section 111(b)(1)(B) of the C lean Air Act (C AA ) to review and, if

appropriate, revise existing New Source Performance Standards (N SPS) at least every 8 years.

The nitric acid NSPS (part 60, subpart G) has been reviewed in the past but the last review was

more than 8 years ago. As a result of this, EPA has received a citizen suit from Sierra Club and

Environmental Integrity Project prompting review of the standards before the end of the year

2010.

NSPS (40 CFR part 60) Promulgation date Previous review dates

Nitric Acid (subpart G) December 23, 1971

(36 FR 24876) Reviews dated June 19, 1979; April 5,

1984. No changes. Minor tes ting/

monitoring changes made

- October 6,

1975 [40 FR 46258], April 22, 1985 [50

FR 15894], and February 14, 1989 [40

FR 6666]

## 2

Options for NSPS review

The purpose of an NSPS review is to determine if the standards reflect the “degree of emissions

limita tion achievable through application of the best system of emission reduction which (taking

into account the cost of achieving such reduction and any nonair quality health and

environmental impact and energy requirements) the Administrator determines has be en

adequately demonstrated.”

Potential outcomes of the review process include one or more of the following:

- No changes

- Clarifying amendments

- Changes to emissions limits or other rule requirements

- Add emission limits for additional pollutants (i.e. , N 2 

## O)

EPA w ill collect and validate data to determine what changes to the NSPS may be needed. In

discussions with industry, most of the NO X 

## data collected by industry has been analyzed using

Method 7E, “ Determination of Nitrogen Oxides Emissions f rom St ationary Sources

(Instrumental Analyzer Procedure) .”

Test Data Review

As part of the NSPS Review of Nitric Acid Production , EPA received test data from Nathan

Frank of Region V. The testing was conducted as part of the Section 114 New Source Review

( NSR ) enforcement initiative.

The tests were performed at various locations across the United States and include multiple

pollutants. The most prevalent pollutants were NO X 

## , NO 2 

## , NO, and N 2 

## O. T esting for NO X 

## , NO 2 

## , and NO emissions were conducted using Method 7, Method 7A, Method 7D, Method 7E,

and Method 320. Method 320 was used for all N 2 

## O emissions.

There are a total of 46 emission records for NO X 

## , NO 2 

## , and NO and 4 emission records for N 2 

## O.

Method 7 was used for 6 records, Method 7A was used for 1 recor d, Method 7D was used for 2

records, and Method 7E was used for 23 records. Method 320 was used for 12 records (8 for NO

or NO 2 

## emissions and 4 for N 2 

## O emissions).

All test data received are shown in Table 1.

Method 7E and Unspecified Test Methods

Metho d 7E is not an approved method for determining NO X 

## emissions from facilities subject to

Part 60, Subpart G . Also, there is potential for some of the NO 2 

## portion of NO X 

## emissions to be

dissolved in condensate instead of being detected as NO X 

## emissions

. Fo r more information, s ee

memorandum entitled “ Using EPA Method 7E for Measuring NO X 

## Emissions from Nitric Acid

Production Facilities ” dated December 16 , 2009.

## 3

To show the data that are not affected by the potential dissolution of NO 2 

## in condensate, the dat a

collected using Method 7E were removed.

T he test data that w ere collected using methods other than Method 7E are shown in Table 2

.

The test method was not specified in six of the records. The testing could have been conducted

using any of the above m ethods but to avoid any potential issues with dissolved NO 2 

## , these data

were also removed.

The test data collected using either Method 7E or unspecified test methods are shown in Table 3.

Use of the Test Data and Next Steps

Initially, EPA had planned to use the test data to justify a change in the NO X 

## emission limit in

the Nitric Acid NSPS. As Table 2 shows, the amount of data that was collected using methods

other than Method 7E is limited.

Therefore, EPA has decided to issue an Information Collectio n Request (ICR) under Section 114

authority to obtain NO X 

## emissions data using Methods 7, 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D , or 320 . The industry

will also be allowed to use a modified version of Method 7E that contains provisions for

addressing the loss of NO 2 

## in condensat e (see memorandum entitled “Using EPA Method 7E for

Measuring NO X 

## Emissions from Nitric Acid Production Facilities ” dated December 16, 2009).

The distribution of the ICR will also allow EPA to collect N 2 

## O emissions data; plant operations;

startup, shutdow n, and malfunction (SSM) provisions; N 2 

## O and NO X 

## abatement technologies;

and industry opinions on the NSPS Review. All information will be useful for the NSPS

Review.

## 4

Table 1. All Test Data for Nitric Acid Facilities

Company City State Production

line Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emissions

(ppm) %

H2O Test

Dates(s)

Agrium West

Sacramento CA NO X 245 yes EPA 7E 9.369 0.917 August 5,

2008

Agrium North Bend OH NO X SCR yes EPA

7D 8.5 0.87 March 10,

12, 2009

Agrium North Bend OH NO X SCR yes EPA

7D 8.6 0.88 March 10,

12, 2009

Agrium Olympia WA Plant 7 NO X no

Agrium Olympia W A Plant 9 NO X yes

C oastal

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne W Y #1 NO X 113 no EPA 7E 0.01 0.003 December

2

- 5, 2007

Coastal

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne W Y #2 NO X 109.6 no EPA 7E 0 0 December

2

- 5, 2007

Dyno Nobel Louisiana M O NO X 900 EPA 7E 245.85 6.3 381.76 0.26 April 9,

2008

Dyno Nobel Louisiana M O N 2 O 900 EPA

320 618 15.8 961 0.26 April 9,

2008

Dyno Nobel St. Louis M O NO EPA

320 April 9,

2008

Dyno Nobel St. Louis M O NO 2 EPA

320 April 9,

2008

JR Simplot Helm C A NO X 246 EPA 7E 9.08 November

28, 2007

JR Simplot Helm C A NO X no no excess

emissions 2nd

quarter

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 559.2 no EPA 7 366.79 15.74 August 1,

1997

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 562 no EPA 7 344.33 14.67 August

18 , 1998

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 571 no EPA 7 427.76 17.98 August

31, 1999

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X unknown 560 no EPA 7 13.57 July 17,

2000

PCS Augusta G A C001 NO X 541.6 no EPA 7 371.03 16.44 August 7,

## 5

Company City State Production

line Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emissions

(ppm) %

H2O Test

Dates(s)

Nitrogen 2001

PC S

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 572.88 no EPA 7E 400 16.77 0 August

20, 2002

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 563.04 no EPA 7E 426.6 18.17 0.2 October

30, 2003

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X extended

absorption 23.2 no EPA 7E 253.5 10.93 0.4 J uly 27,

2004

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 544.8 no EPA 7E 465.8 20.49 1 August

16, 2005

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 554.4 no EPA 7E 432 18.7 1.3 August

16, 2006

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 559.2 no EPA 7E 421 18.1 1.3 August 7,

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9 August

27, 1997

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1042.8 yes EPA 7E 39.361 0.9059 47 July 18,

2000

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1123.512 yes EPA 7E 61.565 1.315 102.57 Dec ember

15, 2000

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X yes EPA 7E 2,898.88 July 19,

2002

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1082.4 yes EPA 7E 91.5 2.03 156 1.2 October 2,

2003

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1017.6 yes EPA 7E 75.8 1.79 146 0.9 Aug ust

17, 2005

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1027.2 yes EPA 7E 50.3 1.18 94.6 1.5 August

17, 2006

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1310.4 yes EPA 7E 56.9 1.04 84.1 1.5 August 8,

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1192.8 yes EPA 7E 87.2 1.75 11 6.8 1.3 November

28, 2007

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 3 NO X unknown unsure EPA

7A 65.66

------ July 13,

2006

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 4 NO X unknown unsure 32.38

------ April 2,

2003

## 6

Company City State Production

line Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emissions

(ppm) %

H2O Test

Dates(s)

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 4 NO X unknown 490 un sure 43.94 2.153 August

12, 2004

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 5 NO X unknown 1320 yes 38.061 0.692 October

10, 2004

Radford

Army

Ammunition

Plant Radford V A Line 1 and

4 NO X 84.876 EPA 7E 13.99 3.96 261.2 3.51 April 30,

2008

Rentech E

. D ubuque I L Number 1 NO 2 SCR EPA

320 12.35 84.3 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO SCR EPA

320 29.647 145.5 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 N 2 O SCR EPA

320 61.93 694.7 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X 150.76 yes EPA 7E 34.42 4.3 237.2 0.68 May 13,

2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X extended

absorption 188.74 yes EPA 7E 24.78 3.15 211.72 0.3 August

12, 2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X extended

absorption 239.36 ye s EPA 7E 27.62 2.77 195.33 0.18 December

3, 2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 NO 2 SCR EPA

320 4.77 51.5 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 NO SCR EPA

320 0.722 5.6 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 N 2 O SCR EPA

320 61.6 1091.7 1.3 October 2,

2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 NO 2 SCR EPA

320 21.4 0.86 May 30,

2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 NO SCR EPA

320 4.01 0.86 May 30,

2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 2 N 2 O SCR EPA

320 847.2 0.86 May 30,

2008

## 7

Table 2. Non

- Method 7E Data for Nitric Acid Facilities

Company City State Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emission s

(ppm) %

H2O Test Dates(s)

Agrium North Bend OH NO X SCR yes EPA 7D 8.5 0.87 March 10, 12, 2009

Agrium North Bend OH NO X SCR yes EPA 7D 8.6 0.88 March 10, 12, 2009

Dyno

Nobel Louisiana MO N 2 O 900 EPA 320 618 15.8 961 0.26 April 9, 2008

Dyno

Nobel St. Louis MO NO EPA 320 April 9, 2008

Dyno

Nobel St. Louis M O NO 2 EPA 320 April 9, 2008

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X 559.2 no EPA 7 366.79 15.74 August 1, 1997

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X 562 no EPA 7 344.33 14.67 August 18, 1998

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X 571 no EPA 7 427.76 17.98 August 31, 1999

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X unknown 560 no EPA 7 13.57 July 17, 2000

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X 541.6 no EPA 7 371.03 16.44 August 7, 200 1

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A NO X yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9 August 27, 1997

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A NO X unknown unsure EPA 7A 65.66

------ July 13, 2006

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L NO 2 SCR EPA 320 12.35 84.3 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuq ue IL NO SCR EPA 320 29.647 145.5 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL N 2 O SCR EPA 320 61.93 694.7 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL NO 2 SCR EPA 320 4.77 51.5 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL NO SCR EPA 320 0. 722 5.6 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL N 2 O SCR EPA 320 61.6 1091.7 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL NO 2 SCR EPA 320 21.4 0.86 May 30, 2008

Rentech E . D ubuque IL NO SCR EPA 320 4.01 0.86 May 30, 2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque IL N 2 O SCR EPA 320 847.2 0.86 May 30, 2008

## 8

Table 3. NO X 

## Emissions Data for Nitric Acid Facilities

— Method 7E and Unspecified Test Methods

Company City State Production

line Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day ) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emissions

(ppm) %

H2O Test

Dates(s)

Agrium Olympia W A Plant 7 NO X no

Agrium Olympia W A Plant 9 NO X yes

JR Simplot Helm C A NO X no no excess

emissions 2nd

quarter

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 4 NO X unknown unsure 32.38

------ April 2,

2003

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 4 NO X unknown 490 unsure 43.94 2.153 August

12, 2004

PCS

Nitrogen Geismar L A Train 5 NO X unknow n 1320 yes 38.061 0.692 October

10, 2004

Coastal

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne W Y #1 NO X 113 no EPA 7E 0.01 0.003 December

2

- 5, 2007

Coastal

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne W Y #2 NO X 109.6 no EPA 7E 0 0 December

2

- 5, 2007

Dyno Nobel Louisiana M O NO X 90 0 EPA 7E 245.85 6.3 381.76 0.26 April 9,

2008

JR Simplot Helm C A NO X 246 EPA 7E 9.08 November

28, 2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 572.88 no EPA 7E 400 16.77 0 August

20, 2002

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 563.04 no EPA 7E 426 .6 18.17 0.2 October

30, 2003

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X extended

absorption 23.2 no EPA 7E 253.5 10.93 0.4 July 27,

2004

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 544.8 no EPA 7E 465.8 20.49 1 August

16, 2005

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 554 .4 no EPA 7E 432 18.7 1.3 August

16, 2006

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C001 NO X 559.2 no EPA 7E 421 18.1 1.3 August 7,

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9 August

27, 1997

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1042.8 yes E PA 7E 39.361 0.9059 47 July 18,

2000

## 9

Company City State Production

line Pollutant Abatement

technology Nitric acid

production

(tons/day ) Subject

to NSPS

Subpart

G? Test

Method Emissions

(lb/hr) Emissions

(lb/ton) Emissions

(ppm) %

H2O Test

Dates(s)

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1123.512 yes EPA 7E 61.565 1.315 102.57 December

15, 2000

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X yes EPA 7E 2,898.88 July 19,

2002

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1082.4 yes EPA 7E 91.5 2.03 156 1.2 October 2,

2003

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1017.6 yes EPA 7E 75.8 1.79 146 0.9 August

17, 2005

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1027.2 yes EPA 7E 50.3 1.18 94.6 1.5 August

17, 2006

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1310.4 yes EPA 7E 56.9 1.04 84.1 1.5 August 8,

2007

PCS

Nitrogen Augusta G A C002 NO X 1192.8 yes EPA 7E 87.2 1.75 116.8 1.3 November

28, 2007

Radford

Army

Ammunition

Plant Radford V A Line 1 and

4 NO X 84.876 EPA 7E 13.99 3.96 261.2 3.51 April 30,

2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X 150.76 yes EPA 7E 34.42 4.3 237.2 0.68 May 13,

2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X extended

absorption 188.74 yes EPA 7E 24.78 3.15 211.72 0.3 August

12, 2008

Rentech E

. Dubuque I L Number 1 NO X extended

abso rption 239.36 yes EPA 7E 27.62 2.77 195.33 0.18 December

3, 2008