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/SPPD/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 Clean Air Act (CAA) to review and, if 

appropriate, revise existing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) 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 testing/ 

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 

limitation 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 been 

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., N2O)

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

discussions with industry, most of the NOX data collected by industry has been analyzed using 

Method 7E, “Determination of Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from Stationary 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 NOX, NO2, NO, and N2O. Testing for NOX, 

NO2, and NO emissions were conducted using Method 7, Method 7A, Method 7D, Method 7E, 

and Method 320. Method 320 was used for all N2O emissions.

There are a total of 46 emission records for NOX, NO2, and NO and 4 emission records for N2O. 

Method 7 was used for 6 records, Method 7A was used for 1 record, 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 NO2 emissions and 4 for N2O emissions).

All test data received are shown in Table 1.

Method 7E and Unspecified Test Methods

Method 7E is not an approved method for determining NOX emissions from facilities subject to 

Part 60, Subpart G. Also, there is potential for some of the NO2 portion of NOX emissions to be 

dissolved in condensate instead of being detected as NOX emissions. For more information, see 

memorandum entitled “Using EPA Method 7E for Measuring NOX Emissions from Nitric Acid 

Production Facilities” dated December 16, 2009.
3

To show the data that are not affected by the potential dissolution of NO2 in condensate, the data 

collected using Method 7E were removed. 

The test data that were 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 methods but to avoid any potential issues with dissolved NO2, 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 NOX 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 Collection Request (ICR) under Section 114 

authority to obtain NOX 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 NO2 in condensate (see memorandum entitled “Using EPA Method 7E for 

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

The distribution of the ICR will also allow EPA to collect N2O emissions data; plant operations; 

startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) provisions; N2O and NOX 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 NOX 245 yes EPA 7E 9.369 0.917

August 5, 

2008

Agrium North Bend OH NOX SCR yes

EPA 

7D 8.5 0.87

March 10, 

12, 2009

Agrium North Bend OH NOX SCR yes

EPA 

7D 8.6 0.88

March 10, 

12, 2009

Agrium Olympia WA Plant 7 NOX no

Agrium Olympia WA Plant 9 NOX yes

Coastal 

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne WY #1 NOX 113 no EPA 7E 0.01 0.003

December 

2-5, 2007

Coastal 

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne WY #2 NOX 109.6 no EPA 7E 0 0

December 

2-5, 2007

Dyno Nobel Louisiana MO NOX 900 EPA 7E 245.85 6.3 381.76 0.26

April 9, 

2008

Dyno Nobel Louisiana MO N2O 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 MO NO2

EPA 

320

April 9, 

2008

JR Simplot Helm CA NOX 246 EPA 7E 9.08

November 

28, 2007

JR Simplot Helm CA NOX no

no excess 

emissions

2nd 

quarter 

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 559.2 no EPA 7 366.79 15.74

August 1, 

1997

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 562 no EPA 7 344.33 14.67

August 

18, 1998

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 571 no EPA 7 427.76 17.98

August 

31, 1999

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX unknown 560 no EPA 7 13.57

July 17, 

2000

PCS Augusta GA C001 NOX 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

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 572.88 no EPA 7E 400 16.77 0

August 

20, 2002

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 563.04 no EPA 7E 426.6 18.17 0.2

October 

30, 2003

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX

extended 

absorption 23.2 no EPA 7E 253.5 10.93 0.4

July 27, 

2004

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 544.8 no EPA 7E 465.8 20.49 1

August 

16, 2005

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 554.4 no EPA 7E 432 18.7 1.3

August 

16, 2006

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 559.2 no EPA 7E 421 18.1 1.3

August 7,

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9

August 

27, 1997

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1042.8 yes EPA 7E 39.361 0.9059 47

July 18, 

2000

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1123.512 yes EPA 7E 61.565 1.315 102.57

December 

15, 2000

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX yes EPA 7E 2,898.88

July 19, 

2002

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1082.4 yes EPA 7E 91.5 2.03 156 1.2

October 2, 

2003

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1017.6 yes EPA 7E 75.8 1.79 146 0.9

August 

17, 2005

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1027.2 yes EPA 7E 50.3 1.18 94.6 1.5

August 

17, 2006

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1310.4 yes EPA 7E 56.9 1.04 84.1 1.5

August 8, 

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1192.8 yes EPA 7E 87.2 1.75 116.8 1.3

November 

28, 2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 3 NOX unknown unsure

EPA 

7A 65.66 ------

July 13, 

2006

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 4 NOX 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 LA Train 4 NOX unknown 490 unsure 43.94 2.153

August 

12, 2004

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 5 NOX unknown 1320 yes 38.061 0.692

October 

10, 2004

Radford 

Army 

Ammunition 

Plant Radford VA

Line 1 and 

4 NOX 84.876 EPA 7E 13.99 3.96 261.2 3.51

April 30, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NO2 SCR

EPA 

320 12.35 84.3 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NO SCR

EPA 

320 29.647 145.5 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 N2O SCR

EPA 

320 61.93 694.7 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX 150.76 yes EPA 7E 34.42 4.3 237.2 0.68

May 13, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX

extended 

absorption 188.74 yes EPA 7E 24.78 3.15 211.72 0.3

August 

12, 2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX

extended 

absorption 239.36 yes EPA 7E 27.62 2.77 195.33 0.18

December 

3, 2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 NO2 SCR

EPA 

320 4.77 51.5 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 NO SCR

EPA 

320 0.722 5.6 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 N2O SCR

EPA 

320 61.6 1091.7 1.3

October 2, 

2007

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 NO2 SCR

EPA 

320 21.4 0.86

May 30, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 NO SCR

EPA 

320 4.01 0.86

May 30, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 2 N2O 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)

Emissions 

(ppm)

% 

H2O Test Dates(s)

Agrium North Bend OH NOX SCR yes EPA 7D 8.5 0.87 March 10, 12, 2009

Agrium North Bend OH NOX SCR yes EPA 7D 8.6 0.88 March 10, 12, 2009

Dyno 

Nobel Louisiana MO N2O 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 MO NO2 EPA 320 April 9, 2008

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX 559.2 no EPA 7 366.79 15.74 August 1, 1997

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX 562 no EPA 7 344.33 14.67 August 18, 1998

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX 571 no EPA 7 427.76 17.98 August 31, 1999

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX unknown 560 no EPA 7 13.57 July 17, 2000

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX 541.6 no EPA 7 371.03 16.44 August 7, 2001

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA NOX yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9 August 27, 1997

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA NOX unknown unsure EPA 7A 65.66 ------ July 13, 2006

Rentech E. Dubuque IL NO2 SCR EPA 320 12.35 84.3 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E. Dubuque IL NO SCR EPA 320 29.647 145.5 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E. Dubuque IL N2O SCR EPA 320 61.93 694.7 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E. Dubuque IL NO2 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 N2O SCR EPA 320 61.6 1091.7 1.3 October 2, 2007

Rentech E. Dubuque IL NO2 SCR EPA 320 21.4 0.86 May 30, 2008

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

Rentech E. Dubuque IL N2O SCR EPA 320 847.2 0.86 May 30, 2008
8

Table 3. NOX 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 WA Plant 7 NOX no

Agrium Olympia WA Plant 9 NOX yes

JR Simplot Helm CA NOX no

no excess 

emissions

2nd 

quarter 

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 4 NOX unknown unsure 32.38 ------

April 2, 

2003

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 4 NOX unknown 490 unsure 43.94 2.153

August 

12, 2004

PCS 

Nitrogen Geismar LA Train 5 NOX unknown 1320 yes 38.061 0.692

October 

10, 2004

Coastal 

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne WY #1 NOX 113 no EPA 7E 0.01 0.003

December 

2-5, 2007

Coastal 

Chem, Inc. Cheyenne WY #2 NOX 109.6 no EPA 7E 0 0

December 

2-5, 2007

Dyno Nobel Louisiana MO NOX 900 EPA 7E 245.85 6.3 381.76 0.26

April 9, 

2008

JR Simplot Helm CA NOX 246 EPA 7E 9.08

November 

28, 2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 572.88 no EPA 7E 400 16.77 0

August 

20, 2002

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 563.04 no EPA 7E 426.6 18.17 0.2

October 

30, 2003

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX

extended 

absorption 23.2 no EPA 7E 253.5 10.93 0.4

July 27, 

2004

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 544.8 no EPA 7E 465.8 20.49 1

August 

16, 2005

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 554.4 no EPA 7E 432 18.7 1.3

August 

16, 2006

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C001 NOX 559.2 no EPA 7E 421 18.1 1.3

August 7, 

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX yes EPA 7 19.71 0.44 32.9

August 

27, 1997

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1042.8 yes EPA 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 GA C002 NOX 1123.512 yes EPA 7E 61.565 1.315 102.57

December 

15, 2000

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX yes EPA 7E 2,898.88

July 19, 

2002

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1082.4 yes EPA 7E 91.5 2.03 156 1.2

October 2, 

2003

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1017.6 yes EPA 7E 75.8 1.79 146 0.9

August 

17, 2005

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1027.2 yes EPA 7E 50.3 1.18 94.6 1.5

August 

17, 2006

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1310.4 yes EPA 7E 56.9 1.04 84.1 1.5

August 8, 

2007

PCS 

Nitrogen Augusta GA C002 NOX 1192.8 yes EPA 7E 87.2 1.75 116.8 1.3

November 

28, 2007

Radford 

Army 

Ammunition 

Plant Radford VA

Line 1 and 

4 NOX 84.876 EPA 7E 13.99 3.96 261.2 3.51

April 30, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX 150.76 yes EPA 7E 34.42 4.3 237.2 0.68

May 13, 

2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX

extended 

absorption 188.74 yes EPA 7E 24.78 3.15 211.72 0.3

August 

12, 2008

Rentech E.Dubuque IL Number 1 NOX

extended 

absorption 239.36 yes EPA 7E 27.62 2.77 195.33 0.18

December 

3, 2008