### U n i te d S t a te s En v i r o n m e n t a l P r o tecti o n A g e n cy R e g i o n IX 75 H a w th o r n e S treet S a n F r a n c i s c o, CA 94105
- 3901
Oc tobe r 06, 2010
Tr an s m i tta l of EPA Ru l e R e v i e w C omments

T o: K o s houa T hao, S an J oaqu i n V a ll e y A i r P o ll ut i on Cont r o l D i s t ri ct k o s houa.thao @ v a ll e y a i r.o rg M i k e G u zz etta, Ca li fo rn i a A i r Re s ou rc e s B oa rd mgu zz ett

@ a rb. c a.gov Fr om: A nd r

ew S te ck e l , Ru l ema k i ng O ff i c e Ch i ef s te ck e l .and r

ew @ epa.gov R e: S J V U AP CD Ru l e 4566, Compo s t i ng and Re l ated O pe r

at i on s , S eptembe r

22, 2010 d r

aft
W e a r e p r ov i d i ng c omment

sba s ed on ou r

p r e li m i na ry r

e v i ew of the d r

aft ru l e i dent

i f i ed abov e. P l ea s e d i r e c t an y que s t i on sto me at ( 415

) 947

- 4115.
G ene r al
1. T he s taff r

epo r t s hou l d e x p l a i n the ba s i sfo r the v a ri ou sth r

e s ho l d sand li m i t

s i n the ru l e s u c h a s , fo r e x amp l e, th r

ee da ysand s i x i n c he sof c ompo s t c ov e r i n s e c t i on 5.1.1.2, th r

ee i n c he smo i s t c ompo s t i n s e c t i on 5.2.2.1, and s i x i n c he s c ov e r at the p il e pea k i n s e c t i on 5.2.3.1.
2. T he d r

aft s taff r epo r t and atta c hment

s r e l y on s e v e r

a l s tud i e s i n de s i gn i ng Ru l e 4566, but om i t s i mpo r tant i nfo rmat

i on, s u c h a stempe r

atu r e, C:N r at i o, mo i s tu r

e c ontent and feed s to ck deta il sof the s tud i ed c ompo s t p il e s

. P l ea s e add th i s i nfo rmat i on to bette r s uppo r

t the ru l e de s i gn. Mo r

e deta il i s pa r t i c u l a rl y i mpo r

tant fo r the hea v il y-c i ted T u l a r e Count y Compo s t

i ng s tud y b y S an D i ego S tate Un i v e rs i t y. 3. W e r e c ommend that the en v i r onmenta l i mpa c t ana l ys i s c i ted i n S e c t i on V III of the d r

aft s taff r epo r t i n c l ude c on s i de r

at i on of: ( 1 ) g r

oundwate r i mpa c t

swhe r e s p ri n k l e r i rri gat

i on i su s ed; and ( 2

) N Ox em i ss i on sf

r om equ i pment u s ed to c ont r o l V O C.
4. In r e s pon s e to ou r

p r e v i ou s r eque s t fo r

a demon s t

r at i on that th i s ru l e i mp l ement sR A C T , page 2 i n A ppend i x A of the d r

aft s taff r epo r t r efe rsto A ppend i xC. Howe v e r, we s ee no d i sc u ss i on of R A C T i n A ppend i xC.
S pe c i f i c P r o v i s i ons 1.0

- W h il e we r

e c ogn i z e that Ru l e 4566 i sp ri ma ril y de s i gned to c ont

r o l V O C, s ome p r

ov i s i on sma y

a l s o he l p add r

e ssothe r

a i r po ll ut i on i ss ue s i n the V a ll e y

. P l ea s e c on s i de r ment i on i ng pa r

t i c u l ate matte r

and ammon i a em i ss i on r

edu c t i on sa spa r

t of the pu rpo s e s tatement.
3.1.1 & 3.22.1

- P l ea s e r emov e o r

bette r j u s t

i f y the 22 and 40

- da y li m i t s i n the def

i n i t i on sof a c t

i v e and c u ri ng c ompo s t

i ng. Ca li fo rn i a, fo r

e x amp l e, def

i ne sa c t i v e c ompo s t on l y

b y tempe r atu r e gene r at i on, CO 2 r e l ea s e r ate and Oxy gen upta k e. S ee CCR T i t l e 14 S e c t

i on 17852 (

a )( 1 )

. 3.19

- T he def

i n i t i on of c ompo s t

i ng i n c l ude sanae r

ob i c p r o c e ss e s , but the ru l e othe r w i s e ta r get sae r ob i cc ompo s t i ng

. P l ea s e c l a ri f

y how S J V U AP CD i ntend sto add r e ssanae r

ob i c p r o c e ss e sw

i th i n th i s ru l e or e l s ewhe r

e. 3.9, 5.1.1.3, 5.1.2.3, 5.2.2.2, 5.2.3.2 and e l s ewhe r e a ll ow the AP C O to app r ov e equ i v a l ent a l te rnate m i t i gat i on mea s u r

e sa sde scri bed i n pa r

ag r aph 6.3. Nat

i ona l po li cy

d i sc ou r age s S I P p r

ov i s i on sthat a ll ow AP C O d i scr

et i on to i ndependent

l y mod i f y S I P r equ i r ement s ( e.g., the L i tt

l e B l ueboo k

and 52 F R 45109, 11/24/87. ) Howe v e r, s ome d i scr et i on ma y be app r op ri ate fo r

a c t i v i t i e s , li k e c ompo s t

i ng, w i th li tt l e r egu l ato ry

h i s to ry

. S u c h d i scr

et i on s hou l d be li m i ted b y def i n i ng p r o c edu r e sthat the AP C O mu s t u s e i n e x e rc i s i ng d i scr

et i on. P a r ag r aph 6.3 and e l s ewhe r

e i n c l ude r

ea s onab l e li m i tat

i on sg i v en c ompo s t

i ng' s li m i ted r egu l ato ry

h i s to ry . Nonethe l e ss , th i sd i scr et i on s hou l d be fu r

the r li m i ted i n the futu r

e a s S J V U AP CD and othe r

agen c i e sga i n e x pe ri en c e w i th the i ndu s t

ry

. 3.52, 6.2, 6.2.6 and e l s ewhe r e r efe r en c e te s t method sde v e l oped b y the Compo s t

i ng Coun c il Re s ea rc h and E du c at

i on F oundat

i on and a ll ow the AP C O to app r ov e a l te rnat

i v e method sand p r

o c edu r e s . Nat i ona l po li cy en c ou r age su s e of EPA

- app r

ov ed te s t method s i n S I P ru l e sand d i sc ou r age s S I P p r

ov i s i on sthat a ll ow AP C O d i scr

et i on to i ndependent

l y mod i f y S I P r equ i r ement s (s ee, e.g., the L i tt

l e B l ueboo k

and 52 F R 45109, 11/24/87. ) Howe v e r, s ome de v i at i on f r om th i spo li cy

ma y be app r op ri ate fo r

a c t i v i t i e s , li k e c ompo s t i ng, w i th li tt l e r egu l ato ry

h i s to ry and w i thout EPA

- app r

ov ed method sfo r

a ll r e l e v ant pa r

amete rs

. T e s t i ng and othe r

p r o c edu r e s s hou l d be fu r

the r s tanda r

d i z ed i n Ru l e 4566 i n the futu r e a s S J V U AP CD and othe r

agen c i e sga i n e x pe ri en c e w i th the i ndu s t

ry

. 4.1 and 4.3

- P l ea s e c on s i de r add i ng s i z e th r

e s ho l d sto the s e e x empt i on s . It ma y

be app r op ri ate to app l y s ome o r a ll of Ru l e 4566 r

equ i r ement sto fa c ili t

i e sadd r e ss ed he r

e that a r e v e ry l a r

ge. 4.2 c ou l d be r

ead to mean, fo r

e x amp l e, that fa c ili t

i e sboth c ompo s t

i ng g r eenwa s te and s to ck p ili ng wood c h i p sa r e e x empt f

r om a ll ru l e r

equ i r ement s

. O ne wa y

to add r e ssth i swou l d be to r

e v i s e 4.2 to r

ead,

" F a c ili t i e sthat on ly s to ck p il e o r gan i c mate ri a l sf

r om the fo ll ow

i ng ope r at i on sa r e e x empt f

r om a ll r equ i r ement sof th i s ru l e."
5.1

-D r aft S outh Coa s t A i r Q ua li t y Management D i s t

ri c t ( S C A Q MD ) Ru l e 1133.3 ( d )( 1 ) i n c l ude sadd i t

i ona l r equ i r ement sfo r s to ck p ili ng. P l ea s e c on s i de r add i ng s i m il a r r

equ i r ement sfo r s to ck p ili ng foodwa s te ( 1133.3 ( d )( 1 )( B ) and (C )) to r

edu c e V O C, odo r

and nu i s an c e, a swe ll a sthe othe r d r aft S C A Q MD r equ i r ement s r ega r d i ng s to ck p il e he i ght ( 1133.3 ( d )( 1 )( D )) , tempe r

atu r e ( 1133.3 (

d )( 1 )( E ) and (F)) , and r e c o r d k eep i ng ( 1133.3 (

d )( 1 )(G)).
5.1.1.1 & 5.1.1.2

- T he s e pa r ag r aph s c ou l d be r

ead to mean that s to ck p il e s c an r ema i n un c ov e r

ed fo r un li m i ted da ys , a s l ong a sthe y a r e e v entua ll y c ov e r

ed b y s i x i n c he sof f

i n i s hed c ompo s t. F o r c l a ri t y , we s ugge s t r

e v i s i ng the s e s e c t

i on sto: "P r

o c e sso r u s e the o r

gan i c mate ri a l w

i th i n th r ee ( 3 ) da ysof r

e c e i pt; and or c ov e r

ea c h of the s to ck p il e s, that i snot p r o c e ss ed w

i th i n th r ee ( 3 ) da ysof r

e c e i pt w i th at l ea s t s i x ( 6 ) i n c he sof f

i n i s hed c ompo s t w

i th i n th r ee ( 3 ) da ysof r

e c e i pt ; o r."
5.1.2.1 & 5.1.2.2 s hou l d a l s o be r e v i s ed a sde scri bed i n the p r e v i ou s c omment r

ega r d i ng 5.1.1.1 and 5.1.1.2.
5.2.1

-D r

aft S C A Q MD Ru l e 1133.3 ( d )( 2 ) and ( 3 ) i n c l ude add i t

i ona l gene r

a l r equ i r ement sfo r c ompo s t fa c ili t i e s

. P l ea s e c on s i de r s i m il a rl y r equ i ri ng tu rned w

i nd r ow s ( 1133.3 (

d )( 2 )( A ) and ( 3

)( B )) , scr ap i ng/ s weep i ng m i x i ng and othe r a r ea s ( 1133.3 (

d )( 2 )( B )) , c a rbon/n i t

r ogen r at i o swhen c ompo s t

i ng foodwa s te ( 1133.3 (

d )( 3 )( D )) , and a tempe r

atu r e r ange ( 1133.3 (

d )( 3 )( E )).
5.2.1.2

- P l ea s e c on s i de r r e v i s i ng the d r

aft mo i s tu r

e c ontent li m i t of 40

- 70 % c on s i s tent w

i th the 50

- 60

% li m i t i n d r

aft S C A Q MD Ru l e 1133.3 ( d )( 3 )(F).
5.2.1.3 r equ i r e swee k l y

te s t i ng un l e ssthe AP C O e s tab li s he sa d i ffe r ent f r equen cy . D r

aft S C A Q MD Ru l e 1133.3 ( d )( 3 )( H ) r equ i r e sda il y te s t i ng and doe snot a ll ow a l te rnate f r equen c i e s

. P l ea s e c on s i de r mo r e f r equent te s t

i ng c on s i s tent w

i th d r aft Ru l e 1133.3 and, i f a l te rnate sa r e t ru l y ne c e ss a ry , c l a ri f

y that the AP C O c annot e s tab li s h an a l te rnate f r equen cy be y ond a s pe c i f

i ed app r op ri ate oute r

bound.5.2.1.4

- P l ea s e s pe c i f y that r e c o r d s s hou l d be k ept of pa r amete rsfound to be out s i de app li c ab l e li m i t

s and a ll c o rr

e c t i v e a c t i on. 5.2.2 r equ i r e sfa c ili t i e sw i th 10,000

-25,000 ton s / y ea r thoughput to wate r c ompo s t p il e sw i th i n th r ee hou rs befo r e tu rn i ng and unt

il th r ee i n c he s i n depth i swet. S J V U AP CD p r o j e c t s s i gn i f i c ant em i ss i on sf

r om a 10,000 ton/

y ea r fa c ili t y , and d r aft S C A Q MD 1133.3 doe snot s et a s i m il a r 10,000 ton o r

othe r m i n i mum s i z e th r e s ho l d. P l ea s e c on s i de r: ( 1 ) app l y i ng Ru l e 4566 r equ i r ement sto s ma ll e r

fa c ili t i e s ; ( 2 ) e s tab li s h i ng a m i n i mum f

r equen cy fo r p il e tu rn i ng (

e.g., on c e/

X

- da ys) ; and ( 3

) ed i to ri a l r

e v i s i on sto c l a ri f

y that th i s r equ i r ement s hou l d not l ead to e xc e ssmo i s tu r e i n the p il e c au s i ng anae r ob i c c ond i t

i on s

. P l ea s e a l s o c l a ri f y i n the s taff r

epo r t how th i smea s u r

e r edu c e sem i ss i on s. 5.2.3 r equ i r e sfa c ili t i e sabov e 25,000 ton/

y ea r to c ov e r p il e sw i th i n th r ee hou rsof tu rn i ng w

i th s i x i n c he sof f i n i s hed c ompo s t at the pea k

. P l ea s e ana l yz e: ( 1 ) app l y i ng i t to s ma ll e r fa c ili t i e s s i m il a r

to d r aft S C A Q MD 1133.3 ( d )( 3 )(C ) ; ( 2 ) r equ i ri ng c ov e r

w i th i n one hou r

of tu rn i ng i n s tead of th r ee hou rs s i m il a r

to 1133 ( d )( 3 )(C ) ; ( 3 ) e s tab li s h i ng a m i n i mum f r equen cy fo r p il e tu rn i ng (

e.g., on c e/

X

- da ys) ; and ( 4

) e s tab li s h i ng a s e c ond l e v e l of m i n i mum c ov e r nea r the ba s e of the p il e (

e.g., X

- i n c he sof c ov e r Y

- feet f r om the ba s e ) i n add i t

i on to the r

equ i r ement of s i x i n c he sat the pea k

. W e app r e c i ate that i t i sd i ff

i c u l t to e v en l y c ov e r

p il e sand note that append i xC page 4 of the d r aft s taff r epo r t p r o j e c t sthat s i x i n c he sat the pea k equate sto two i n c he sat the ba s e. Howe v e r: ( 1 ) the r e i sno a ss u r

an c e that s i x i n c he sat the pea k l ead sto two i n c he sat the ba s e; ( 2 ) the r e' sno demon s t

r at i on that two i n c he sat the ba s e effe c t i v e l y r edu c e sem i ss i on s , and ( 3 ) a r equ i r ement nea r

the ba s e w

ill be ea s i e r

to mon i to r

than s i x i n c he sat the pea k

. S e c t i on 5.3

- P l ea s e ana l yz e mo r e agg r e ss i v e r equ i r ement s , pa r t i c u l a rl y fo r l a r ge ope r at i on sthat p r

o c e ss foodwa s te wh i c h c an gene r ate h i gh V O C, ammon i a and odo rs . D r aft S C A Q MD 1133.3 (

d )( 4 ) , fo r e x amp l e, r equ i r e s80 % c ont r o l u s i ng ae r

at i on o r othe r sys tem sfo r

g r eenwa s te ope r

at i on sw i th mo r e than 25% foodwa s te. 7.1.3, 7.1.4 & 7.1.5 u s e the undef i ned te rm " w

i nd r ow. " P l ea s e def

i ne th i s i n s e c t

i on 3.