December 9, 1999 

Placer County APCD 232 - 1 Rules and Regulations 

RULE 232 BIOMASS SUSPENSION BOILERS

Adopted 10-6-94 

(Amended 12-9-99) 

CONTENTS 

100 GENERAL 

101 APPLICABILITY 

102 FEDERAL REGULATIONS 

103 EXEMPTION, BOILERS, STEAM GENERATORS, AND PROCESS HEATERS 

104 EXEMPTION, BIOMASS BOILERS 

105 EXEMPTION, MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE 

106 EXEMPTION, WASTE HEAT RECOVERY BOILERS 

200 DEFINITIONS 

201 BIOMASS 

202 BIOMASS BOILER OR STEAM GENERATOR 

203 BRITISH THERMAL UNIT 

204 HEAT INPUT 

205 HIGHER HEATING VALUE (HHV) 

206 MEDIUM DENSITY FIBERBOARD PLANT 

207 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE 

208 NOX EMISSIONS 

209 PARTS PER MILLION BY VOLUME (PPMV) 

210 RATED HEAT INPUT CAPACITY 

211 RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL 

212 SHUTDOWN 

213 STARTUP 

214 SUSPENSION-TYPE BURNER 

215 UNIT 

216 WOOD 

300 STANDARDS

301 LIMITATIONS 

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS 

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE 

402 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN 

403 COMPLIANCE COSTS 

404 CERTIFICATION 

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 RECORDKEEPING 

502 CONTINUOUS EMISSIONS MONITORING 

503 INITIAL COMPLIANCE TEST 

504 TEST METHODS 

505 DURATION OF RECORDS 
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Placer County APCD 232 - 3 Rules and Regulations 

100 GENERAL

101 APPLICABILITY: This rule applies to biomass suspension boilers and steam generators 

which have a potential to emit, as defined in Rule 502, New Source Review, 25 tons or more 

of NOx emissions; which have a primary energy source of biomass from a medium density 

fiberboard plant consisting of a minimum of 25 percent of the total annual heat input; and 

which use suspension-type burners. 

102 FEDERAL REGULATIONS: Compliance with this rule shall not exempt a person from 

complying with any federal regulation promulgated pursuant to the Clean Air Act 

(42 U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.). 

103 EXEMPTION, BOILERS, STEAM GENERATORS, AND PROCESS HEATERS: This rule 

shall not apply to boilers, steam generators, and process heaters subject to Rule 231, 

INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AND COMMERCIAL BOILERS, STEAM GENERATORS, 

AND PROCESS HEATERS. 

104 EXEMPTION, BIOMASS BOILERS: This rule shall not apply to boilers and steam 

generators subject to Rule 233, BIOMASS BOILERS. 

105 EXEMPTION, MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE: This rule shall not apply to combustion units 

whose primary purpose is to burn municipal solid waste, as defined in Section 207. 

106 EXEMPTION, WASTE HEAT RECOVERY BOILERS: This rule shall not apply to waste heat 

recovery boilers used to recover sensible heat from the exhaust of combustion turbines or 

unfired waste heat recovery boilers used to recover sensible heat from the exhaust of any 

combustion equipment. 

200 DEFINITIONS

201 BIOMASS: Any organic material not derived from fossil fuels, such as agricultural crop 

residues, bark, lawn, yard and garden clippings, leaves, silvicultural residue, tree and brush 

pruning, wood and wood chips, and wood waste, including these materials when separated 

from other waste streams. Biomass does not include material containing sewage sludge, 

industrial sludge, medical waste, hazardous waste, or radioactive waste. 

202 BIOMASS SUSPENSION BOILER OR STEAM GENERATOR: Any combustion equipment 

used in any industrial, institutional, or commercial operation which uses a suspension-type 

burner to combust biomass to produce steam, heat water or other fluids, and/or produce 

electricity. 

203 BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU): The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 

one pound of water from 59F to 60F at one atmosphere. 

204 HEAT INPUT: The chemical heat released due to fuel combustion in a boiler, using the 

higher heating value of the fuel. This does not include the sensible heat of incoming 

combustion air. 

205 HIGHER HEATING VALUE (HHV): The total heat liberated per mass of fuel burned (BTU 

per pound), when fuel and dry air at standard conditions undergo complete combustion and 

all resultant products are brought to their standard states at standard conditions. HHV shall 

be determined by one of the following test methods: 

205.1 ASTM D 2015-85 for solid fuels; or 

205.2 ASTM D 240-87 or ASTM D 2382-82 for liquid hydrocarbon fuels; or 
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Rules and Regulations 232 - 4 Placer County APCD 

205.3 ASTM D 1826-88 or ASTM D 1945-81 in conjunction with ASTM D 3588-89 for 

gaseous fuels. 

206 MEDIUM DENSITY FIBERBOARD PLANT: A plant that manufactures medium density 

fiberboard consisting of a composite wood product created from digested and refined wood 

fibers bonded with urea-formaldehyde resin. 

207 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE: Household, commercial/retail, and/or institutional waste. 

Household waste includes material discarded by single or multiple residential dwellings, 

hotels, motels, and other similar permanent or temporary housing establishments or facilities. 

Commercial/retail waste includes material discarded by stores, offices, restaurants, 

warehouses, non-manufacturing activities at industrial facilities, and other similar 

establishments or facilities. Institutional waste includes material discarded by schools, 

hospitals, prisons, and government facilities and other similar establishments or facilities. 

208 NOX EMISSIONS: The sum of nitric oxides and nitrogen dioxide in the flue gas, collectively 

expressed as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 

209 PARTS PER MILLION BY VOLUME (PPMV): The ratio of the number of gas molecules of a 

given species, or group, to the number of millions of total gas molecules. 

210 RATED HEAT INPUT CAPACITY: The heat input capacity, in million BTU per hour, 

specified on the nameplate of the combustion unit. If the combustion unit has been altered or 

modified such that its maximum heat input is different than the input capacity specified on the 

nameplate, and this alteration or modification has been approved by the Air Pollution Control 

Officer and made a limiting condition of operation, then the new maximum heat input shall be 

considered as the rated heat input capacity. 

211 RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: An individual with the authority to certify that a source complies 

with all applicable requirements, including the conditions of permits issued to sources in 

accordance with Regulation 5, PERMITS. A "responsible official" means one of the following: 

211.1 For a corporation, a president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the 

corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who 

performs similar policy or decision-making functions for the corporation, or a duly 

authorized representative of such person if the representative is responsible for the 

overall operation of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities 

applying for or subject to a permit and either: 

a. The facilities employ more than 250 persons or have gross annual sales or 

expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second quarter 1980 dollars); or 

b. The delegation of authority to such representative is approved in advance by the 

Air Pollution Control Officer; 

211.2 For a partnership or sole proprietorship, a general partner or the proprietor, 

respectively; or 

211.3 For a municipality, state, federal, or other public agency, either a principal executive 

officer or a ranking elected official; or 

211.4 For an acid rain unit subject to Title IV (Acid Deposition Control) of the Clean Air Act, 

the "responsible official" is the designated representative of that unit for any purposes 

under Title IV and Rule 507, FEDERAL OPERATING PERMITS PROGRAM. 
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Placer County APCD 232 - 5 Rules and Regulations 

212 SHUTDOWN: The period of time a unit is cooled from its normal operating temperature to 

cold or ambient temperature. 

213 STARTUP: The period of time a unit is heated from cold or ambient temperature to its 

normal operating temperature as specified by the manufacturer. 

214 SUSPENSION-TYPE BURNER: A burner in which solid fuel, in particle form, is combusted 

in suspension in air. 

215 UNIT: Any biomass suspension boiler or steam generator as defined in Sections 202. 

216 WOOD: Wood, wood residue, bark, or any derivative fuel or residue thereof, in any form, 

including but not limited to sawdust, sanderdust, wood chips, scraps, slabs, millings, 

shavings, and processed pellets made from wood or other forest residues. 

300 STANDARDS

301 LIMITATIONS:

301.1 The nitrogen oxide emissions into the atmosphere from a biomass suspension boiler 

or steam generator shall not exceed 568 ppmv corrected to 12 percent by volume 

stack gas CO2 on a three-hour average dry basis. 

301.2 The carbon monoxide emissions into the atmosphere from a biomass suspension 

boiler or steam generator shall not exceed 400 ppmv corrected to 12 percent by 

volume stack gas CO2 on a three-hour average dry basis. 

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS 

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE: Full compliance with all applicable standards and requirements 

of Section 300 and the Continuous Emissions Monitoring System requirements of Section 

502 is required upon adoption of this Rule. 

402 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN: Any person installing an emission control device 

as a means of complying with the emission limitations of Section 301 shall submit an 

Operation and Maintenance Plan with the application for Authority to Construct for the 

emission control device. 

402.1 The Operation and Maintenance Plan shall specify: 

a. Operation and maintenance procedures that will demonstrate continuous 

operation of the emission control device during emission-producing operations; 

and 

b. Records that must be kept to document the operation and maintenance 

procedures. 

402.2 The records must comply with Sections 501, 502, and 505. 

402.3 The Operation and Maintenance Plan shall be implemented upon approval by the Air 

Pollution Control Officer. 

402.4 Subsequent to the construction of any emission control device used for 

demonstrating compliance with the emission limitation of Section 301, an Operation 

and Maintenance Plan shall be submitted or resubmitted in conjunction with any 
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Rules and Regulations 232 - 6 Placer County APCD 

changes in the procedures addressed in the plan, or upon the request of the Air 

Pollution Control Officer. 

403 COMPLIANCE COSTS: A person operating a unit subject to this rule shall bear all expenses 

associated with compliance with the monitoring and reporting provisions of this rule. 

404 CERTIFICATION: All reports submitted in accordance with this rule shall be signed by a 

responsible official who shall certify the truth, accuracy, and completeness of the report. 

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 RECORDKEEPING: A person operating a unit subject to this rule shall keep the following 

records for each unit: 

501.1 Calendar date of record. 

501.2 Number of hours the unit is operated during each day. 

501.3 Boiler load. 

501.4 Fuel types, including supplementary gaseous or liquid fuels. 

501.5 Duration of startups and shutdowns. 

501.6 Type and duration of maintenance and repairs. 

501.7 Results of compliance tests. 

501.8 Three-hour average NOx emission concentration (expressed as NO2 and corrected to 

12 percent by volume stack gas CO2). 

501.9 Three-hour average CO emission concentration (corrected to 12 percent by volume 

stack gas CO2). 

501.10 Identification of time periods during which NOx and CO emission limitations are 

exceeded, the reason for the exceedance, and a description of corrective action 

taken. 

501.11 Identification of time periods during which operating condition and pollutant emission 

data were not obtained, the reason for not obtaining this information, and a 

description of corrective action taken. 

502 CONTINUOUS EMISSIONS MONITORING

502.1 A person operating a unit subject to this rule shall install, calibrate, operate, and 

maintain a Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) in accordance with 

applicable requirements of Appendices B and F of Title 40 Code of Federal 

Regulations Part 60 (40 CFR 60). 

502.2 The CEMS shall include equipment that measures and records the following: 

a. Continuous exhaust gas NOx and CO concentrations corrected to 12 percent by 

volume stack gas CO2 dry basis. 

b. Average NOx and CO concentrations calculated on a three-hour average basis. 
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Placer County APCD 232 - 7 Rules and Regulations 

502.3 A person operating a CEMS shall submit an excess emissions and monitoring 

systems performance report to the Air Pollution Control Officer within 30 days after 

the end of each calendar quarter in accordance with 40 CFR 60, Section 60.7(c) and 

(d) and Section 60.13. 

502.4 A relative accuracy test audit (RATA) is required each calendar year. 

502.5 The enhanced monitoring requirements of Sections 113 and 114 of the Federal 

Clean Air Act shall take precedence over the requirements of this Section for facilities 

subject to Rule 507, FEDERAL OPERATING PERMIT PROGRAM. 

503 COMPLIANCE TEST

503.1 A person who operates a unit subject to this rule shall conduct an annual compliance 

test. 

 a. Each emission test run shall be conducted while the unit is operated within 10% 

of the rated heat input capacity. No emission test shall be conducted during 

startup, shutdown, or under breakdown conditions for the purpose of the initial 

compliance test. 

 b. The compliance test shall be conducted for NOx and CO using the test methods 

specified in Section 504. 

503.2 At least sixty (60) days prior to the compliance test, a written test plan detailing the 

test methods and procedures to be used shall be submitted for approval by the Air 

Pollution Control Officer. The plan shall cite the test methods to be used for the 

determination of compliance with the emission limitations of this rule. The plan shall 

provide the proposed procedures for the characterization of the representative 

biomass materials to be burned during testing. 

504 TEST METHODS - A person conducting source tests in accordance with Section 503 shall 

use the following test methods: 

504.1 Nitrogen Oxides (NOX): ARB Test Method 100, Title 17, CCR, Section 94114, 

Procedures for Continuous Emission Stack Sampling, or EPA Test Method 7E, 

40 CFR 60, Appendix A. A violation determined by any of these test methods shall 

constitute a violation of this rule 

504.2 Carbon Monoxide (CO): ARB Test Method 10, Title 17, CCR, Section 94109, 

Determination of Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Stationary Sources, or ARB Test 

Method 100, or EPA Test Method 10, 40 CFR 60, Appendix A. A violation 

determined by any of these test methods shall constitute a violation of this rule. 

504.3 Carbon Dioxide (CO2): ARB Test Method 100, or EPA Test Method 3A. 

505 DURATION OF RECORDS: All records maintained pursuant to this rule shall be retained for 

at least two years from date of entry, with the exception that sources subject to the 

requirements of Rule 507, FEDERAL OPERATING PERMIT PROGRAM, shall retain records 

at least five years. Records shall be made available for inspection by the Air Pollution 

Control Officer upon request. 
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