Document ID: EPA-R08-OAR-2019-0350-0025
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2023-12-04T05:00Z

Deseret Bonanza Title V Public Hearing 
Opening Statement - Gail 

Good afternoon. My name is Gail Fallon. I am the Branch Chief for the Air Permitting and Monitoring Branch in the Air and Radiation Division in EPA's Region 8 Office in Denver. This hearing concerns EPA's proposed action to issue a renewed Title V operating permit under the Clean Air Act for the Deseret Bonanza Power Plant located on Indian country lands within the Uintah & Ouray Indian Reservation.  

Our proposed action was noticed for a 30-day public comment period beginning on February 9, 2021. In addition to verbal testimony received during this hearing, we are accepting written comments through 5 pm Mountain Time today. 
  
The permit documents are available through our Region 8 permitting website which is linked to Regulations.gov. See the procedures for the hearing that are currently being presented on your screen for this website information. 
Region 8 is proposing to issue a renewed air quality permit to operate under Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) title V (TV) and title 40 Code of Federal Regulations, part 71 for the Deseret Generation and Transmission Co-operative's Bonanza Power Plant (Bonanza) located on Indian country lands within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The original permit was issued on December 5, 2014 and followed by two administrative amendments on October 19, 2015 and September 23, 2016, respectively. EPA is the permitting authority since the Ute tribe does not currently have an approved TV operating permit program.

The renewal draft TV permit includes requirements for controlling air pollutant emissions which come from the main boiler of the power plant and associated electric generating equipment. The draft permit discusses the main boiler emission limitations for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Bonanza is a major source, emitting greater than 100 tons per year, for each of these pollutants in addition to carbon monoxide. Bonanza is also a major source of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions, emitting greater than 25 tons per year of total HAP emissions. The draft permit also includes a coal consumption cap of 20,000,000 short tons for the period from January 1, 2020 through the end of service for the main boiler as well as other monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements ensuring proper regulation of the facility. 

For more information on Bonanza's TV permitting history, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/title-v-operating-permit-deseret-generation-and-transmission-cooperative-bonanza 

Your comments are encouraged. We will consider all comments in finalizing our permitting decision for the Deseret Bonanza Power Plant.

Thank you. We appreciate your attendance. And now I'll turn it over to Ms. Hall to explain some ground rules for the hearing.