Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/09/19/2012-23152/approval-and-promulgation-of-implementation-plans-texas-reasonably-available-control-technology-for
Timestamp: 2015-09-02 02:27:42
Document Index: 306395588

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115', '§ 115']

Federal Register | Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Reasonably Available Control Technology for the 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard
-58067 (5 pages)
EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0100
FRL-9728-8
Document Number: 2012-23152
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2012-23152 Related Topics
TX134 Texas Revisions to SIP RE: Reasonably Available Control Technology for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard, submitted to EPA June 13, 2007 (TX 246, HGB SIP) and April 6, 2010 (TX-290, HGB SIP)
TX134.09 Technical Support Document for January 9, 2014...
TX134.04 Technical Support Document for Texas...
TX134.03-00 Texas Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) Attainment...
TX134.02 Texas Revisions to the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria...
The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Houston/Galveston/Brazoria (HGB) 1997 8-Hour ozone nonattainment Area (Area). The HGB Area consists of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. Specifically, we are proposing to approve portions of two revisions to the Texas SIP submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as meeting certain Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NO X) in the HGB Area. We are also proposing to approve the 2007 Voluntary Mobile Emission Reduction Program (VMEP) commitments for the HGB Area. This action is in accordance with section 110 of the federal Clean Air Act (the Act, CAA).
A. What types of VMEP commitments qualify for SIP credit?
C. Do the 2007 VMEPs meet our requirements for approval?
G. Are there any negative declarations associated with the CTG source categories in the HGB Area?
L. Is Texas' approach to for RACT determination for major NO X sources based on the June 13, 2007 and April 6, 2010 submittals acceptable?
Table 1—Voluntary Mobile Emission Reduction Programs and Credits Claimed
Table 2—CTG Source Categories and Their Corresponding Texas VOC RACT Rules
Submit your comments, identified by Docket No. EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0100, by one of the following methods:
U.S. EPA Region 6 “Contact Us” Web site: http://epa.gov/region6/r6coment.htm. Please click on “6PD” (Multimedia) and select “Air” before submitting comments.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0100. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information the disclosure of which is restricted by statute. Do not submit information through www.regulations.gov or email that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected from disclosure. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
G. Are there any negative declarations associated with the VOC source categories in the HGB Area?
J. Is Texas' approach to RACT determination for CTG sources based on the June 13, 2007 and April 6, 2010 submittals acceptable?
Section 182(b)(2) of the Act requires states to submit a SIP revision and implement RACT for moderate and above ozone nonattainment areas. For a Moderate, Serious, or Severe Area a major stationary source is one which emits, or has the potential to emit, 100, 50, or 25 tons per year (tpy) or more of VOCs or NO X, respectively. See CAA sections 182(b), 182(c), and 182(d). The EPA provides states with guidance concerning what types of controls could constitute RACT for a given source category through the issuance of Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) and Alternative Control Techniques (ACT) documents. See http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/ozone/ctg_act/index.htm (URL dating May 23, 2012) for a listing of EPA-issued CTGs and ACTs for VOC or Oxides of Nitrogen (NO X).
The HGB Area was designated as Severe for the 1997 8-Hour ozone NAAQS. See 73 FR 56983, October 1, 2008. Thus, per section 182(d) of the CAA, a major stationary source in the HGB Area is one which emits, or has the potential to emit, 25 tpy or more of VOCs or NO X. The inventory of VOC and NO X sources listed in Appendix D of the April 6, 2010 submittal is intended to fulfill this requirement.
Under section 183(b), EPA is required to periodically review and, as necessary, update CTGs. EPA issued a number of new CTGs in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Accordingly, Texas revised its Chapter 115 regulations to address these VOC RACT control measures. These most recent revisions to Chapter 115 regulations corresponding to these newly-EPA-issued CTGs will be addressed in a separate rulemaking action.
II. Evaluation Back to Top
Table 1—Voluntary Mobile Emission Reduction Programs and Credits Claimed Back to Top
NO X benefits (tons per day)
Public and Private Sector Clean Fuel Fleet
Pooled Ownership of Vehicles
Total Benefits (tpd)
This revision to the VMEP builds on the existing HGB VMEP program approved by EPA on November 14, 2001 which the State previously has committed to evaluate and report on the program implementation and results and to timely remedy any credit shortfall.
Under sections 182(b)(2)(A) and (B) states must insure RACT is in place for each source category for which EPA issued a CTG. As a part of June 13, 2007 submittal TCEQ conducted a RACT analysis to demonstrate that the RACT requirements for CTG sources in the HGB 8-Hour ozone nonattainment Area have been fulfilled. The TCEQ revised and supplemented this analysis in the April 6, 2010 submittal. The TCEQ conducted its analysis by: (1) Identifying all categories of CTG and major non-CTG sources of VOC and NO X emissions within the HGB Area; (2) Listing the state regulation that implements or exceeds RACT requirements for that CTG or non-CTG category; (3) Detailing the basis for concluding that these regulations fulfill RACT through comparison with established RACT requirements described in the CTG guidance documents and rules developed by other state and local agencies; and (4) Submitting negative declarations when there are no CTG or major Non-CTG sources of VOC emissions within the HGB Area. We have reviewed the submittal and are proposing that TCEQ has properly conducted its analysis, and their approach to control requirements are in agreement with our RACT requirements for affected VOC sources in the HGB Area.
The EPA entered into a CD with the Sierra Club concerning revisions to the Texas SIP for HGB Area. Under the terms of this CD, February 1, 2013 is the deadline by which EPA has to propose a rulemaking action relevant to RACT for VOC and NO X source for the HGB Area. Table 2 below contains a list of VOC CTG source categories and their corresponding sections of 30 TAC Chapter 115 that fulfill the applicable RACT requirements, under the terms of the CD.
Table 2—CTG Source Categories and Their Corresponding Texas VOC RACT Rules Back to Top
Fulfilling RACT requirement, 30 TAC chapter 115
§ 115.211-219.
Natural Gas/Gasoline Processing
§ 115.352-359.
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry—Polymer & Resin Manufacturing
Gasoline Tank Trucks & Vapor Collection Systems
§ 115.211-219 and § 115.234-239.
Refineries—Leaks from Equipment
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry—High Density Resins
§ 115.120-129.
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry—Synthesized Pharmaceutical Products
§ 115.531—539.
Petroleum Liquid Storage—External Floating Roof Tanks
§ 115.112-119.
Refineries—Vacuum Producing Systems, Wastewater Separators, Unit Turnarounds
§ 115.311-319 and § 115.131-139.
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry—Air Oxidation Processes
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry—Reactor Processes & Distillation Operations
§ 115.420-429.
§ 115.412-419 and § 115.420-429.
§ 115.221-229.
Petroleum Liquid Storage—Fixed Roof Tanks
Tank Trucks—Gasoline Loading Terminals
§ 115.211-219 or § 115.221-229.
Under section 182(b)(2)(C) states must assure that major sources not covered by a CTG have RACT in place. Texas has identified a list, in its Appendix D of the April 6, 2010 submittal, of major VOC sources in the HGB Area to determine if any do not have RACT level controls in place and do not fall into the identified sectors for which EPA has issued a CTG. TCEQ reviewed the point source emissions inventory and title V databases to identify all major sources of VOC emissions. All sources in the title V database that were listed as a major source for VOC emissions were included in the RACT analysis. Since the point source emissions inventory database reports actual emissions rather than potential to emit emissions, the TCEQ reviewed sources that reported actual emissions as low as 10 tpy of VOC to account for the difference between actual and potential emissions. To be conservative, sites from the emissions inventory database with emissions of 10 tpy or more of NO X or VOC that were not identified in the title V database and could not be verified as minor sources by other means are also included in the RACT analysis. We have reviewed TCEQ's April 6, 2010 submittal and find their approach to include these sources in the inventory of the sources acceptable. As documented in Appendix D, Texas found that each source was covered by existing rules and the corresponding VOC control measures were in place for the affected sources. Consistent with our finding under the 1-Hour ozone attainment demonstration plan for the HGB Area at 70 FR 58136, October 5, 2005, and 71 FR 52676, September 6, 2006, Texas has met RACT for VOC and NO X sources, and because Texas' approach in its April 06, 2010 submittal, in identifying major Non-CTG sources, is acceptable and consistent with our finding and State has certified that it has RACT in place; we are proposing to approve TCEQ's determination that VOC control measures in Chapter 115 meet RACT requirements for the major Non-CTG sources of VOC in the HGB Area under the 1997 8-Hour ozone NAAQS.
As a part of 1-Hour ozone attainment demonstration plan for the HGB Area at 70 FR 58136, October 5, 2005; and 71 FR 52676, September 6, 2006, we stated that Texas has met RACT for VOC and NO X sources. In the TSD developed for this action, we evaluated the corresponding sections of 30 TAC Chapter 115 for the source categories identified in Table 2 above in the HGB Area, and have reviewed these sections against our identified reference documents. In its April 6, 2010, submittal to EPA, TCEQ states that it has reviewed the HGB VOC rules and certifies that they satisfy RACT requirements for the 8-Hour ozone standard by the application of control technology that is reasonably available considering technological and economic feasibility. We are proposing a determination that Texas VOC rules are in agreement with the CAA's RACT requirements. Consequently, by implementing these control requirements (Chapter 115) Texas is satisfying the RACT requirements for CTG source categories identified in Table 2 of this document in the HGB Area under the 1997 8-Hour ozone standard.
Yes. The purpose of 30 TAC Chapter 115 rules for the HGB Area is to establish reasonable controls on the emissions of ozone precursors. Texas has reviewed its VOC rules and has certified that its rules satisfy RACT requirements. As such and based upon the above two sections we are proposing to find that for both the CTG categories identified in Table 2 and all Non-CTG sources Texas has RACT-level controls in place for the HGB Area under the 1997 8-Hour ozone standard.
Texas has identified a list of major NO X sources in the HGB Area, in its Appendix D of the April 6, 2010 submittal. TCEQ reviewed the point source emissions inventory and title V databases to identify all major sources of NO X emissions. All sources in the title V database that were listed as a major source for NO X emissions were included in the RACT analysis. Since the point source emissions inventory database reports actual emissions rather than potential to emit emissions, the TCEQ reviewed sources that reported actual emissions as low as 10 tpy of NO X to account for the difference between actual and potential emissions. To be conservative, sites from the emissions inventory database with emissions of 10 tpy or more of NO X that were not identified in the title V database and could not be verified as minor sources by other means are also included in the RACT analysis. We have reviewed TCEQ's April 6, 2010 submittal and find their approach to include these sources in the inventory of the sources acceptable.
Texas reviewed the list of sources and certified that it has the appropriate NO X control measures in place for the affected sources. In addition, as a part of 1-Hour ozone attainment demonstration plan for the HGB Area at 70 FR 58136, October 5, 2005, and 71 FR 52676, September 6, 2006, Texas has met RACT for VOC and NO X sources. We are proposing to approve TCEQ's determination that NO X control measures in Chapter 117 meet RACT requirements for major sources of NO X in the HGB Area under the 1997 8-Hour ozone NAAQS.
Today, we are proposing to find that for VOC, CTG categories identified in Table 2 and major Non-CTG sources, and for NO X, Texas has RACT-level controls in place for the HGB Area under the 1997 8-Hour ozone standard. The EPA had previously approved RACT for VOC and NO X into Texas' SIP under the 1-Hour ozone standard. We are also proposing to approve the 2007 VMEP into Texas SIP.
[FR Doc. 2012-23152 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]