2023 Texas Statutes › Health and Safety Code › Title 5 - Sanitation and Environmental Quality › Subtitle C - Air Quality › Chapter 382 - Clean Air Act › Subchapter A. General Provisions › Section 382.003. Definitions

Sec. 382.003.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Administrator" means the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
(1-a)  "Advanced clean energy project" means:
(A)  a project for which an application for a permit or for an authorization to use a standard permit under this chapter is received by the commission on or after January 1, 2008, and before January 1, 2020, and that:
(i)  involves the use of coal, biomass, petroleum coke, solid waste, natural gas, or fuel cells using hydrogen derived from such fuels, in the generation of electricity, or the creation of liquid fuels outside of the existing fuel production infrastructure while co-generating electricity, whether the project is implemented in connection with the construction of a new facility or in connection with the modification of an existing facility and whether the project involves the entire emissions stream from the facility or only a portion of the emissions stream from the facility;
(ii)  with regard to the portion of the emissions stream from the facility that is associated with the project, is capable of achieving:
(a)  on an annual basis:
(1)  a 99 percent or greater reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions;
(2)  if the project is designed for the use of feedstock, substantially all of which is subbituminous coal, an emission rate of 0.04 pounds or less of sulfur dioxide per million British thermal units as determined by a 30-day average; or
(3)  if the project is designed for the use of one or more combustion turbines that burn natural gas, a sulfur dioxide emission rate that meets best available control technology requirements as determined by the commission;
(b)  on an annual basis:
(1)  a 95 percent or greater reduction of mercury emissions; or
(2)  if the project is designed for the use of one or more combustion turbines that burn natural gas, a mercury emission rate that complies with applicable federal requirements;
(c)  an annual average emission rate for nitrogen oxides of:
(1)  0.05 pounds or less per million British thermal units;
(2)  if the project uses gasification technology, 0.034 pounds or less per million British thermal units; or
(3)  if the project is designed for the use of one or more combustion turbines that burn natural gas, two parts per million by volume; and
(d)  an annual average emission rate for filterable particulate matter of 0.015 pounds or less per million British thermal units; and
(iii)  captures not less than 50 percent of the carbon dioxide in the portion of the emissions stream from the facility that is associated with the project and sequesters that captured carbon dioxide by geologic storage or other means; or
(B)  a project that is a facility:
(i)  for which an authorization to use a standard permit was approved after January 1, 2020, but before September 1, 2023; and
(ii)  that:
(a)  utilizes natural gas to create methanol; and
(b)  converts methanol to zero-sulfur transportation fuels.
(2)  "Air contaminant" means particulate matter, radioactive material, dust, fumes, gas, mist, smoke, vapor, or odor, including any combination of those items, produced by processes other than natural.
(3)  "Air pollution" means the presence in the atmosphere of one or more air contaminants or combination of air contaminants in such concentration and of such duration that:
(A)  are or may tend to be injurious to or to adversely affect human health or welfare, animal life, vegetation, or property;  or
(B)  interfere with the normal use or enjoyment of animal life, vegetation, or property.
(3-a)  "Coal" has the meaning assigned by Section 134.004, Natural Resources Code.
(4)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
(4-a)  "Electric vehicle" means a motor vehicle that draws propulsion energy only from a rechargeable energy storage system.
(5)  "Executive director" means the executive director of the commission.
(6)  "Facility" means a discrete or identifiable structure, device, item, equipment, or enclosure that constitutes or contains a stationary source, including appurtenances other than emission control equipment.  A mine, quarry, well test, or road is not considered to be a facility.
(7)  "Federal source" means a facility, group of facilities, or other source that is subject to the permitting requirements of Title IV or V of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub.L. No. 101-549)  and includes:
(A)  an affected source as defined by Section 402 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7651a) as added by Section 401 of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub.L. No. 101-549);
(B)  a major source as defined by Title III of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub.L. No. 101-549);
(C)  a major source as defined by Title V of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub.L. No. 101-549);
(D)  a source subject to the standards or regulations under Section 111 or 112 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sections 7411 and 7412);
(E)  a source required to have a permit under Part C or D of Title I of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sections 7470 et seq. and 7501 et seq.);
(F)  a major stationary source or major emitting facility under Section 302 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7602);  and
(G)  any other stationary source in a category designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as subject to the permitting requirements of Title V of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub.L. No. 101-549).
(7-a)  "Federally qualified clean coal technology" means a technology or process, including a technology or process applied at the precombustion, combustion, or postcombustion stage, for use at a new or existing facility that will achieve on an annual basis a 97 percent or greater reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions, an emission rate for nitrogen oxides of 0.08 pounds or less per million British thermal units, and significant reductions in mercury emissions associated with the use of coal in the generation of electricity, process steam, or industrial products, including the creation of liquid fuels, hydrogen for fuel cells, and other coproducts.  The technology used must comply with applicable federal law regarding mercury emissions and must render carbon dioxide capable of capture, sequestration, or abatement.  Federally qualified clean coal technology includes atmospheric or pressurized fluidized bed combustion technology, integrated gasification combined cycle technology, methanation technology, magnetohydrodynamic technology, direct and indirect coal-fired turbines, undiluted high-flame temperature oxygen combustion technology that excludes air, and integrated gasification fuel cells.
(7-b)  "Hybrid vehicle" means a motor vehicle that draws propulsion energy from both gasoline or conventional diesel fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system.
(8)  "Local government" means a health district established under Chapter 121, a county, or a municipality.
(9)  "Modification of existing facility" means any physical change in, or change in the method of operation of, a facility in a manner that increases the amount of any air contaminant emitted by the facility into the atmosphere or that results in the emission of any air contaminant not previously emitted.  The term does not include:
(A)  insignificant increases in the amount of any air contaminant emitted that is authorized by one or more commission exemptions;
(B)  insignificant increases at a permitted facility;
(C)  maintenance or replacement of equipment components that do not increase or tend to increase the amount or change the characteristics of the air contaminants emitted into the atmosphere;
(D)  an increase in the annual hours of operation unless the existing facility has received a preconstruction permit or has been exempted, pursuant to Section 382.057, from preconstruction permit requirements;
(E)  a physical change in, or change in the method of operation of, a facility that does not result in a net increase in allowable emissions of any air contaminant and that does not result in the emission of any air contaminant not previously emitted, provided that the facility:
(i)  has received a preconstruction permit or permit amendment or has been exempted pursuant to Section 382.057 from preconstruction permit requirements no earlier than 120 months before the change will occur;  or
(ii)  uses, regardless of whether the facility has received a permit, an air pollution control method that is at least as effective as the best available control technology, considering technical practicability and economic reasonableness, that the commission required or would have required for a facility of the same class or type as a condition of issuing a permit or permit amendment 120 months before the change will occur;
(F)  a physical change in, or change in the method of operation of, a facility where the change is within the scope of a flexible permit or a multiple plant permit;  or
(G)  a change in the method of operation of a natural gas processing, treating, or compression facility connected to or part of a natural gas gathering or transmission pipeline which does not result in an annual emission rate of a pollutant in excess of the volume emitted at the maximum designed capacity, provided that the facility is one for which:
(i)  construction or operation started on or before September 1, 1971, and at which either no modification has occurred after September 1, 1971, or at which modifications have occurred only pursuant to standard exemptions;  or
(ii)  construction started after September 1, 1971, and before March 1, 1972, and which registered in accordance with Section 382.060 as that section existed prior to September 1, 1991.
(9-a)  "Motor vehicle" means a fully self-propelled vehicle having four wheels that has as its primary purpose the transport of a person or persons, or property, on a public highway.
(9-b)  "Natural gas vehicle" means a motor vehicle that uses only compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas as fuel.
(10)  "Person" means an individual, corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, partnership, association, or any other legal entity.
(10-a)  "Qualifying motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that meets the requirements of Section 382.210(b).
(11)  "Select-use technology" means a technology that involves simultaneous combustion of natural gas with other fuels in fossil fuel-fired boilers.  The term includes cofiring, gas reburn, and enhanced gas reburn/sorbent injection.
(11-a)  "Solid waste" has the meaning assigned by Section 361.003.
(12)  "Source" means a point of origin of air contaminants, whether privately or publicly owned or operated.
(13)  "Well test" means the testing of an oil or gas well for a period of time less than 72 hours that does not constitute a major source or major modification under any provision of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.).
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 135, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 3, Sec. 2.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 485, Sec. 4, eff. June 9, 1993;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 11.140, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 150, Sec. 1, eff. May 19, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 11.04(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 406, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 262 (S.B. 12), Sec. 1.01, eff. June 8, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1277 (H.B. 3732), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 27.001(55), eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1109 (H.B. 469), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1125 (H.B. 1796), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 347 (H.B. 3272), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1003 (H.B. 2446), Sec. 2, eff. June 14, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0894, eff. April 2, 2015.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 869 (H.B. 3837), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.