Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article III - Air Resources › Chapter 145 - INTERSTATE POLLUTION TRANSPORT REDUCTION › Subchapter E - CO[2] BUDGET TRADING PROGRAM › CO[2] EMISSIONS OFFSET PROJECTS › Section 145.395 - CO[2] emissions offset project standards

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Landfill methane capture and
						  destruction.
To qualify for the award of CO2
						  offset allowances under §§
													145.391-145.397 (relating to
						  CO2 emissions offset projects), an offset project that
						  captures and destroys methane from a landfill shall meet the requirements of
						  this subsection and all other applicable requirements of §§
													145.391-145.397.
(1)
Eligibility.
An offset
						  project shall occur at a landfill that is not subject to the New Source
						  Performance Standards for municipal solid waste landfills, 40 CFR Part 60 ,
						  Subpart Cc and Subpart WWW (relating to emission guidelines and compliance
						  times for municipal solid waste landfills; and standards of performance for
						  municipal solid waste landfills that commenced construction, reconstruction, or
						  modification on or after May 30, 1991, but before July 18, 2014).
(2)
Offset project
						  description.
The project sponsor shall provide a detailed narrative of
						  the offset project actions to be taken, including documentation that the offset
						  project meets the eligibility requirements of paragraph (1). The project
						  narrative shall include the following:
(i)
						  Identification of the owner or operator of the offset project.
(ii) Location and specifications of the
						  landfill where the offset project will occur, including waste in
						  place.
(iii) Identification of the
						  owner or operator of the landfill where the offset project will
						  occur.
(iv) Specifications of the
						  equipment to be installed and a technical schematic of the offset
						  project.
(3)
Emissions baseline determination.
The emissions baseline shall
						  represent the potential fugitive landfill emissions of
						  CH4, in tons of CO2e, as
						  represented by the CH4 collected and metered for thermal
						  destruction as part of the offset project and calculated as follows:
Emissions (tons CO2e) = (V x M
							 x (1 - OX) x GWP)/2000
Where:
V = Volume of CH4 collected
							 (ft3).
M = Mass of CH4 per cubic foot
							 (0.04246 lbs/ft3 default value at 1 atmosphere,
							 20°C).
OX = Oxidation factor (0.10), representing estimated
							 portion of collected CH4 that would have eventually
							 oxidized to CO2 if not collected.
GWP = CO2e global warming
							 potential of CH4 (28).
(4)
Calculating emissions
						  reductions.
Emissions reductions shall be determined based on
						  potential fugitive CH4 emissions that would have
						  occurred at the landfill if metered CH4 collected from
						  the landfill for thermal destruction as part of the offset project was not
						  collected and destroyed. CO2e emissions reductions shall
						  be calculated as follows:
Emissions (tons CO2e) = (V x M
							 x (1 - OX) x
Cef
x GWP)/2000
Where:
V = Volume of CH4 collected
							 (ft3).
M = Mass of CH4 per cubic foot
							 (0.04246 lbs/ft3 default value at 1 atmosphere and
							 20°C).
OX = Oxidation factor (0.10), representing estimated
							 portion of collected CH4 that would have eventually
							 oxidized to CO2 if not collected.
Cef = Combustion efficiency of methane control
							 technology (0.98).
GWP = CO2e global warming
							 potential of CH4 (28).
(5)
Monitoring and verification
						  requirements.
An offset project shall employ a landfill gas
						  collection system that provides continuous metering and data computation of
						  landfill gas volumetric flow rate and CH4 concentration.
						  Annual monitoring and verification reports shall include monthly volumetric
						  flow rate and CH4 concentration data, including
						  documentation that the CH4 was actually supplied to the
						  combustion source. Monitoring and verification is also subject to the
						  following:
(i) As part of the consistency
						  application, the project sponsor shall submit a monitoring and verification
						  plan that includes a quality assurance and quality control program associated
						  with equipment used to determine landfill gas volumetric flow rate and
						  CH4 composition. The monitoring and verification plan
						  shall also include provisions for ensuring that measuring and monitoring
						  equipment is maintained, operated and calibrated based on manufacturer
						  recommendations, as well as provisions for the retention of maintenance records
						  for audit purposes. The monitoring and verification plan shall be certified by
						  an independent verifier accredited under § 145.396 (relating to
						  accreditation of independent verifiers).
(ii) The project sponsor shall annually
						  verify landfill gas CH4 composition through landfill gas
						  sampling and independent laboratory analysis using applicable EPA laboratory
						  test methods.