1.This Act may be cited as the
Mercury Reduction and Energy Security
Act of 2010
.
2.
(a)Congress
finds the following:
(1)The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA
) was required by the terms of the Clean
Air Act Amendments of 1990 and a 1998 consent agreement to determine whether
regulation of mercury from electric utility steam generating units under
section 112 of the Clean Air Act was appropriate and necessary.
(2)In a December
2000, regulatory finding, the EPA concluded that regulation of mercury from
electric utility steam generating units was appropriate and necessary.
(3)In 2005, the EPA
withdrew its 2000 regulatory finding in favor of a national cap-and-trade
system for mercury emissions from electric utility steam generating units, the
Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR
).
(4)CAMR was
subsequently challenged in petitions for review filed by 17 States.
(5)The United States
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the rule on
February 8, 2008, finding that once the EPA had listed electric utility steam
generating units as a source of hazardous air pollutants, it was required by
law to proceed with Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT
)
regulations under section 112 of the Clean Air Act unless it delisted the
source category, under procedures set forth in section 112(c)(9).
(6)Mercury control
technologies for coal-fired electric utility steam generating units have
advanced rapidly in the last few years.
(b)The
purpose of this Act is to protect public health and welfare, and the
environment, through mercury emission reductions from electric utility steam
generating units.
3.Mercury emission
reductionsThe Clean Air Act
(42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
title:
<enum>VII</enum><header>Mercury
Reductions</header>
<section id="H02BBD1EC71434254A76952B30E56F938"><enum>701.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text>
<paragraph id="HA689AEDF007E441EB85016C7B2657B8E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Affected
unit</header><text>The term <term>affected unit</term> means a coal-fired
electric steam generating unit (including a cogeneration unit) that—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBC8735B69F91434CA0C8DD17B4880D6E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has a nameplate
capacity greater than 25 megawatts; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H64AEEF76C3F74376B60EBFBECF107465"><enum>(B)</enum><text>generates
electricity for sale.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEAF800B1EBA040D5886232E013112972"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Cogeneration
unit</header><text>The term <term>cogeneration unit</term> means a stationary,
coal-fired boiler or a stationary, coal-fired combustion turbine having
equipment used to produce electricity and useful thermal energy for industrial,
commercial, heating, or cooling purposes through the sequential use of energy
that produces during the 12-month period starting on the date the unit first
produces electricity and during any calendar year after which the unit first
produces electricity—</text>
<subparagraph id="H9F2463ADC7794195A7071449678C8955"><enum>(A)</enum><text>for a
topping-cycle cogeneration unit—</text>
<clause id="H650F41380718498496CFAE12032C3863"><enum>(i)</enum><text>useful thermal
energy not less than 5 percent of total energy output; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H21DEDB971AAF4EB09B75B72AB2ED121B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>useful power
that, when added to one-half of useful thermal energy produced, is not less
than—</text>
<subclause id="H8A215CF06C324DCDAF7B0B260F7E4FDF"><enum>(I)</enum><text>42.5 percent of
total energy input if useful thermal energy produced is 15 percent or more of
total energy output; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HE9137A791C7F45D7B29921547CE12D6C"><enum>(II)</enum><text>45 percent of
total energy input if useful thermal energy produced is less than 15 percent of
total energy output; and</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H67E464043A6D43199433587EB22573CB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for a
bottoming-cycle cogeneration unit, useful power not less than 45 percent of
total energy input.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H31C2EBDE5EC0448F82A956402C6E2DD9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Inlet
mercury</header><text>The term <term>inlet mercury</term> means the quantity of
mercury found—</text>
<subparagraph id="H57078F898F6F44B3B71DE495E1A22248"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the as-fired
coal used by an affected unit; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4895BED6CFF947698F2F0F1B150141C5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for an affected
unit using coal that is subjected to an advanced coal cleaning technology, in
the as-mined coal used by the affected unit.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="H7CE564D950554D31B643F5D890614494"><enum>702.</enum><header>Mercury
reduction program</header>
<subsection id="HB6731808213E4B55A0D00475846044F0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Annual
limitation for affected units</header><text>Except as provided in subsection
(f), an affected unit in operation before or after the date of enactment of
this title shall be subject to the following emission limitations on an annual
average calendar year basis with respect to mercury:</text>
<paragraph id="HA2E0C89C86514FED9E91AD313BA88B81"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Calendar years
2012 through 2014</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For the
period beginning on January 1, 2012, and ending on December 31, 2014, the less
stringent limitation of the following (calculated on a one-year rolling
average):</text>
<subparagraph id="H276A2BCABE1841FA8F004867B6B2F7AD"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">80 percent capture of inlet mercury.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6906B2F9B05C4DE4BA8BB5C5E467A915"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An emission rate
of 1.60 pounds of mercury per trillion British thermal units of input coal.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H074BEEAD5A374A7EBFF8E1CD34D71596"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Calendar year
2015 and thereafter</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For
calendar year 2015 and each calendar year thereafter, the less stringent
limitation of the following (calculated on a one-year rolling average):</text>
<subparagraph id="HEDF6FD2F3F5A41AAA5F8DC9452A40BD0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>90 percent capture
of inlet mercury.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1ED1D445468649E1958BABB7A87DEB31"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An emission rate
of 0.80 pounds of mercury per trillion British thermal units of input coal.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5034D37AE68C44AFBCB5324B0ECB230D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Averaging across
units within a facility or state</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HF75BF843A8E24C878F25EC4ADE14DFF2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An owner or operator of
more than one affected unit at a single facility may demonstrate compliance
with the applicable annual average emission limitations under subsection (a) by
averaging emissions from all affected units at that facility, weighted by total
input coal British thermal units.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF59783C9935A410DAD0995392975C00B" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An owner or operator of more than one
affected unit or units within a State may demonstrate compliance with the
applicable annual average emission limitations under subsection (a) by
averaging emissions from all affected units owned or operated by that owner or
operator within such State, weighted by total input coal British thermal units,
if all affected units are owned or operated by the same entity.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE1C630A75CCC4E19BD2FE27A7F939626" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>If an affected unit is owned or
operated by more than one entity, the State in which the affected unit is
located shall allocate to each such owner or operator an appropriate portion of
the generation from the affected unit for purposes of averaging emissions
pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE415ED9454F74206B10975D49BAB81F1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reference
methods for measuring mercury emissions</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H9BA7E19A60EF404AA7D17FA69234122E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The owner or operator of
an affected unit shall use any of the following methods as a reference method
to calibrate the instruments used to measure the mercury concentration in
emissions from affected units:</text>
<subparagraph id="H6F2BB28C6CA34E88A9B2C2201F623049"><enum>(A)</enum><text>ASTM D6784–02,
<quote>Standard Test Method for Elemental, Oxidized, Particle-Bound and Total
Mercury in Flue Gas Generated from Coal-Fired Stationary Sources</quote>
(Ontario Hydro Method).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC27714B5D4584D0BBB7EFA38C1A76764"><enum>(B)</enum><text>40 C.F.R. Part 60,
Appendix A–8, Method 29, <quote>Determination of Metals Emissions from
Stationary Sources</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4220247DC10545439C8945A680C7873F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>40 C.F.R. Part 60,
Appendix A–8, Method 30A, <quote>Determination of Total Vapor Phase Mercury
Emissions from Stationary Sources (Instrumental Analyzer
Procedure)</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5D4735B5627644F0926E5EDB68335997"><enum>(D)</enum><text>40 C.F.R. Part 60,
Appendix A–8, Method 30B, <quote>Determination of Total Vapor Phase Mercury
Emissions from Coal-Fired Combustion Sources Using Carbon Sorbent
Traps</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H861A63E5469C44D9872C892E7BC93FE0" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Administrator may revise or
supplement the list of permitted methods set forth in paragraph (1) to reflect
improvements or other developments in the measurement of mercury emissions from
coal-fired electric steam generating units.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBFB80169355745E68C0E25311CD75F72"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Monitoring
system</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HC940564264354FDABAD83E7BD9098881"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The
owner or operator of an affected unit shall install and operate a continuous
emissions monitoring system (CEMS) to measure the quantity of mercury that is
emitted from each affected unit.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF1D40DB57D3D49AAA2097FC4DBA4DBC2" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>For purposes of complying with
paragraph (1), the owner or operator of an affected unit may use—</text>
<subparagraph id="H704B193DF4AF4EA09369CCF7FADF6320"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any CEMS that meets the requirements
in Performance Specification 12A (PS–12A), <quote>Specifications and Test
Procedures for Total Vapor-Phase Mercury Continuous Monitoring Systems in
Stationary Sources</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA7A657AAB0E94C0A96BF02D673A326EA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a mercury concentration CEMS that
meets the requirements of 40 C.F.R. Part 75; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H723A7C96516349CEB32C7AAC9A1BB29F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a sorbent trap monitoring system that
meets the requirements of 40 C.F.R. 75.15 and 40 C.F.R. Part 75, Appendix K,
<quote>Quality Assurance and Operating Procedures for Sorbent Trap Monitoring
Systems</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H35ACB2B0EDAA46C392ECD55D3EF8BC64"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Administrator
may revise or supplement the list of permitted monitoring systems set forth in
paragraph (2) to reflect improvements or other developments in mercury
emissions reduction technologies and mercury emissions monitoring
systems.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF39C0767FFF24E8D9C76E477D6EF0850"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Excess
emissions</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H59A77748661E42C1B69C28F8DEEEA545"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in subsection (f), the
owner or operator of an affected unit that emits mercury in excess of the
applicable annual average emission limitation under subsection (a) shall pay an
excess emissions penalty determined under paragraph (2).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H31C138354D694F5492C75E509A730056" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The excess emissions penalty for
mercury shall be an amount equal to $50,000 for each pound of mercury emitted
in excess of the applicable annual average emission limitation under subsection
(a). Such penalty shall be prorated for each fraction of a pound.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H92440B2BEA064EC087575D56528F22AE"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Best
practices</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H43398F4A5CF94D1F98FD36372BEEE33B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective, January 1, 2015, if the owner or
operator of any affected unit fails to achieve the annual average emission
limitation under subsection (a)(2), such owner or operator may notify the
Administrator of such failure prior to March 1, 2015, and request an alternate
emissions limitation for mercury with respect to such affected unit. Such owner
or operator shall submit to the Administrator mercury emissions data measured
by a CEMS that complies with subsection (d) for evaluation. If the
Administrator determines that such owner or operator has properly installed and
operated such CEMS and control technology designed to achieve such annual
average emission limitation and is unable to meet such limitation, the
Administrator may, not later than April 1, 2016, establish an alternate
emissions limitation for mercury with respect to such affected unit based on
the optimal performance of properly installed and operated control technology.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H97C276D47C32449692A378668CA2B2E2" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>With respect to any affected unit,
for any year for which an alternate emissions limitation for mercury is in
place for such affected unit, the Administrator may review such alternate
emissions limitation and impose a more stringent emissions limitation for
mercury for the subsequent year based on new data regarding the demonstrated
control capabilities of the type of control technology installed and operated
at such affected unit.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE670E02AABFF4D9097BE3507334791CF" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HE0F2DE50D00D414FACC6A7A813A1BF1D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), an owner or operator of an affected unit failing to achieve
the annual average emission limitation under subsection (a)(2) that notifies
the Administrator of such failure and requests and alternate emissions
limitation for mercury pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be considered in
compliance with this section (and not subject to any excess emissions penalty)
for the period beginning on January 1, 2015, and ending on the date such an
alternate emissions limitation is implemented.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7827C2133F1E452CAC9A9B2A43E9DC19" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An owner or operator described in
subparagraph (A) shall pay an excess emissions penalty, as determined under
subsection (e)(2), for the period described in such subparagraph, if such owner
or operator operates or maintains the affected unit, including any associated
air pollution control equipment, in a manner that is inconsistent with good air
pollution control practices for the minimization of mercury emissions, as
determined by the Administrator. In determining whether the owner or operator
of the affected unit operates and maintains the affected unit in a manner that
is consistent with good air pollution control practices for the minimization of
mercury emissions, the Administrator may review the emissions monitoring data
and operating and maintenance procedures of the affected unit and may inspect
the affected unit.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H149CA292B9914B5F9802AF0BC060436F" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD801E11CAADA468FB1635A1C15641E64"><enum>(A)</enum><text>With respect to any
affected unit for which an alternate emissions limitation for mercury is in
place under this subsection, the owner or operator of such affected unit that
emits mercury in excess of such alternate emissions limitation shall pay an
excess emissions penalty determined under subparagraph (B).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HFB632BAA922D491A94BA6507DF7C2A8C" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The excess emissions penalty for
mercury for an owner or operator of an affected unit described in subparagraph
(A) shall be an amount equal to $50,000 for each pound of mercury emitted in
excess of the alternate emissions limitation for mercury in place for such
affected unit. Such penalty shall be prorated for each fraction of a
pound.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9C95D74F4E1645A5ABC562F34DDC1410"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Sole limitation
on mercury</header><text>This title shall apply the sole emission standard or
limitation under this Act with regard to the emission of mercury from electric
utility steam generating units and shall supersede any other such requirement
under section 112 or any other provision of this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HC50CFEEE9DAB447BAC1701BC48594A2B"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Relationship to
other law</header><text>Except as otherwise specifically provided in this
title, nothing in this title precludes a State or political subdivision of a
State from adopting or enforcing any additional requirements for the control or
abatement of mercury emissions, except that no State or political subdivision
thereof shall adopt or attempt to enforce any standard relating to the
reduction or control of mercury emissions from electric utility steam
generating units that is less stringent than the standards provided in this
title.</text>
</subsection></section>.