[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 24, 1996)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 49974-49976] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-24283] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 60 [FRL-5614-3] Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources Rescission of Alternate Opacity Standard for Omaha Public Power District--Nebraska City Power Station, Nebraska City, NE AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Direct final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The EPA is rescinding the alternate opacity emission limit established for the Nebraska City Power Station in Nebraska City, Nebraska, owned and operated by Omaha Public Power District (OPPD). Performance testing showed the power plant can now meet both the particulate and opacity limits set forth in the regulation; thus, an alternate opacity limit is no longer necessary. Under this rule, the opacity limit for the Nebraska City Power Station would be changed from 30 percent (with a maximum of 37 percent for not more than six minutes in any hour) to 20 percent (with a maximum of 27 percent for one six- minute period per hour). The EPA is publishing this action without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no adverse comments. However, in a separate document in the Federal Register publication, the EPA is proposing to approve the rule should adverse or critical comments be filed. If the EPA receives such comments, this action will be withdrawn before the effective date by publishing a subsequent document that will withdraw the final action. All public comments received will then be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this action serving as a proposed rule. The EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time. Commenters should also indicate whether they wish to request a public hearing on this action, including the reasons for the request and the nature of the comments which would be presented at any public hearing. If a hearing is requested, the EPA will determine whether to hold a public hearing, and will announce the time and location of any hearing in a subsequent Federal Register notice. DATES: This action will be effective November 25, 1996 unless by October 24, 1996 adverse or critical comments are received. Comments should be submitted to Angela Ludwig at the address below. ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for public hearing on this action should be addressed to Angela Ludwig, Air Permits and Compliance Branch, Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII, 726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101. Comments should be strictly limited to the subject matter of this proposal, the scope of which is discussed below. Docket: Pursuant to sections 307(d)(1) (C) and (N) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. 7607(d)(1) (C) and (N), this action is subject to the procedural requirements of section 307(d). Therefore, the EPA has established a public docket for this action, Docket # A-96-31. Copies of the documents relevant to this action are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the: Environmental [[Page 49975]] Protection Agency, Air, Permits and Compliance Branch, 726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101; and EPA Air & Radiation Docket and Information Center, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 10460. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Ludwig, Air Permits and Compliance Branch, Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII, 726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101, (913) 551-7411. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 23, 1971 (36 FR 24875), the EPA promulgated Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Steam Generators for Which Construction Is Commenced after August 17, 1971, as Subpart D of 40 CFR Part 60, pursuant to section 111 of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 57411. Under these provisions, the affected facility was required to conduct performance tests during its initial startup period to demonstrate compliance with opacity and other applicable standards (40 CFR 60.8). Pursuant to 40 CFR 60.11(e)(6), a source may petition the EPA for an alternate opacity limit if all other emission limits in an applicable New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) are met, and the source cannot meet the applicable opacity limit. Pursuant to 40 CFR 60.11(e)(7), the EPA will grant such a petition if the source or operator demonstrates that the affected facility and associated air pollution control equipment were operated and maintained in a manner to minimize the opacity of emissions during the performance tests; that the performance tests were performed under the conditions established by the EPA; and that the affected facility and associated air pollution control equipment were incapable of being adjusted or operated to meet the applicable opacity standard. OPPD conducted performance tests and opacity/mass correlation tests in 1981. These tests were the basis for the EPA rule, published in the Federal Register on November 24, 1981 (46 FR 57497), codified at 40 CFR 60.42(b)(3) and 60.45(g)(1)(iii), which changed the 20 percent (with a maximum of 27 percent for one six- minute period per hour) opacity limit to 30 percent (with a maximum of 37 percent for not more than six minutes in any hour) for the Nebraska City Power Station pursuant to the procedures and standards set forth at 40 CFR 60.11(e). The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality requested that OPPD perform tests at the Nebraska City Power Plant in June 1989, pursuant to its delegated authority to enforce the NSPS. After replacing its hot side electrostatic precipitator with a cold side electrostatic precipitator, OPPD conducted tests on June 13 and 14, 1989, to measure emissions. These tests demonstrated that the new control device was able to control the opacity of emissions below the 20 percent limit and particulate emissions below the particulate limit. On August 15, 1989, the state agency issued a revised operating permit to the OPPD facility, establishing an opacity limit of 20 percent (with a maximum of 27 percent for not more than six minutes in any hour). Nebraska has also requested that the EPA rescind the alternate limit to be consistent with the 20 percent NSPS and state operating permit limit. Since the Nebraska City Power Station can now meet the 20 percent opacity limit (additional monitoring data collected since the 1989 performance test show that the facility continues to be capable of meeting the lower limit), the 30 percent alternate opacity limit is no longer appropriate. In addition, the preconditions for allowing the alternate opacity limits in Sec. 60.11(e)(7) are no longer met. Therefore, the EPA is rescinding the alternate limit, and, after the effective date of this rule, the source will be required to meet the 20 percent NSPS opacity limit. The source continues to be subject to the 20 percent opacity limit in the state permit without regard to this rulemaking. Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by November 25, 1996. Filing a petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review, nor does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its requirements. (See section 307(b)(2).) Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et. seq., the EPA must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of any proposed or final rule on small entities (U.S.C. 603 and 604). Alternatively, the EPA may certify that the rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Small entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit enterprises, and government entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than 50,000. This action affects only one source--Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska City Power Station, Nebraska City Nebraska. OPPD is not a small entity. Therefore, the EPA certifies that this action does not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Under Executive Order 12866, the EPA is required to submit to the Office of Management and Budget for review proposed rules which are classified as ``significant regulatory action.'' Because this rule would require the source to meet requirements which are already applicable, by rule, to sources in this source category, and because it obligates the source to meet requirements which it must already meet under state law, the EPA has determined that the proposed rule would not be a ``significant regulatory action'' under the Executive Order. Unfunded Mandates Under sections 202, 203, and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (``Unfunded Mandates Act''), signed into law on March 22, 1995, the EPA must undertake various actions in association with proposed or final rules that include a Federal mandate that may result in estimated costs of $100 million or more to the private sector, or to state, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate. To the extent that the proposed rule will impose new requirements, the source is already subject to the requirements under State law. Accordingly, no additional cost to State or local governments, or to the private sector, result from this action. The EPA has also determined that this proposed action does not include a mandate that may result in estimated cost of $100 million or more to state or local governments in the aggregate or to the private sector. The EPA has determined that this proposed rule results in no additional cost to tribal governments. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 60 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Fossil-fuel-fired steam generating units, Intergovernmental relations. Authority: Sections 111 and 301(a) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7411 and 7601(a). Dated: September 16, 1996. Carol Browner, Administrator. For the reasons set forth in the preamble, subpart D of part 60 of chapter I of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows: PART 60--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for part 60 continues to read as follows: [[Page 49976]] Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, 7411, 7414, 7416, and 7601 Subpart D--[Amended] Sec. 60.42 [Amended] 2. Section 60.42 is amended by removing paragraph (b)(3). Sec. 60.45 [Amended] 3. Section 60.45 is amended by removing paragraph (g)(1)(iii). [FR Doc. 96-24283 Filed 9-23-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P