[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 243 (Monday, December 18, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 79046-79047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32237]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 60

[AD-FRL-6919-1]


Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission 
Guidelines for Existing Sources for Large Municipal Waste Combustors

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to amend final rules.

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SUMMARY: Section 129 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) directs us to develop 
new source performance standards (NSPS) and emission guidelines (EG) 
for municipal waste combustors (MWC). The final NSPS and EG limit 
periods of startup, shutdown, or malfunction to 3 hours per occurrence. 
Recently, it has come to our attention that there are a few types of 
malfunction which require shutdown, but, because of the nature of the 
malfunction and ensuing safety concerns, require longer than 3 hours 
for shutdown of the MWC. This notice

[[Page 79047]]

announces our intent to amend the NSPS and EG for large MWC to provide 
regulatory relief from this 3-hour limitation for shutdowns due to 
these types of malfunction.

ADDRESSES: Dockets No. A-90-45 and A-89-08 contain the supporting 
information for development of NSPS and EG for large MWC and are 
available for public inspection and copying between 8 a.m. and 5:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-7548, fax (202) 260-4000. 
These dockets are available at the above address in Room M-1500, 
Waterside Mall (ground floor). A reasonable fee may be charged for 
copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Fred Porter, Combustion Group, 
Emission Standards Division (MD-13), U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, 
North Carolina 27711, (919) 541-5251, electronic mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 129 of the CAA requires us to 
develop NSPS and EG for several categories of solid waste incinerators, 
one of which is MWC. On December 19, 1995, we promulgated final NSPS 
and EG for large MWC (60 FR 65387). These NSPS and EG contain a 
provision requiring large MWC to comply with the standards (i.e., 
emission limits) at all times, except during periods of startup, 
shutdown, and malfunction. Periods of startup, shutdown, and 
malfunction, however, are limited to 3 hours per occurrence. If it 
takes longer than 3 hours to startup or shutdown, or if a malfunction 
continues for longer than 3 hours, a large MWC is required to comply 
with the standards during that period of startup, shutdown, or 
malfunction which exceeds 3 hours.
    Recently, it has come to our attention that there are a few types 
of malfunction which require shutdown, but, because of the nature of 
the malfunction and the ensuing safety concerns, require longer than 3 
hours to shutdown the MWC. For the most part, this does not present a 
problem; proper operation of the emission control systems permit the 
MWC to maintain compliance with the emission limits, with one 
exception. This exception is the emission limit for carbon monoxide 
(CO).
    Operating experience has identified three types of malfunction 
which require shutdown, but which require in excess of 3 hours for 
shutdown, during which it is not possible to comply with the emission 
limit for CO. The first is waterwall boiler tube failure, the second is 
loss of a combustion air fan, and the third is combustion grate 
failure.
    These three types of malfunction lead to increased CO emissions. 
However, attempting to shutdown an MWC rapidly in these situations can 
present a risk of explosion which, in the extreme, could result in 
serious injury or even death of plant personnel. To avoid this risk, 
more than 3 hours is needed to safely shutdown the MWC under these 
situations.
    The purpose of today's notice is to announce that we intend to 
amend the NSPS and EG for large MWC to provide regulatory relief from 
compliance with the CO emission limit during these types of malfunction 
and shutdown. While we intend to proceed quickly with adopting such 
amendments, we believe it is appropriate to announce our intent in 
advance.

    Dated: December 13, 2000.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 00-32237 Filed 12-15-00; 8:45 am]
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