[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9457-9459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03581]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-1196; FRL-9923-36-OAR]


Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable Alternative Test Methods

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the broadly applicable alternative test 
method approval decisions the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has 
made under and in support of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), 
the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP),

[[Page 9458]]

and the Consolidated Federal Air Rule under the Clean Air Act (CAA) in 
2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: An electronic copy of each alternative 
test method approval document is available on the EPA's Web site at 
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html. For questions about this notice, 
contact Ms. Lula H. Melton, Air Quality Assessment Division, Office of 
Air Quality Planning and Standards (E143-02), Environmental Protection 
Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-
2910; fax number: (919) 541-0516; email address: [email protected]. 
For technical questions about individual alternative test method 
decisions, refer to the contact person identified in the individual 
approval documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this notice apply to me?

    This notice will be of interest to entities regulated under 40 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 60 and 63, state, local, and tribal 
agencies, and the EPA Regional Offices responsible for implementation 
and enforcement of regulations under 40 CFR parts 60 and 63.

B. How can I get copies of this information?

    You may access copies of the broadly applicable alternative test 
method approval documents from the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html.

II. Background

    Broadly applicable alternative test method approval decisions made 
by the EPA in 2014 under the NSPS, 40 CFR part 60 and the NESHAP, 40 
CFR part 63 are identified in this notice (see Table 1). Source owners 
and operators may voluntarily use these broadly applicable alternative 
test methods subject to their specific applicability. Use of these 
broadly applicable alternative test methods does not change the 
applicable emission standards.
    As explained in a previous Federal Register notice published at 72 
FR 4257 (January 30, 2007) and found on the EPA's Web site at 
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html, the EPA Administrator has the 
authority to approve the use of alternative test methods to comply with 
requirements under 40 CFR parts 60, 61, and 63. This authority is found 
in sections 60.8(b)(3), 61.13(h)(1)(ii), and 63.7(e)(2)(ii). A similar 
authority is granted in 40 CFR part 65 under section 65.158(a)(2). In 
the past, we have performed thorough technical reviews of numerous 
requests for alternatives and modifications to test methods and 
procedures. Based on these reviews, we have often found that these 
changes or alternatives would be equally valid and appropriate to apply 
to other sources within a particular class, category, or subcategory. 
Consequently, we have concluded that, where a method modification or an 
alternative method is clearly broadly applicable to a class, category, 
or subcategory of sources, it is both more equitable and efficient to 
approve its use for all appropriate sources and situations at the same 
time.
    It is important to clarify that alternative methods are not 
mandatory but permissive. Sources are not required to employ such a 
method but may choose to do so in appropriate cases. Source owners or 
operators should review the specific broadly applicable alternative 
method approval decision on the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html before electing to employ it. As per section 63.7(f)(5), 
by electing to use an alternative method for 40 CFR part 63 standards, 
the source owner or operator must continue to use the alternative 
method until approved otherwise.
    The criteria for approval and procedures for submission and review 
of broadly applicable alternative test methods are outlined at 72 FR 
4257 (January 30, 2007). We will continue to announce approvals for 
broadly applicable alternative test methods on the EPA's Web site at 
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html and publish a notice annually that 
summarizes approvals for broadly applicable alternative test methods.
    This notice comprises a summary of four such approval documents 
posted to our Technology Transfer Network from January 1, 2014, through 
December 31, 2014. The alternative method decision letter/memo number, 
the reference method affected, sources allowed to use this alternative, 
and the modification or alternative method allowed are summarized in 
Table 1 of this notice. Please refer to the complete copies of these 
approval documents available from the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html as Table 1 serves only as a brief summary of the 
broadly applicable alternative test methods.
    This notice also acknowledges two broadly applicable test method 
approvals that we retracted in 2014. Broadly applicable alternative 
test method approvals referred to as ALT-061 and ALT-087 issued on 
September 22, 2009, and July 27, 2011, respectively, were withdrawn. In 
the Federal Register notices dated February 22, 2010, and February 15, 
2012, we announced the approvals of the use of single-point sampling at 
the centroid of the exhaust when sampling gaseous emissions and diluent 
gases from federally regulated engines. However, based on comments that 
we received (on the proposed rule titled, ``Revisions to Test Methods 
and Testing Regulations,'' published in the Federal Register on January 
9, 2012) from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in a 
letter dated March 9, 2012, we no longer believe that this alternative 
is appropriate for broad applicability. Therefore, we have withdrawn 
broadly applicable alternative approvals, ALT-061 and ALT-087. Please 
refer to the withdrawal memo on EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html for details regarding our decision to withdraw 
ALT-061 and ALT-087.
    If you are aware of reasons why a particular alternative test 
method approval that we issued should not be broadly applicable, we 
request that you make us aware of the reasons in writing, and we will 
revisit the broad approval. Any objection to a broadly applicable 
alternative test method, as well as the resolution of that objection, 
will be announced on the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html and in the subsequent Federal Register notice. If we 
decide to retract a broadly applicable test method, we would continue 
to grant case-by-case approvals, as appropriate, and would (as states, 
local and tribal agencies and the EPA Regional Offices should) consider 
the need for an appropriate transition period for users either to 
request case-by-case approval or to transition to an approved method.

    Dated: February 8, 2015.
Stephen D. Page,
Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.

[[Page 9459]]



  Table 1--Approved Alternative Test Methods and Modifications to Test Methods Referenced in or Published Under
               Appendices in 40 CFR Parts 60 and 63 Posted Between January 2014 and December 2014
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   Alternative method decision        As an alternative or
        letter/memo number           modification  to . . .           For . . .               You may . . .
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ALT-105..........................  Method 25A--Determination  Sources subject to 40     Produce and use vendor
                                    of Total Gaseous Organic   CFR part 63, subpart      certified calibration
                                    Concentration Using a      BBBBBB; 40 CFR part 63,   gases that meet the
                                    Flame Ionization           subpart R, and 40 CFR     following requirements:
                                    Analyzer or Method 25B--   part 60, subpart XX.      prepared in accordance
                                    Determination of Total                               with ISO 6142; analyzed
                                    Gaseous Organic                                      in accordance with ISO
                                    Concentration Using a                                6143; filled at ISO
                                    Nondispersive Infrared                               17025 accredited
                                    Analyzer.                                            laboratories; and have
                                                                                         a total expanded
                                                                                         uncertainty of less
                                                                                         than 1% (relative) with
                                                                                         caveats stipulated in
                                                                                         the agency's approval
                                                                                         letter dated May 12,
                                                                                         2014.
ALT-106..........................  Method 18--Measurement of  Spark ignition internal   Use an alternative
                                    Gaseous Organic Compound   combustion engines        testing approach using
                                    Emissions by Gas           subject to 40 CFR part    GC to separate and
                                    Chromatography or Method   60, subpart JJJJ.         measure methane and
                                    25A--Determination of                                ethane, followed by GC
                                    Total Gaseous Organic                                back-flush procedures
                                    Concentration Using a                                to measure NMEOC in
                                    Flame Ionization                                     post-combustion
                                    Analyzer.                                            emissions with caveats
                                                                                         stipulated in the
                                                                                         agency's approval
                                                                                         letter dated June 6,
                                                                                         2014.
ALT-107..........................  Test methods to            Stationary reciprocating  Use a certified and
                                    demonstrate initial and    internal combustion       quality assured CO and
                                    annual compliance with     engines subject to 40     O2 CEMS that meet the
                                    CO testing requirements    CFR part 63, subpart      criteria specified in
                                    prescribed in paragraph    ZZZZ--National            the agency's approval
                                    63.6630(e) of 40 CFR       Emissions Standards for   letter dated November
                                    part 63, subpart ZZZZ.     Hazardous Air             20, 2013.
                                                               Pollutants for
                                                               Stationary
                                                               Reciprocating Internal
                                                               Combustion Engines.
ALT-108..........................  The minimum sample volume  Sources subject to 40     Use a 2-hour minimum
                                    requirement of 30 dscf     CFR part 63, subpart      sampling time in lieu
                                    when using Method 29--     EEEEEEE, National         of a 30 dscf minimum
                                    Determination of Metals    Emission Standards for    sample volume when
                                    Emissions from             Hazardous Air             Method 29 is applied.
                                    Stationary Sources.        Pollutants: Gold Mine
                                                               Ore Processing and
                                                               Production Area Source
                                                               Category.
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Source owners or operators should review the specific broadly applicable alternative method approval letter on
  the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/approalt.html before electing to employ it.

[FR Doc. 2015-03581 Filed 2-20-15; 8:45 am]
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