[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 135 (Monday, July 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38076-38078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15321]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2020-0599; FRL-8194-02-OAR]


Notice of Final Approval for an Alternative Means of Emission 
Limitation

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; final approval.

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SUMMARY: This action announces the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) approval of the request by Rohm and Haas Chemicals LLC, a 
subsidiary of The Rohm and Haas Chemical Company (Rohm and Haas), under 
the Clean Air Act (CAA) for an alternative means of emission limitation 
(AMEL) for the Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Liquid 
Storage Vessels. The AMEL applies to a proposed new vinyl acetate bulk 
storage tank to be used at its chemical plant in Kankakee, Illinois. 
The EPA received no adverse comments on the request. This approval 
document specifies the operating conditions and monitoring, 
recordkeeping, and reporting requirements that this facility must 
follow to demonstrate compliance with the approved AMEL.

DATES: The approval of the AMEL request from Rohm and Haas to operate 
its storage tank in Kankakee, Illinois, as specified in this document, 
is effective on July 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under 
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2020-0599. All documents in the docket are 
listed on the https://www.regulations.gov/ website. Although listed, 
some information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business 
Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by 
statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not 
placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy 
form. Publicly available docket materials are available either 
electronically through https://www.regulations.gov/.
    Out of an abundance of caution for members of the public and our 
staff, the EPA Docket Center and Reading Room are closed to the public, 
with limited exceptions, to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19. 
Our Docket Center staff will continue to provide remote customer 
service via email, phone, and webform. For further information and 
updates on EPA Docket Center services, please visit us online at 
https://www.epa.gov/dockets. The EPA continues to carefully and 
continuously monitor information from the Center for Disease Control, 
local area health departments, and our Federal partners so that we can 
respond rapidly as conditions change regarding COVID-19.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this final action, 
contact Ms. Angie Carey, Sector Policies and Programs Division (E143-
01), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; 
telephone number: (919) 541-2187; fax number: (919) 541-0516; and email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preamble acronyms and abbreviations. We use 
multiple acronyms and terms in this preamble. While this list may not 
be exhaustive, to ease the reading of this preamble and for reference 
purposes, the EPA defines the following terms and acronyms here:

AMEL alternative means of emission limitation
CAA Clean Air Act
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
HAP hazardous air pollutant(s)
NESHAP national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants
NSPS new source performance standards
OAQPS Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
PRD pressure relief device
PRV pressure relief valve
VAM vinyl acetate monomer
VOC volatile organic compound(s)

    Organization of this document. The information in this document is 
organized as follows:

I. Background
II. Summary of Public Comments on the AMEL Request
III. AMEL for the Storage Tank

I. Background

    On February 8, 2021, the EPA provided public notice and solicited 
comment on the request under section 111(h)(3) of the CAA by Rohm and 
Haas for an alternative means of emission limitation (AMEL) for the 
Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Liquid Storage Vessels, 
40 CFR part 60 subpart Kb, 40 CFR 60.112b, that would apply to a 
proposed new vinyl acetate bulk storage tank to be used at its chemical 
plant in Kankakee, Illinois (see 86 FR 8618). The volatile organic 
compound (VOC) standards at 40 CFR 60.112b were established as work 
practice standards pursuant to CAA section 111(h)(1). For standards 
established according to that provision, CAA section 111(h)(3) allows 
the EPA to permit the use of an AMEL by a source if, after notice and 
opportunity for public hearing, it is established to the 
Administrator's satisfaction that such AMEL will achieve emissions 
reductions at least equivalent to the reductions required under the 
applicable CAA section 111(h)(1) standards. NSPS subpart Kb also 
includes specific regulatory provisions (i.e., 40 CFR 114b) allowing 
sources to request an AMEL for the VOC standards at 40 CFR 60.112b.
    In the initial notice, the EPA solicited comment on all aspects of 
the AMEL request, including the operating conditions specified in that 
document that are necessary to achieve a reduction in emissions of 
volatile organic compounds at least equivalent to the reductions 
required by 40 CFR 60.112b. Rohm and Haas intends to replace the 
existing vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) (CAS 108-05-4) tank (TK-72) with 
the proposed bulk storage tank.
    Rohm and Haas included in its AMEL application information to 
demonstrate that the proposed bulk storage tank, through its vapor 
balancing system and

[[Page 38077]]

pressure containment design, will achieve a reduction in emissions at 
least equivalent to the reduction in emissions achieved by the VOC 
standards at 40 CFR 60.112b. Rohm and Haas's AMEL request was submitted 
on June 17, 2020. For Rohm and Haas's AMEL request, including any 
supporting materials Rohm and Haas submitted, see Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2020-0599.
    This action finalizes our approval of this AMEL request. Section II 
summarizes the comments received on the request and our responses 
thereto. Section III sets forth the final operating conditions EPA has 
established for the proposed bulk storage tank as part of this AMEL 
approval.

II. Summary of Public Comments on the AMEL Request

    The Agency received comments from only one commenter (Rohm and 
Haas) on this action. The comments pertain to the operating conditions 
for assuring equivalency that were specified section III of the initial 
notice. The comments and our response thereto are summarized below.

A. Comment on Paragraph (3)--EPA Method 21 Monitoring Requirements

    Paragraph 3 of the operating conditions in the initial notice 
stated that at the Rohm and Haas facility, each of the PRDs and 
components of the vapor collection system on the tank must be monitored 
on a quarterly basis, using EPA Method 21, and that an instrument 
reading of 500 parts-per-million by volume or greater is an excess 
emission event.
    Rohm and Haas requests that EPA classify an instrument reading of 
>=500 ppmv as a leak instead of an excess emission event, thereby 
following the National Emission Standards for Organic Hazardous Air 
Pollutants (NESHAP) from the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing 
Industry for Process Vents, Storage Vessels, Transfer Operations, and 
Wastewater, 40 CFR part 63, subpart G. As mentioned in the initial 
notice, in support of its AMEL request, Rohm and Haas stated that the 
proposed tank would comply with the vapor balancing requirements in 
NESHAP subpart G, 40 CFR 63.119(g) to confirm proper vapor balancing. 
See 86 FR 8618 (February 8, 2021). 40 CFR 63.119(g)(5) identifies an 
instrument reading of >=500 ppmv as a leak, which triggers a 
requirement to repair as soon as practicable but no later than 5 days 
after detection. Rohm and Haas states in its comment that this change 
would be consistent with 40 CFR 63.119(g).
    The Agency declines to adopt this suggested revision for the 
following reason. The EPA equivalency determination is based on the 
closed vent system being closed and not leaking under any 
circumstances. To ensure equivalency, the Agency is requiring that no 
detectable emissions occur from PRDs and components of the vapor 
collection system on the tank; accordingly, any leak would be an excess 
emission. Therefore, the EPA has not made the change requested by the 
commenter.

B. Comment on Paragraph (4)--Clarification on Welded Steel Piping

    Rohm and Haas's second comment requests clarification on paragraph 
4 of the operating conditions in the initial document, specifically the 
requirement that ``VAM must be transferred from either railcars or 
truck trailers via welded steel piping into the new bulk storage tank. 
The tank must be equipped with a welded steel vapor balance line that 
returns displaced vinyl acetate vapors from the headspace within the 
tank to the railcar or tank truck during tank filling operations.''
    Rohm and Haas states that they intend for the piping to be welded 
steel piping but notes that there will be a minimal number of necessary 
flanged connections, flanged valves, and flexible coupling lines for 
the unloading line and for the vapor balance line. The Agency does not 
believe, and Rohm and Hass do not claim, that the operating conditions 
in paragraph 4 cannot be met or otherwise need to be changed because of 
the presence of these flanged connections, flanged valves, and flexible 
coupling lines. The EPA is therefore finalizing the requirements in 
paragraph 4 as specified in the initial notice, and we are adding a 
statement in the paragraph acknowledging that ``there will be a number 
of necessary flanged connections, flanged valves, and flexible coupling 
lines as part of the vapor balance line.''

C. Comment on Paragraph (6)--Recordkeeping Requirements

    Rohm and Haas's next comment is on paragraph 6 of the operating 
conditions in the initial notice, which states that, ``The facility 
must keep a record of the equipment to be used and the procedures to be 
followed when reloading the railcar, tank truck, or barge and 
displacing vapors the storage tank from which the liquid originates, as 
well as a record of all components of the PRDs, including PRVs and 
rupture discs.''
    Rohm and Haas's comment identifies certain inaccuracies in 
paragraph 6 in the initial notice. For example, the statement 
incorrectly uses the term ``reloading'' in describing the operation of 
unloading vinyl acetate from a railcar or tank truck. Rohm and Haas 
also suggest removing the reference to a barge because it is not 
possible to unload a barge at this facility. In light of the above, we 
accept Rohm and Haas's suggestion to revise the statement to read as 
follows: ``The facility must keep a record of the equipment to be used 
and the procedures to be followed when unloading the railcar or tank 
truck and displacing vapors from the storage tank to the transport 
vessel from which the liquid originates, as well as a record of all 
components of the PRDs, including PRVs and rupture discs.''

C. Comments on Paragraph (7)--Reporting Requirements

    Rohm and Haas suggest, and the Agency accepts, minor wording 
changes to paragraph 7(a) of the operating conditions in the initial 
notice.
    Rohm and Haas also suggests several edits to paragraph 7(b), which 
requires the facility to report ``The date and time identifying each 
period during which the continuous monitoring systems were inoperative 
except for zero and span checks and the nature of the system repairs or 
adjustments.'' Rohm and Haas requests adding the terms ``pressure'' and 
``other required maintenance'' such that the requirement would read as 
follows: ``The date and time identifying each period during which the 
continuous pressure monitoring systems were inoperative except for zero 
and span checks or other required maintenance and the nature of the 
system repairs or adjustments.'' The Agency disagrees with adding the 
term ``other required maintenance'' because it is important to include 
reporting of downtime in monitoring to understand system upsets, and 
adding the term ``other required maintenance'' would limit reporting to 
only periods of required maintenance, thus excluding downtime. However, 
the Agency does agree with the change to add the term ``pressure'' to 
specifically refer to the ``continuous pressure monitoring system.'' 
This edit accurately reflects paragraph 2 of the operating conditions 
below and in the initial notice to only require pressure to be 
monitored.
    Lastly, Rohm and Haas suggests adding ``in this section'' to 
Paragraph 7(d) so that it reads: ``When the continuous pressure 
monitoring systems have not been inoperative, repaired, or adjusted, 
such information shall be stated in this section of the report.'' The 
Agency interprets the comment to request that the information required 
in paragraph 7(d) be reported in the storage tank section of semiannual 
compliance

[[Page 38078]]

reports for this facility. The Agency does not object to making this 
addition.

III. AMEL for the Storage Tank

    The EPA is approving the AMEL request by Rohm and Haas. Based upon 
our review of the AMEL request, the Agency believes that, by complying 
with the operating conditions specified in the following paragraphs, 
the proposed new tank at the Rohm and Haas Chemicals LLC facility will 
achieve emission reductions at least equivalent to reduction in 
emissions required by NSPS subpart Kb, 40 CFR 60.112b:
    (1) No PRD on the storage tank, or on the railcar or tank truck, 
shall open during loading or as a result of diurnal temperature changes 
(breathing losses).
    (2) Both PRDs on the storage tank must be set to release at no less 
than 9 psig at all times. Any release from a PRD as indicated by 
pressure reading greater than 9 psig is an excess emissions event. To 
demonstrate that the PRD does not open, the tank vapor space pressure 
and the space between the rupture disk and PRD will be continuously 
monitored for pressure and recorded. If a release occurs, the tank must 
follow 40 CFR 63.165(d)(2).
    (3) Each of the PRDs and components of the vapor collection system 
on the tank must be monitored on a quarterly basis, using EPA Method 
21. An instrument reading of 500 parts per million by volume or greater 
is an excess emissions event.
    (4) VAM must be transferred from either railcars or truck trailers 
via welded steel piping into the new bulk storage tank. The tank must 
be equipped with a welded steel vapor balance line that returns 
displaced vinyl acetate vapors from the headspace within the tank to 
the railcar or tank truck during tank filling operations. The vapor 
balance line must be hard piped from the tank, crossing a pipe bridge, 
before terminating at the off-loading station. While there are a number 
of necessary flanged connections, flanged valves, and flexible coupling 
lines as part of the vapor balance line, the tank vapor balance line 
must not contain any PRDs or release points. Displaced vapors must be 
transferred to a vapor return fitting on the offloading bulk vehicle 
through a hose from the offloading station. Both the transfer hoses and 
the vapor balance return line must incorporate dry-disconnect fittings 
to prevent vapor discharge to the atmosphere when the line is not 
connected. Tank trucks and railcars must have a current certification 
in accordance with the DOT pressure test requirements of 49 CFR part 
180 for tank trucks and 49 CFR 173.31 for railcars. Railcars or tank 
trucks that deliver VAM to a storage tank must be reloaded or cleaned 
at a facility that utilizes the control techniques specified in 
paragraph (4)(a) or (b).
    (a) The railcar or tank truck must be connected to a closed-vent 
system with a control device that reduces inlet emissions of VAM by 95 
percent by weight or greater.
    (b) A vapor balancing system designed and operated to collect 
organic VAM vapor displaced from the tank truck or railcar during 
reloading must be used to route the collected HAP vapor to the storage 
tank from which the liquid being transferred originated.
    (5) Rohm and Haas must submit to the Administrator a written 
certification that the reloading or cleaning facility meets the 
requirements of paragraph 4; and the requirements for closed vent 
system and control device specified at 40 CFR 63.119 through 63.123. 
The notification and reporting requirements at 40 CFR 63.122 do not 
apply to the owner or operator of the offsite cleaning or reloading 
facility.
    (6) Recordkeeping requirements.
    (a) The facility must keep a record of the equipment to be used and 
the procedures to be followed when unloading the railcar or tank truck 
and displacing vapors from the storage tank to the transport vessel 
from which the liquid originates, as well as a record of all components 
of the PRDs, including PRVs and rupture discs.
    (b) Records must be kept as long as the storage vessel is in 
operation.
    (7) Reporting requirements. The facility must submit excess 
emissions and monitoring systems performance reports to the 
Administrator semiannually. All reports must be postmarked by the 30th 
day following the end of each 6-month period. Written reports of excess 
emissions must include the following information:
    (a) The date and time of commencement and completion of each time 
period of excess emissions and the process operating time during the 
reporting period.
    (b) The date and time identifying each period during which the 
continuous pressure monitoring system was inoperative except for zero 
and span checks and the nature of the system repairs or adjustments.
    (c) The report must include a list of the affected sources or 
equipment, an estimate of the volume of VAM emitted, and a description 
of the method used to estimate the emissions.
    (d) When the continuous pressure monitoring systems have not been 
inoperative, repaired, or adjusted, such information shall be stated in 
this section of the report.

    Dated: July 13, 2021.
Panagiotis Tsirigotis,
Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2021-15321 Filed 7-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P