[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 78692-78710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25276]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 63
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392; FRL-5949.1-01-OAR]
RIN 2060-AT07
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber
Tire Manufacturing
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing
amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants for Rubber Tire Manufacturing, as required by the Clean Air
Act (CAA). To ensure that all emissions of hazardous air pollutants
(HAP) from sources in the source category are regulated, the EPA is
proposing emissions standards for the rubber processing subcategory of
the rubber tire manufacturing industry, which is the only unregulated
subcategory within the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 2, 2024. Under
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), comments on the information
collection provisions are best assured of consideration if the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) receives a copy of your comments on or
before December 18, 2023.
Public hearing: If anyone contacts us requesting a public hearing
on or before November 21, 2023, we will hold a virtual public hearing.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for information on requesting and
registering for a public hearing.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2019-0392, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/
(our preferred method). Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Email: [email protected]. Include Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OAR-2019-0392 in the subject line of the message.
Fax: (202) 566-9744. Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2019-0392.
Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket
Center, Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.
Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket Center, WJC West
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004.
The Docket Center's hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-
Friday (except Federal holidays).
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID
No. for this rulemaking. Comments received may be posted without change
to https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this proposed
action, contact U.S. EPA, Attn: Mr. Korbin Smith, Sector Policies and
Programs Division, Mail Drop: D243-04, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O.
Box 12055, RTP, North Carolina 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-2416;
and email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Participation in virtual public hearing. To request a virtual
public hearing, contact the public hearing team at (888) 372-8699 or by
email at [email protected]. If requested, the hearing will be
held via virtual platform on December 1, 2023. The hearing will convene
at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) and will conclude at 3:00 p.m. ET. The
EPA may close a session 15 minutes after the last pre-registered
speaker has testified if there are no additional speakers. The EPA will
announce further details at https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous.
If a public hearing is requested, the EPA will begin pre-
registering speakers for the hearing no later than 1 business day after
a request has been received. To register to speak at the virtual
hearing, please use the online registration form available at https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous or contact the public hearing
team at (888) 372-8699 or by email at [email protected]. The
last day to pre-register to speak at the hearing will be November 28,
2023. Prior to the hearing, the EPA will post a general agenda that
will list pre-registered speakers at: https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous.
The EPA will make every effort to follow the schedule as closely as
possible on the day of the hearing; however, please plan for the
hearings to run either ahead of schedule or behind schedule.
Each commenter will have 4 minutes to provide oral testimony. The
EPA encourages commenters to provide the EPA with a copy of their oral
testimony electronically (via email) by emailing it to
[email protected]. The EPA also recommends submitting the text of
your oral testimony as written comments to the rulemaking docket.
The EPA may ask clarifying questions during the oral presentations
but will not respond to the presentations at that time. Written
statements and supporting
[[Page 78693]]
information submitted during the comment period will be considered with
the same weight as oral testimony and supporting information presented
at the public hearing.
Please note that any updates made to any aspect of the hearing will
be posted online at https://www.https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous. While the EPA expects the hearing to go forward as set forth
above, please monitor our website or contact the public hearing team at
(888) 372-8699 or by email at [email protected] to determine if
there are any updates. The EPA does not intend to publish a document in
the Federal Register announcing updates.
If you require the services of a translator or special
accommodation such as audio description, please pre-register for the
hearing with the public hearing team and describe your needs by
November 24, 2023. The EPA may not be able to arrange accommodations
without advance notice.
Docket. The EPA has established a docket for this rulemaking under
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392. All documents in the docket are
listed in https://www.regulations.gov/. Although listed, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business
Information (CBI) 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. With the exception of such material, publicly available docket
materials are available electronically in Regulations.gov.
Instructions. Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2019-0392. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be
included in the public docket without change and may be made available
online at https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed
to be CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by
statute. Do not submit electronically to https://www.regulations.gov/
any information that you consider to be CBI or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. This type of information should be
submitted as discussed in the Submitting CBI section of this document.
The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket.
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a
written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment
and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA
will generally not consider comments or comment contents located
outside of the primary submission (i.e., on the Web, cloud, or other
file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA
public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions,
and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
The https://www.regulations.gov/ website allows you to submit your
comment anonymously, which means the EPA will not know your identity or
contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.
If you send an email comment directly to the EPA without going through
https://www.regulations.gov/, your email address will be automatically
captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the
public docket and made available on the internet. If you submit an
electronic comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and
other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
digital storage media you submit. If the EPA cannot read your comment
due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification,
the EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files
should not include special characters or any form of encryption and
should be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information
about the EPA's public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at
https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Submitting CBI. Do not submit information containing CBI to the EPA
through https://www.regulations.gov/. Clearly mark the part or all of
the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information on any
digital storage media that you mail to the EPA, note the docket ID,
mark the outside of the digital storage media as CBI, and identify
electronically within the digital storage media the specific
information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version
of the comments that includes information claimed as CBI, you must
submit a copy of the comments that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI directly to the public docket through the procedures
outlined in the Instructions section of this document. If you submit
any digital storage media that does not contain CBI, mark the outside
of the digital storage media clearly that it does not contain CBI and
note the docket ID. Information not marked as CBI will be included in
the public docket and the EPA's electronic public docket without prior
notice. Information marked as CBI will not be disclosed except in
accordance with procedures set forth in 40 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) part 2.
Our preferred method to receive CBI is for it to be transmitted
electronically using email attachments, File Transfer Protocol, or
other online file sharing services (e.g., Dropbox, OneDrive, Google
Drive). Electronic submissions must be transmitted directly to the
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) CBI Office at the
email address [email protected], and as described earlier in this
preamble, should include clear CBI markings and note the docket ID. If
assistance is needed with submitting large electronic files that exceed
the file size limit for email attachments, and if you do not have your
own file sharing service, please email [email protected] to request a
file transfer link. If sending CBI information through the postal
service, please send it to the following address: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392, OAQPS
Document Control Officer (C404-02), OAQPS, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive,
P.O. Box 12055, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711. The
mailed CBI material should be double wrapped and clearly marked. Any
CBI markings should not show through the outer envelope.
Preamble acronyms and abbreviations. Throughout this preamble the
use of ``we,'' ``us,'' or ``our'' is intended to refer to the EPA. 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:
acfm actual cubic feet per minute
BDL below detection limit
BLDS baghouse leak detection system
CAA Clean Air Act
CBI Confidential Business Information
CEDRI compliance and emissions data reporting interface
CEMS continuous emission monitoring system
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DLL detection level limited
DRE destruction and removal efficiency
dscfm dry standard cubic feet per meter
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ERT electronic reporting tool
fPM filterable particulate matter
g gram
g/Mg grams per megagram
HAP hazardous air pollutant(s)
ICR information collection request
km kilometer
lb pound
[[Page 78694]]
lb/hr pounds per hour
lb/Mton pounds per million tons
lb/ton pounds per ton
MACT maximum achievable control technology
Mg megagram
mg/dscm milligrams per dry standard cubic meter
NESHAP national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants
ng/dscm nanograms per dry standard cubic meter
NTTAA National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
O&M operations and maintenance
OAQPS Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
OMB Office of Management and Budget
PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PM particulate matter
ppm parts per million
ppmv parts per million by volume
ppmvd parts per million by volume dry
PRA Paperwork Reduction Act
RDL representative detection level
RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act
RTO regenerative thermal oxidizer
RTR risk and technology review
scfm standard cubic feet per minute
SSM startup, shutdown, and malfunction
THC total hydrocarbons
ton/hr tons per hour
TOSHI target organ-specific hazard index
tpy tons per year
[mu]g microgram
UMRA Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
UPL upper predictive limit
VCS voluntary consensus standards
VOC volatile organic compound
Organization of this document. The information in this preamble is
organized as follows:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related
information?
II. Background
A. What is the statutory authority for this action?
B. What is this source category and how does the current NESHAP
regulate its HAP emissions?
C. What data collection activities were conducted to support
this action?
D. What other relevant background information and data are
available?
III. Analytical Procedures and Decision Making
A. Total Hydrocarbons
B. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
C. Particulate Matter and Metal HAP
IV. Analytical Results and Proposed Decisions
A. What are the results of our analyses of unregulated
pollutants and how did we set MACT standards?
B. What performance testing, monitoring, and recordkeeping and
reporting are we proposing?
C. What other actions are we proposing?
D. What compliance dates are we proposing, and what is the
rationale for the proposed compliance dates?
V. Summary of Cost, Environmental, and Economic Impacts
A. What are the affected sources?
B. What are the air quality impacts?
C. What are the cost impacts?
D. What are the economic impacts?
E. What are the benefits?
F. What analysis of environmental justice did we conduct?
G. What analysis of children's environmental health did we
conduct?
VI. Request for Comments
VII. Submitting Data Corrections
VIII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and
Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With
Indian Tribal Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations and Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing our Nation's
Commitment to Environmental Justice for All
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
Table 1 of this preamble lists the National Emission Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and associated regulated industrial
source categories that are the subject of this proposal. Table 1 is not
intended to be exhaustive but rather provides a guide for readers
regarding the entities that this proposed action is likely to affect.
The proposed standards, once promulgated, will be directly applicable
to the affected sources. Federal, State, local, and Tribal government
entities would not be affected by this proposed action. As defined in
the ``Initial List of Categories of Sources Under Section 112(c)(1) of
the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990'' (see 57 FR 31576; July 16, 1992)
and Documentation for Developing the Initial Source Category List,
Final Report (see EPA-450/3-91-030; July 1992), the ``Tire Production''
source category ``is any facility engaged in producing passenger car
and light duty truck tires, aircraft tires, and miscellaneous other
tires.'' This source category has been referred to as the ``Rubber Tire
Manufacturing'' source category since the EPA first proposed NESHAP
requirements for this source category in 2000. (See 65 FR 62414;
October 18, 2000.)
Table 1--NESHAP and Industrial Source Categories Affected by This Proposed Action
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Source category NESHAP NAICS code \1\
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Rubber Tire Manufacturing...................... 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX..... 326211, 326212, 314992
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\1\ North American Industry Classification System.
B. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related
information?
In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of
this action is available on the internet. Following signature by the
EPA Administrator, the EPA will post a copy of this proposed action at
https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous. Following
publication in the Federal Register, the EPA will post the Federal
Register version of the proposal and key technical documents at this
same website.
A memorandum showing the rule edits that would be necessary to
incorporate the changes to 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, proposed in
this action is available in the docket (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-
0392). Following signature by the EPA Administrator, the EPA also will
post a copy of this document to https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous.
II. Background
A. What is the statutory authority for this action?
This action proposes to amend the NESHAP for the Rubber Tire
Manufacturing source category.
[[Page 78695]]
The statutory authority for this action is provided by section 112
of the CAA, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.). In the first stage of
the CAA section 112 standard-setting process, the EPA promulgates
technology-based standards under CAA section 112(d) for categories of
sources identified as emitting one or more of the HAP listed in CAA
section 112(b). Sources of HAP emissions are either major sources or
area sources, and CAA section 112 establishes different requirements
for major source standards and area source standards. ``Major sources''
are those that emit or have the potential to emit 10 tons per year
(tpy) or more of a single HAP or 25 tpy or more of any combination of
HAP. All other sources are ``area sources.'' For major sources, CAA
section 112(d)(2) provides that the technology-based NESHAP must
reflect the maximum degree of emission reductions of HAP achievable
(after considering cost, energy requirements, and non-air quality
health and environmental impacts). These standards are commonly
referred to as MACT standards. CAA section 112(d)(3) also establishes a
minimum control level for MACT standards, known as the MACT ``floor.''
In certain instances, as provided in CAA section 112(h), the EPA may
set work practice standards in lieu of numerical emission standards.
The EPA must also consider control options that are more stringent than
the floor. Standards more stringent than the floor are commonly
referred to as ``beyond-the-floor'' standards.
CAA section 112(d)(6) requires the EPA to review standards
promulgated under CAA section 112 and revise them ``as necessary
(taking into account developments in practices, processes, and control
technologies)'' no less often than every 8 years. While conducting this
review, which we call the ``technology review,'' the EPA is not
required to recalculate the MACT floors that were established during
earlier rulemakings. Nat. Resources Def. Council (NRDC) v. EPA, 529
F.3d 1077, 1084 (D.C. Cir. 2008); Ass'n of Battery Recyclers, Inc. v.
EPA, 716 F.3d 667 (D.C. Cir. 2013). The EPA may consider cost in
deciding whether to revise the standards pursuant to CAA section
112(d)(6).
CAA section 112(f) requires the EPA to determine whether
promulgation of additional standards is needed to provide an ample
margin of safety to protect public health or to prevent an adverse
environmental effect. This review is known as the ``residual risk
review,'' and it must occur within 8 years after promulgation of the
standards. When the EPA conducts the ``technology review'' together
with the ``residual risk review,'' the combined review is known as a
``risk and technology review'' (RTR).
The EPA initially promulgated the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP
on July 9, 2002 (67 FR 45588). These standards are codified at 40 CFR
part 63, subpart XXXX.
In 2016, a coalition of environmental advocacy groups filed a
lawsuit to compel the EPA to fulfill its statutory duty to conduct the
CAA sections 112(d) and 112(f)(2) reviews of 13 NESHAPs, including the
NESHAP for the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category. Blue Ridge
Environmental Defense League v. McCarthy, No. 1:16-cv-00364. As a
result of that litigation, the EPA was required to complete its review
of the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category. The resulting
residual RTR conducted for the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP was
published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2020 (85 FR 44752) (2020
RTR).
In an April 2020 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit, the court held that the EPA has an
obligation to address unregulated HAP emissions from a source category
when the Agency conducts the 8-year technology review required by CAA
section 112(d)(6). Louisiana Environmental Action Network v. EPA, 955
F.3d, at 1098-99 (D.C. Cir. 2020) (``LEAN decision or LEAN''). The
parties in the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League case filed a
joint motion for an extension of the deadline to allow the EPA to
revise the 2020 final rule to comply with the LEAN opinion. The court
granted the motion, setting a new deadline for this rule of October 27,
2022. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Order (Apr. 15, 2021).
This deadline was subsequently extended to November 13, 2024. Id.,
Order (Mar. 14, 2022).
In light of this litigation history, this proposed rule includes
proposed new emission standards to address currently unregulated
emissions of HAP from the rubber processing subcategory of Rubber Tire
Manufacturing, pursuant to the LEAN decision and CAA sections 112(d)(2)
and (d)(3).
B. What is this source category and how does the current NESHAP
regulate its HAP emissions?
The Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category consists of
facilities that produce rubber tire components including but not
limited to rubber compounds, sidewalls, tread, tire beads, tire cord,
and liners. The source category covered by the NESHAP currently
includes 15 facilities. The Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category
is split into 4 subcategories for different phases of rubber tire
manufacturing. These subcategories include rubber processing, tire
production, tire cord production, and puncture sealant application.
The 2002 NESHAP for the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category
established emission limits on a subcategory basis as follows.
1. Rubber Processing
There are currently no emission limits for the rubber processing
subcategory.
2. Tire Production
There are 2 equivalent standards for the tire production
subcategory, and sources can choose to comply with either standard. The
first standard, which is based on HAP materials purchased and used in
the process, is an emission limit that requires that emissions of each
HAP in table 16 to 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, that is used in the
tire production process not exceed 1,000 grams (g) HAP per megagram
(Mg) (2 pounds per ton (lb/ton)) of total cements and solvents used at
the tire production affected source, and requires that the amount of
each HAP not in table 16 to 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, that is used
in the tire production process not exceed 10,000 g HAP per Mg (20 lb/
ton) of total cements and solvents used at the tire production affected
source.
The second standard is a production-based emission-limit option.
For this option, emissions of HAP must not exceed 0.024 g/Mg (0.00005
lb/ton) of rubber used at the tire production affected source.
3. Tire Cord Production
There are 3 equivalent standards for the tire cord production
subcategory, and sources can choose which standard to comply with
within this subcategory, depending, in part, on whether the source is
an existing or new source. The first standard is a production-based
emission-limit option for existing tire cord production affected
sources. As part of this standard, emissions must not exceed 280 g HAP
per Mg (0.56 lb/ton) of fabric processed at the tire cord production
affected source.
The second standard is a production-based emission-limit option for
new or reconstructed tire cord production affected sources. As part of
this standard, emissions must not exceed 220 g HAP per Mg (0.43 lb/ton)
of fabric processed at the tire cord production affected source.
[[Page 78696]]
The third standard is a HAP constituent emission-limit option
available to both existing and new or reconstructed tire cord
production affected sources. To comply with this standard, emissions of
each HAP in table 16 to 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, that is used in
the tire cord production process must not exceed 1,000 g HAP per Mg (2
lb/ton) of total coatings used at the tire cord production affected
source, and emissions of each HAP not in table 16 to 40 CFR part 63,
subpart XXXX, that is used in the tire cord production process must not
exceed 10,000 g HAP per Mg (20 lb/ton) of total coatings used at the
tire cord production affected source.
4. Puncture Sealant Application
There are 3 equivalent standards for the puncture sealant
application subcategory, and sources can choose which standard to
comply with within this subcategory depending, in part, on whether the
source is an existing or new source. The first standard is a percent
reduction emission-limit option for existing puncture sealant
application spray booths. As part of this standard, facilities are
required to reduce spray booth HAP (measured as volatile organic
compounds (VOCs)) emissions by at least 86 percent by weight.
The second standard is a percent reduction emission-limit option
for new or reconstructed puncture sealant application spray booths. As
part of this standard, facilities are required to reduce spray booth
HAP (measured as VOCs) emissions by at least 95 percent by weight.
The third standard is a HAP constituent emission-limit option for
both existing and new or reconstructed puncture sealant application
spray booths. As part of this standard, emissions of each HAP in table
16 to 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, must not exceed 1,000 g HAP per Mg
(2 lb/ton) of total puncture sealants used at the puncture sealant
affected source, and emissions of each HAP not in table 16 to 40 CFR
part 63, subpart XXXX, must not exceed 10,000 g HAP per Mg (20 lb/ton)
of total puncture sealants used at the puncture sealant affected
source.
5. Alternatives for Meeting Emission Limits
Compliance alternatives are available for the 3 subcategories
currently subject to emission limits (tire production, tire cord
production, and puncture sealant application) to meet the emission
limits mentioned earlier in section II.B of this preamble. For more
information on these compliance alternatives, a detailed breakdown of
the compliance alternatives for these subcategories may be found at 40
CFR 63.5985, 40 CFR 63.5987, and 40 CFR 63.5989, for tire production,
tire cord production, and puncture sealant application, respectively.
6. Recent Actions Relating to the NESHAP for the Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Source Category
In the 2020 RTR, the EPA found that the risk associated with air
emissions from rubber tire manufacturing was acceptable and that the
current NESHAP provides an ample margin of safety to protect public
health. The EPA determined that there were no developments in
practices, processes, or control technologies that warranted revisions
to the standards. Based on the analysis conducted as part of the RTR,
no revisions to the numerical emission limits were made for any of the
Rubber Tire Manufacturing subcategories. The 2020 RTR addressed periods
of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) by clarifying that
emissions during SSM operations are subject to the NESHAP. In addition,
the 2020 amendments included provisions requiring electronic reporting
of performance test results and reports, compliance reports, and
Notification of Compliance Status reports.
C. What data collection activities were conducted to support this
action?
To inform this current action, the EPA sent an information request
pursuant to CAA section 114 (hereinafter ``CAA section 114 information
request'') to all 5 parent companies that operate major source rubber
tire facilities (15 major source facilities) within the United States.
The CAA section 114 information request was conducted in 2 phases.
The first phase was sent to the parent companies in June 2022. It
consisted of a questionnaire relating to rubber tire manufacturing
processes. The questionnaire requested the following information from
rubber tire facilities: facility information, including facility
location and production background; process and control information
from each mixer at the facility, including ingredients added and
associated tire component for each combination of ingredients;
available mixer emissions data for filterable particulate matter (fPM)
HAP and VOC HAP; mixing schematics; and emission controls in use at the
facility.
The second phase of the CAA section 114 information request sought
emissions data on mixers through stack testing and required each
company that received the request to submit the data and associated
documentation via an EPA-developed response template. Draft emission
factors developed by the U.S. Rubber Tire Manufacturers Association
(USTMA) in 2008, and available in the Mixing 30800111 tab in the
Emission Factors Tables excel file at https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-factors-and-quantification/ap-42-fifth-edition-volume-i-chapter-4-evaporation-loss-0, were reviewed and those compounds whose
unit risks were assessed to provide risks near or above 1-in-1 million
were selected for emissions testing. Those compounds included
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)--aniline, dibenzofuran,
hydroquinone, naphthalene, and o-toluidine. In addition, HAP metals,
fPM, and total hydrocarbons (THC) were required to be collected using
EPA test methods. The second phase of the CAA section 114 information
request specified the emission testing procedures and methods to be
followed, the process information to be collected during emission
testing, how to report and submit the data to the EPA, and required
contact information for the facility.
The measured HAP were reported in units of nanograms per dry
standard cubic meter (ng/dscm) and rates in pounds per hour (lb/hr).
The amount of rubber processed in units of tons per hour (ton/hr) was
recorded, and the HAP data were also reported in units of lb/ton rubber
processed. For HAP testing, one 3-run test was conducted for each mixer
when organic HAP emissions were expected to be highest. THC measured in
parts per million by volume dry (ppmvd) as propane were also collected
during the second phase. For THC, data were also collected over a
minimum 30-day period. Emissions of fPM and metal HAP were measured in
units of milligrams per dry standard cubic meter (mg/dscm) and lb/hr,
and data were collected per parent company for a minimum of six runs.
The amount of rubber processed was recorded and the fPM and metal HAP
data were reported in the units of lb/ton rubber processed. For units
and facilities, the testing runs were split between mixing silica-
containing compounds and non-silica-containing compounds, due to an
expected difference in emission profiles.
Other parameters measured during testing included: gas flow rate,
measured in actual cubic feet per minute (acfm); oxygen (O2)
and carbon dioxide (CO2), measured in dry percent volume;
and moisture, measured in percent volume. The measured flow rates were
converted to standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) and dry standard
cubic feet per minute (dscfm). The THC
[[Page 78697]]
measurements were converted to ppmvd.
D. What other relevant background information and data are available?
In November of 2022, the USTMA voluntarily provided to the EPA test
reports containing metals and particulate matter (PM) data. Of the test
reports provided, only 1 report (pertaining to Mixer #5 and #7 of the
Goodyear Danville, Virginia facility) contained the fPM and
corresponding rubber production data needed to calculate a production-
based emission limit (pounds of fPM per ton of rubber produced). As a
result, we considered fPM data from Mixer #5 and #7 from the Goodyear
Danville facility when setting the MACT standard for fPM.
III. Analytical Procedures and Decision Making
The current Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP does not contain any
emission limits for the rubber processing subcategory. For the HAP
emitted from this subcategory, we are proposing to establish MACT
emission limits pursuant to CAA section 112(d)(2) and 112(d)(3). The
results and proposed decisions based on the analyses performed pursuant
to CAA section 112(d)(2) and 112(d)(3) are presented in section IV of
this preamble. We discuss these emissions in the following 3 groupings:
THC, PAH, and PM & metal HAP.
A. Total Hydrocarbons
In response to the CAA section 114 information request, we received
THC emissions data from the rubber processing subcategory that we did
not have in 2002 when subpart XXXX was first promulgated nor when we
conducted the 2020 RTR. The emissions data received indicate that THC
is emitted from the rubber processing subcategory. Measured THC
includes organic HAP, including but not limited to 2-butanone,
acetophenone, cumene, hexane, isooctane, methylene chloride, phenol,
toluene, and xylene, which are the compounds identified by the rubber
manufacturing association (now USTMA) as being emitted during rubber
processing in original testing to determine emission factors for the
Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP. Draft emission factors developed by
the U.S. Rubber Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) in 2008 are
available in the Mixing 30800111 tab in the Emission Factors Tables
excel file at https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-factors-and-quantification/ap-42-fifth-edition-volume-i-chapter-4-evaporation-loss-0.
The THC emissions data also includes PAHs and other VOCs that are
not HAP, such as ethanol. Because the THC measurements, by definition,
include all relevant organic HAP (as well as non-HAP), and considering
the significant difficulty of measuring numerous individual, speciated
organic HAP compounds, we are proposing a MACT standard in accordance
with CAA section 112(d)(2) and (d)(3) to limit THC emissions as a
surrogate for organic HAP emissions, as described further in section
IV.A.2 of this preamble. We solicit comment on the use of THC as a
surrogate for organic HAP, as well as on the EPA's approach to testing
for THC, as opposed to testing for individual speciated organic HAP. As
explained below, we consider the use of THC as a surrogate to be an
appropriate alternative to testing mixers to identify all individual,
speciated, organic HAP emitted during rubber processing, and
subsequently setting separate standards and monitoring requirements for
each specific identified HAP.
B. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
PAHs are a group of over 100 different chemicals that are formed
during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other
organic substances. PAHs are usually found as a mixture containing 2 or
more of these compounds, such as soot. Additives to rubber provide
characteristics important for tire performance; included in those
additives is carbon black, which, depending on its origin, includes
many PAHs. In response to the CAA section 114 information request, the
EPA received PAH emissions data from the rubber processing subcategory
that we did not have in 2002 when subpart XXXX was first promulgated
nor in 2020 when we conducted the RTR. We used this new emissions data
to develop the proposed MACT standards in accordance with CAA section
112(d)(2) and (d)(3). Specifically, we are proposing to use THC
emissions as a surrogate for PAH and all organic HAP emissions, as
discussed further in section IV.A.1 of this preamble.
C. Particulate Matter and Metal HAP
PM, specifically fPM, is a criteria pollutant created and emitted
by many activities, including addition of carbon black to rubber while
mixing. Filterable particulate matter contains a number of compounds
including filterable metals, which are HAP. Baghouses, or fabric
filters, employed at tire manufacturing facilities control and collect
fPM and its inherent filterable metals, and, in some instances, the
collected fPM is reintroduced into the mixers. In response to the CAA
section 114 information request, the EPA received fPM and metal HAP
emissions data from rubber processing that we did not have in 2002 when
subpart XXXX was first promulgated nor in 2020 when we conducted the
2020 RTR. The emissions data received indicate that fPM and metal HAP
are emitted from rubber processing. Pursuant to this data and
information, we are proposing a MACT standard in accordance with CAA
section 112(d)(2) and (d)(3) to limit fPM emissions as a surrogate for
metal HAP emissions, as described further in section IV.A.3 of this
preamble.
IV. Analytical Results and Proposed Decisions
When developing MACT standards, the MACT ``floor'' for existing
sources is calculated based on the average performance of the best
performing sources in each category or subcategory. The MACT floor for
new sources is based on the single best performing source. The MACT
floor for new sources cannot be less stringent than the emissions
performance that is achieved in practice by the best controlled similar
source. To account for variability in the rubber processing operations
and resulting emissions, we calculated the MACT floors using the 99
percent Upper Predictive Limit (UPL) approach with available stack test
data.\1\
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\1\ For more information regarding the general use of the UPL
and why it is appropriate for calculating MACT floors, see the
memorandum Use of Upper Prediction Limit for Calculating MACT
Floors, which is available in the docket for this action.
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The UPL approach addresses emissions data from the best performing
source or sources in setting MACT standards. The UPL also accounts for
uncertainty associated with emission values in a dataset, which can be
influenced by factors such as the number of samples available for
developing MACT standards and the number of samples that will be
collected to assess compliance with the emission limit. The UPL
approach has been used in many environmental science applications. As
explained in more detail in the memorandum, Use of Upper Prediction
Limit for Calculating MACT Floors, available in the docket for this
action, the EPA uses the UPL approach to reasonably estimate the
emissions performance of the best performing source or sources to
establish MACT floor standards.
In addition, under CAA section 112(d)(2), the EPA must examine more
stringent ``beyond-the-floor'' regulatory options to determine the
appropriate level for the MACT standards. Unlike the MACT floor minimum
stringency
[[Page 78698]]
requirements, the EPA must consider various impacts of the more
stringent regulatory options in determining whether MACT standards are
to reflect beyond-the-floor requirements. These impacts include the
cost of achieving emission reductions beyond those achieved by the MACT
floor, and any non-air quality health and environmental impacts and
energy requirements that would result from imposing controls beyond the
MACT floor. If the EPA concludes that the more stringent regulatory
options are not reasonable, the EPA sets the standards at the MACT
floor level. However, if the EPA concludes that impacts associated with
beyond-the-floor levels of control are reasonable in light of the
additional considerations, the EPA selects those levels as MACT.
Data submitted to the EPA in response to the CAA section 114
information request included air emissions test results from 12 rubber
processing mixers at 6 facilities in the source category. The responses
also included the types of materials being processed and the types of
controls in use at mixers within the source category. The types of
tires produced included passenger and light truck tires, off road
tires, truck tires, earth moving tires, and aircraft tires, which are
representative of the major types of tires produced by facilities in
the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category. Similarly, all of the
tire component types of rubber compounds (inner liner, ply coat, belt
coat, base/sidewall, apex, tread) were represented. The types of air
emission controls included fPM controls (e.g., fabric filter baghouses,
cartridge dust collectors, and scrubbers) on all mixers and
regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) on 3 mixers at 3 facilities (in
addition to the fPM controls).
Due to issues with availability of testing equipment and due to
unforeseen issues with some of the emissions testing, not all data for
the second phase of the CAA section 114 information request was timely
submitted. The EPA received some data after the requested deadline, and
some of the late-submitted data was not submitted in time for us to
consider it for the proposal. The EPA anticipates incorporating these
additional data, which includes data from 6 additional mixers
(Continental Mt Vernon Mixer 19 and 21, Cooper Texarkana Mixer 1, 5,
and 8, and Titan Tire Mixer 6 (just 30-day THC data)) when we develop
the final rule. Three of these mixers (Continental Mt Vernon Mixer 19
and 21, Cooper Texarkana Mixer 8) operate RTOs, with the two mixers
from Continental (Mixer 19 and 21) operating RTOs continuously for all
batch types and Cooper (mixer 8) operating only when utilizing silica
containing compounds. Although we have not had adequate time to
evaluate the data from these mixers it is possible that the mixers
(especially those that operate RTOs) may be among the top performing
mixers tested, and thus be the new basis of the MACT floor
calculations. Additionally, we anticipate that the addition of data for
these 6 mixers will change the number of mixers used to calculate the
MACT floors both for mixers using silica-containing compounds and for
mixers using non-silica-containing compounds, thus resulting in a
change of the proposed calculated MACT floor emission limits. All the
CAA section 114 data, including the late-submitted data are available
at https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous. We are
specifically requesting comment on the late-submitted data, which was
not received in time for us to consider for proposal.
The CAA provides that MACT standards for existing sources may be no
less stringent, but may be more stringent, than the average emission
limitation achieved by the best performing 12 percent of the existing
sources (or best performing 5 sources in the category or subcategory
where there are fewer than 30 sources) for which the Administrator has
information. Since there are over 29 mixers for each of the silica-
containing and non-silica-containing compounds, the MACT floors are
calculated using the top 12 percent of data available. For this
proposal, the EPA was able to use THC data for 11 mixers, and 12
percent of 11 mixers is 1.32 mixers. When determining the best
performing 12 percent of existing sources for the MACT floor pool, we
round fractional amounts to the next whole number to ensure that the
MACT floor calculations are based on no fewer than the best performing
12 percent of existing sources. In this instance, we rounded up to 2
mixers for purposes of determining the existing source MACT floor. As
previously mentioned, we received late-submitted data for an additional
6 mixers that were not provided in time to consider for this proposal,
but which we intend to consider for the final rule; when the data from
the additional 6 mixers are included, the number of mixers identified
as the best performers is expected to change from 2 to 3 (i.e., 17
mixers, and 12 percent of 17 mixers is 2.04, which rounds up to 3
mixers). It is possible that the fPM and metal HAP MACT floor may
change when including the new data. For additional information on the
data collected in the CAA section 114 information request, please see
the memorandum, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Analysis
for the Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing
Industry, available in the docket for this action.
A. What are the results of our analyses of unregulated pollutants and
how did we set MACT standards?
1. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
The EPA received data from five facilities for PAH emissions. The
PAH compounds measured were aniline, dibenzofuran, hydroquinone,
naphthalene, and o-toluidine. The PAH emissions were collected using
U.S. EPA SW-846 Method 0010, extracted using Method 3542, and analyzed
using Method 8270E.\2\
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\2\ https://www.epa.gov/hw-sw846/sw-846-compendium.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of the measured emissions were below the detection limit of
the approved testing method, and others were detection level limited
(DLL). Results are considered below detection limit (BDL) when every
measured result for a compound in a test run is less than the
laboratory's reported detection level. Data are considered DLL when the
results in a given test run are a mixture of values less than and
greater than the laboratory's reported detection level for that
compound. All of the test results for hydroquinone and dibenzofuran
were BDL. The test results for aniline, naphthalene, and o-toluidine
included values that were above the detection level.
Reported levels of two PAH compounds--dibenzofuran and
hydroquinone--are below current detection levels at each facility;
therefore, the EPA is not proposing emission limits for dibenzofuran or
hydroquinone. Moreover, because the World Health Organization
recognizes 17 dioxin-like congeners \3\ (7 polychlorinated dioxins and
10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans), the USTMA emission factor data
contain no polychlorinated dioxins or polychlorinated dibenzofurans,
and measured unpolychlorinated dibenzofuran values are BDL, the EPA is
proposing that no emission limits for dioxin-like compounds are needed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
defines congeners as chemical substances ``related to each other by
origin, structure, or function.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 78699]]
The remaining PAH species--aniline, naphthalene, and o-toluidine--
are also organic HAP and hydrocarbons and so will be accounted for in
THC measurements. Therefore, the EPA is not proposing a separate
emission limit for PAHs and is instead proposing a limit for THC
emissions. Total THC results include the effect of PAH, organic HAP,
and VOC contained in exhaust streams and are well suited to serve as
surrogates for these compounds. We are soliciting comment on the use of
THC as a surrogate in place of setting emission limits for PAHs,
specifically.
A detailed description of the analysis of the PAH data is included
in the memorandum, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
Analysis for the Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Industry, located in the docket for this action (Docket
ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392).
2. Total Hydrocarbon Emissions
We received long-term (30 days or longer) THC emissions test
results from 5 facilities and a total of 11 mixers in response to the
second phase of the CAA section 114 information request. From 5 mixers,
we also received short-term THC data (e.g., 3 to 11 runs lasting from
20 minutes to 3 hours per run). The following were monitored
continuously for each mixer over a period of at least 30 days:
uncorrected THC as propane measured in parts per million by volume
(ppmv) using EPA Method 25A, oxygen volume (percent), moisture volume
(percent), the quantity of rubber processed, and the start and stop
timestamps for each batch of rubber processed. Additional data
collected during these tests included the tire component processed and
whether the processed tire component contained silica. Although all
rubber mixing operations produce THC emissions, the addition of silica,
which is used to create longer wearing and more fuel-efficient tread
rubber compounds, reacts with other compounds during the mixing
operation, leading to increased THC emissions during the mixing
operation. Some facilities vent mixer exhaust to an RTO to reduce
emissions when mixing silica-containing compounds, and 1 tested
facility exhausts the mixing of all rubber compounds to an RTO.
Flow rate was measured during short-term testing (3 to 11 runs with
20- to 360-minute run duration) over several runs for five mixers. For
the remaining six mixers for which 30-day THC monitoring was performed,
flow rate data were not available. However, the six mixers without
flow-rate data are located at facilities that included at least one
other mixer with available flow-rate data, and the flow rates were
comparable among mixers at different facilities. The flow rate data
were used to estimate the hourly mass emissions of THC from the THC
concentration data. The THC concentration (ppmv) was corrected for each
measurement to a dry basis (ppmvd) if a simultaneous moisture content
measurement was available. If a moisture content measurement was not
available, then the as-measured concentration (ppmv) was used. Moisture
in the air was typically less than 2 percent, so adjusting the THC
measurements using a default moisture content for those concentrations
without moisture would not have a significant effect on emissions. The
oxygen concentrations were always close to ambient levels, so the THC
concentrations were not corrected to a standard oxygen concentration.
The ppmvd (or ppmv) values were combined with the exhaust flow (dscfm)
to calculate the lb/hr THC emission rates. If the THC measurements were
made upstream from an RTO (i.e., THC levels were measured before
reaching the control device), then the emission rates were corrected to
account for the measured destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of
the RTO. We are soliciting comment on this approach regarding the 30-
day THC data.
The CAA section 114 information request required that, during the
THC monitoring, facilities record the amount of rubber produced for
silica-containing and non-silica-containing rubber, including the start
and end times of each batch and whether the batch was silica-containing
or non-silica containing. The information request sought data that was
separated into silica-containing and non-silica-containing batches, due
to differences in raw ingredients, resulting in different expected
emission profiles when silica is added. The EPA expected different
emission profiles between the two processes that use different raw
materials, because the addition of silica leads to chemical reactions
producing additional organics. The expected increase in organics, is
represented by higher levels of THC emissions, compared to non-silica
batches. The data received in the CAA section 114 information request
confirmed that THC emissions from silica batches are higher, resulting
in the EPA determination that it is appropriate to set two separate
standards for silica-containing and non-silica-containing batches. EPA
seeks comment on its approach to propose two separate standards, based
on those material-based processes exhibiting markedly different
emission profiles.
The time data were used to match the THC and production data to
calculate daily THC emissions and production in pounds per hour of THC
and rubber for silica-containing and non-silica-containing rubber. The
THC lb/hr emissions data were combined with the hourly production data
to calculate the daily THC emission rate in terms of grams of THC
emitted per megagram (g/Mg) of rubber produced for each mixer. The EPA
calculated separate values for silica-containing and non-silica-
containing rubber compounds.
For several mixers, responses to the CAA section 114 information
request showed negative THC concentration values for significant
periods of time. Individual THC values (i.e., those recorded every
minute) that were more negative than -5 ppmv were excluded from the
dataset on the assumption that they represented faulty THC monitoring
measurements and were not replaced. Individual THC measurements between
0 and -5 ppmv were kept in the data but were treated as a 0 ppmv value
when calculating the daily average THC concentration in ppmv. We are
soliciting comment on the proposed approach to addressing negative THC
values.
From these THC values and production data for silica-containing and
non-silica-containing rubber compounds, we calculated UPL values for
each mixer for 7-day and 15-day rolling averages in terms of grams of
THC emitted per megagram (g/Mg) of silica-containing or non-silica-
containing rubber produced. Separate UPL values were calculated for
silica-containing and non-silica-containing compound production.
Consistent with the approach we have developed to set MACT standards,
we also determined the representative detection level (RDL) for THC
values, as well as 3 times the RDL (3xRDL) for THC values and compared
the 3xRDL values to the UPL values. When the 99-percent UPL values
exceed 3xRDL values, the EPA uses the 99-percent UPL values for
emission limit setting purposes, but when 3xRDL values exceed the 99-
percent UPL values, the EPA uses 3xRDL values for emission limit
setting purposes because the standard needs to be established at a
level that sources can demonstrate with reasonable confidence.
The RDL process for THC values is determined at 6 percent of the
high end of the measurement range appropriate for the best performing
sources. This means that once the EPA determines the
[[Page 78700]]
THC parts per million (ppm) values from the best performers, the EPA
selects an appropriate instrument range, which may not necessarily be
the range used in a particular instance by a particular source. For
instance, if the best performers had THC ppm values from 1 to 67 ppm,
then an appropriate instrument range would be 0 to 100 ppm, even though
one or more of the best performers may have used an instrument with a
range of 0 to 1,000 ppm. Note that common instrument ranges include 0
to 10 and 0 to 100 ppm; furthermore, many instruments allow custom
ranges, so ranges from 0 to 50 ppm and 0 to 500 ppm are available. Also
note that dual range instruments are available in the commerce stream
such that a primary (low) range and secondary (high) range can be used
as needed for THC measurements.
The EPA considered 7- and 15-day rolling averages for both silica-
containing and non-silica-containing compounds because they are more
representative of emissions over time due to the variability across the
mixing operation compared to a 1-day emission limit, considering that
mixers may not mix both silica-containing and non-silica-containing
materials in a single day.
The EPA is proposing a 15-day rolling average THC emission limit
for mixers of both silica-containing and non-silica-containing
compounds, rather than a 7-day rolling average THC emission limit,
because emissions begin to normalize after 15 days with fewer
significant deviations in the rolling-average THC values compared to a
7-day rolling average. We believe a 15-day rolling average THC emission
limit better represents actual emissions from mixers and better
encompasses variability due to batch type. In addition, separate 15-day
rolling average THC emission limits are being proposed for mixers of
silica-containing and non-silica-containing compounds due to
differences in emissions profiles of the mixtures, which results in
distinct THC ranges for these 2 types of compounds.
The EPA is proposing an emission limit for THC as a surrogate for
organic HAP emitted from rubber mixers for silica-containing and non-
silica-containing compounds. Total quantities of THC emitted from
rubber processing invariably contain organic HAP. Because EPA Method
25A measures the carbon content of compounds, as opposed to mass of
individual compounds, THC values are not speciated into specific
compounds; rather, total THC results include the effect of, and
therefore encompass the emissions of PAH, organic HAP, and VOC
contained in exhaust streams. As such, THC serves as a form of
categorical ``umbrella,'' capturing various pollutants, and is
therefore well suited to serve as a surrogate for these compounds. The
destruction of THC, will indiscriminately result in the destruction of
organic HAP. Therefore, and based on our understanding of the processes
at these facilities, we believe that there is an expected relationship
between controlling THC emissions and controlling organic HAP
emissions.
Data gathered from responses to the CAA section 114 information
request identified that the primary control device utilized for organic
compound emissions control on rubber tire mixers is an RTO, and
destruction of THC will reliably indicate destruction of organic HAP.
Because multiple organic HAP may be emitted from the mixers, it is more
practical to monitor and measure THC emissions than to monitor and
measure individual organic HAP. Furthermore, EPA is not aware of any
evidence that there is any emission control device (other than an RTO),
that would directly regulate organic HAP and be as, or more, effective
at reducing organic HAP than simply regulating THC emissions
themselves. As discussed above, it is expected that lower aggregate THC
emissions are associated with lower total organic HAP emissions. It is
also more practical to establish an emission limit for THC than for
individual organic HAP because a THC emission limit accounts for
variability in individual organic emission rates among different
batches of rubber compound being mixed.
Based on responses to the CAA section 114 information request, the
EPA determined that 97 mixers are located at major sources of rubber
tire manufacturing. The EPA has THC data for 11 mixers, and 3 of these
mixers are equipped with RTOs. For one mixer controlled by an RTO
(Continental, Mount Vernon, Illinois, Mixer #22), the emissions are
continuously routed to the RTO, and the THC emissions were measured at
the outlet of the RTO for silica and non-silica emissions. For the
other two mixers equipped with RTOs (Goodyear, Fayetteville, North
Carolina, Mixer #8; and Goodyear, Danville, Virginia, Mixer #110), THC
emissions are only routed to the RTOs when the mixers are running
batches that contain silica, such as tread rubber. For these two
mixers, the THC emissions were required to be measured at the outlet of
the mixer, but before the RTO. This sampling location was selected
because several mixers share the tested RTO; therefore, to get data
representative of a single mixer, it was necessary to test at the
outlet of the mixer prior to the combined stream at the RTO. The most
recent measured DREs provided by the facilities for these mixers were
applied to determine the controlled THC emission rate in g/Mg rubber
produced.
a. THC Existing Source Standard for Silica-Containing Compounds
The EPA determined the existing source MACT floor THC emission
limit for silica-containing compounds based on the top two performing
mixers. As discussed in section IV of this preamble, for a source
category of this size, the CAA requires the EPA to use the average
emission limitation achieved by the best performing 12 percent of the
existing sources (for which the Administrator has information) when
establishing the MACT floor level of control. Based on responses to the
CAA section 114 information request, there are an estimated 56 mixers
that use silica, and the MACT floor is calculated using the available
data for the top performing 12 percent of mixers. The EPA has THC data
for 11 mixers, and 12 percent of 11 mixers is 1.32 mixers. When
determining the best performing 12 percent of existing sources for the
MACT floor pool, we round fractional amounts to the next whole number
to ensure that the MACT floor calculations are based on no fewer than
the best performing 12 percent of existing sources. In this instance,
we rounded up to 2 mixers for purposes of determining the existing
source MACT floor. The existing source MACT floor THC emission limit
for silica-containing compounds is based on the average 15-day emission
rate achieved by the two lowest emitting mixers. For these 2 mixers,
the EPA included each mixer's daily average THC emission rate in a
list, and then calculated 15-day rolling averages from the daily
averages.
The proposed THC emission limits for existing mixers are based on
the calculated 99 percent UPL or 3xRDL, whichever is higher, calculated
from the 15-day rolling averages of the data combined from the 2 mixers
controlled by RTOs, and represents the average performance of the 2
mixers.
Based on these data, we are proposing an existing source MACT floor
THC limit for mixing silica-containing compounds of 9.4 g/Mg rubber
produced (18,840 pounds per million tons (lb/Mton)), based on a 15-day
rolling average. The maximum THC ppm value from the best performers is
385 ppm, so an appropriate instrument range would be 0 to 500 ppm,
which leads to an RDL value of 30 ppm and a 3xRDL value of 90 ppm. When
this
[[Page 78701]]
3xRDL value is combined with the average flow rate, percent removal,
and production of the best performers, the result is 7.7 g/Mg rubber
processed (15,430 lb/Mton). Since the 3xRDL value is less than the UPL
value of 9.4 g/Mg rubber processed (18,840 lb/Mton), the UPL value is
the basis for the proposed existing source MACT floor for mixing
silica-containing compounds. We request comment on the proposed MACT
floor THC emission limit for mixing silica-containing compounds.
b. THC Beyond-the-Floor Analysis for Existing Source Standard for
Silica-Containing Compounds
In addition to determining the MACT floor level of control, the EPA
must examine more stringent ``beyond-the-floor'' regulatory options to
determine MACT. Unlike the MACT floor minimum stringency requirements,
when considering beyond-the-floor options, the CAA provides that the
EPA must consider various impacts of the more stringent regulatory
options in determining whether MACT standards are to reflect beyond-
the-floor requirements. If the EPA concludes that the more stringent
regulatory options are not reasonable, then the EPA selects the MACT
floor as MACT. However, if the EPA concludes that the beyond-the-floor
levels of control are reasonable in light of additional emissions
reductions achieved, then the EPA selects those levels as MACT.
As part of our beyond-the-floor analysis, we identify control
options or techniques that have the ability to achieve emission
reductions beyond the MACT floor level of control. The EPA did not
identify any new control options or techniques other than those which
are currently used by existing facilities. However, the EPA performed
an illustrative analysis, estimating costs associated with requiring
mixers to meet the current emission limit achieved by the single best
performing mixer, as a potential beyond-the-floor option. The existing
source MACT floor limit for mixing silica-containing compounds is based
on the combined UPL for the 2 lowest emitting mixers controlled by an
RTO. We evaluated the cost effectiveness of going beyond the floor to
adopt the single lowest emitting mixer controlled by an RTO. The UPL
for the single lowest emitting mixer controlled by an RTO and mixing
silica-containing compounds is 9.4 g/Mg rubber produced (18,840 lb/
Mton), based on a 15-day rolling average.
To comply with such a standard, we estimate that existing mixers
that use silica-containing compounds would be required to use an RTO or
similar control device. In order to achieve this standard, RTOs would
likely need to have a higher DRE than that required for the existing
source emission limit to achieve the level of emission reduction of the
best performing source. To increase the DRE, we estimate that RTOs
would need to increase their operating temperature. To represent this
increase, we calculated the estimated cost of increasing the operating
temperature of an RTO from 1400 degrees Fahrenheit ([deg]F) to 1600
[deg]F. The beyond-the-floor standard would achieve an additional 8.7
Mg per year (9.6 tpy) of THC reductions. The incremental cost-
effectiveness, compared to the MACT floor level of control, would be
about $35,000 per additional Mg ($32,000/ton) of THC reduced beyond the
MACT floor level of control, due to the increased fuel consumption to
operate the RTO at a higher temperature and achieve a higher DRE.
The EPA proposes to conclude that the cost of setting THC emission
limits beyond the MACT floor for silica-containing compounds existing
sources is not reasonable when considering cost. Therefore, the EPA is
proposing to set THC emission limits for silica-containing compounds
existing sources at the MACT floor level of control. We request comment
on our approach to considering beyond-the-floor controls.
For additional information see the memorandum, Maximum Achievable
Control Technology (MACT) Analysis for the Rubber Processing
Subcategory in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing Industry, available in the
docket for this action.
c. THC Existing Source Standard for Non-Silica-Containing Compounds
For the existing source THC MACT floor emission limit for non-
silica-containing compounds, the EPA has THC data from 1 mixer that is
controlled by an RTO for non-silica-containing compounds and from 10
other mixers that use non-silica-containing compounds and are not
equipped with an RTO. As discussed in the beginning of section IV of
this preamble, for a source category of this size, the CAA requires the
EPA to use the average emission limitation achieved by the best
performing 12 percent of the existing sources (for which the
Administrator has information) when establishing the MACT floor level
of control. There are an estimated 41 mixers that do not use silica,
and the MACT floor is calculated using data from the top performing 12
percent of mixers for which we have data. The EPA has THC data for 11
mixers, and 12 percent of 11 mixers is 1.32 mixers. When determining
the best performing 12 percent of existing sources for the MACT floor
pool, we round fractional amounts to the next whole number to ensure
that the MACT floor calculations are based on no fewer than the best
performing 12 percent of existing sources. In this instance, we rounded
up to 2 mixers for purposes of determining the existing source MACT
floor.
To determine the MACT floor emission limit for non-silica-
containing compounds, the EPA combined the THC emissions data from the
one mixer with an RTO controlling the mixing of non-silica-containing
compounds (Continental, Mount Vernon, Illinois, Mixer #22) and the
emissions data from the next best performing mixer (Goodyear, Lawton,
Texas, Mixer #1). The UPL was then calculated from the 15-day averages
for the combined Goodyear and Continental mixers for non-silica-
containing compounds and determined to be 16.4 g/Mg rubber produced
(32,870 lb/Mton).
The maximum THC value from the best performers is 37 ppm, so an
appropriate instrument range would be 0 to 50 ppm, which leads to an
RDL value of 3 ppm and a 3xRDL value of 9 ppm. When this 3xRDL value is
combined with the average flow rate and production of the best
performers, the result is 45.4 g/Mg rubber processed (91,000 lb/Mton).
Since the 3xRDL value is greater than the UPL value of 16.4 g/Mg rubber
processed (32,870 lb/Mton), the 3xRDL value is the basis for the
proposed existing source MACT floor for mixing non-silica-containing
compounds. The proposed existing source MACT floor THC emission limit
for mixing non-silica-containing compounds is 45.4 g/Mg rubber produced
(91,000 lb/Mton), based on a 15-day rolling average. For additional
information see the memorandum, Maximum Achievable Control Technology
(MACT) Analysis for the Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber
Tire Manufacturing Industry, available in the docket for this action.
We request comment on our proposed approach to setting the existing
source MACT floor THC emission limit for non-silica-containing
compounds from mixers and the proposed MACT floor emission limit.
d. THC Beyond-the-Floor Analysis for Existing Source Standard for Non-
Silica-Containing Compounds
As discussed earlier in this document, as part of our beyond-the-
floor analysis, we identify control options or techniques that have the
ability to achieve emission reductions beyond the MACT floor level of
control. The EPA
[[Page 78702]]
did not identify any new control options or techniques other than what
is currently used. However, the EPA evaluated the beyond-the-floor
option of requiring mixers to meet the current emission limit of the
single best performing mixer. The EPA has THC data from one facility
that operates an RTO at all times (Continental, Mt. Vernon, Illinois,
Mixer #22). As explained below, the 15-day UPL for mixing non-silica-
containing compounds from that mixer, measured at the outlet of the
RTO, is 13.4 g/Mg (26,860 lb/Mton), while its 3xRDL value is 17.2 g/Mg
(34,470 lb/Mton), based on a 15-day rolling average.
Based on data collected in response to the CAA section 114
information request, of the mixers for which we have data, we expect
that three mixers (25 percent) of the 12 mixers for which we have data,
would be able to comply with the existing source UPL for non-silica-
containing compounds without requiring an RTO or similar control
device. We expect all mixers would need to operate an RTO or similar
control device to achieve the level of emission reduction of the best
performing source. We assume that if an additional 25 percent of mixers
needed to install RTOs, as many as four additional RTOs would be needed
(25 percent of 41 = 10.25, which would round up to 11 mixers; an
average of 3 mixers per RTO would require at least 4 new RTOs for those
11 mixers) to meet a beyond-the-floor emission limit. The total annual
cost of those four additional RTOs would be $2.2 million per year.
Additionally, in order to establish MACT standards that achieve
emissions reductions beyond the MACT floor level of control, RTOs would
likely need to have a higher DRE compared to the existing source
emission limit to meet the lower new source emission limit. To increase
the DRE, we estimate that RTOs would have to increase their operating
temperature. To represent this increase, we calculated the estimated
cost of increasing the operating temperature of an RTO from 1400 [deg]F
to 1600 [deg]F. The annual cost difference to operate one RTO at 1600
degrees F compared to 1400 degrees F is estimated to be $16,000 per
year, due to higher gas and electricity costs. The total annual cost
for 14 RTOs would be $226,000 per year. The total combined cost for new
RTOs and increased RTO operating temperature would be $2.4 million per
year.
The beyond-the-floor emission limit would achieve an additional
57.5 Mg (63.2 tpy) of THC reductions at an added cost of approximately
$42,000/Mg of THC reduced ($38,000/ton), based on the installation of
four additional RTOs and the increased fuel consumption to operate the
RTOs at a higher temperature to achieve a higher DRE. For additional
information see the memorandum, Maximum Achievable Control Technology
(MACT) Analysis for the Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber
Tire Manufacturing Industry, available in the docket for this action.
We propose to conclude that setting THC emission limits beyond the
MACT floor for non-silica-containing compounds existing sources is not
reasonable when considering cost. Therefore, we are proposing to set
THC emission limits for non-silica-containing compounds existing
sources at the MACT floor level of control. We request comment on our
approach to considering beyond-the-floor control.
e. THC New Source Standard
The THC MACT emission limits for new sources are based on the
emission limitation achieved by the best controlled similar source. For
both silica-containing and non-silica-containing compounds, the best
controlled source were mixers that operate an RTO. One mixer
(Continental, Mount Vernon, Illinois, Mixer #22), routes all emissions
(silica and non-silica) to an RTO. This mixer serves as the best
performing source for non-silica-containing compounds.
There are 3 mixers that operate silica-containing compounds that
are controlled by RTOs for which the EPA has data (Goodyear,
Fayetteville, North Carolina, Mixer #8, Continental, Mount Vernon,
Illinois, Mixer #22, and Goodyear, Danville, Virginia, Mixer #110).
We calculated the 15-day UPL rolling average emission rate for the
mixers controlled by RTOs that control the mixing of silica-containing
compounds and the one mixer controlled by an RTO that also controls the
mixing of non-silica-containing compounds.
f. THC New Source Standard for Silica-Containing Compounds
For mixing silica-containing compounds, the proposed new source UPL
is 2.1 grams of THC per megagram (g/Mg) of rubber produced (4,210 lb/
Mton). The maximum THC value from the best performers is 37 ppm, so an
appropriate instrument range would be 0 to 100 ppm, which leads to an
RDL value of 6 ppm and a 3xRDL value of 18 ppm. When this 3xRDL value
is combined with the average flow rate, percent removal, and production
of the best performers, the result is 1.8 g/Mg rubber processed (3,610
lb/Mton). Since the 3xRDL value is less than the UPL value of 2.1 g/Mg
rubber processed (4,210 lb/Mton), the UPL value is the basis for the
proposed new source MACT floor for mixing silica-containing compounds.
For additional information see the memorandum, Maximum Achievable
Control Technology (MACT) Analysis for the Rubber Processing
Subcategory in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing Industry, available in the
docket for this action.
g. THC New Source Standard for Non-Silica-Containing Compounds
For mixing non-silica-containing compounds, the proposed new source
UPL is 13.4 grams of THC per megagram (g/Mg) of rubber produced (26,860
lb/Mton). The maximum THC value from the best performers is 2 ppm, so
an appropriate instrument range would be 0 to 10 ppm, which leads to an
RDL value of 0.6 ppm and a 3xRDL value of 1.8 ppm. When this 3xRDL
value is combined with the average flow rate and production of the best
performers, the result is 17.2 g/Mg rubber processed (34,470 lb/Mton).
Since the 3xRDL value is greater than the UPL value of 13.4 g/Mg rubber
processed (26,860 lb/Mton), the 3xRDL value is the basis for the
proposed new source MACT floor for mixing silica-containing compounds.
For additional information see the memorandum, Maximum Achievable
Control Technology (MACT) Analysis for the Rubber Processing
Subcategory in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing Industry, available in the
docket for this action.
The proposed new and existing source THC MACT floor limits are
summarized in table 3.
Table 3--Proposed THC MACT Floor Limits for New and Existing Rubber
Processing Sources
------------------------------------------------------------------------
New source MACT Existing source
floor limit THC MACT floor limit
per rubber THC per rubber
Rubber compound type produced [primary produced [primary
THC instrument THC instrument
range, ppm] range, ppm]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Silica-Containing............... 2.1 g/Mg (4,200 lb/ 9.4 g/Mg (18,800
Mton) [0-100]. lb/Mton) [0-500].
[[Page 78703]]
Non-Silica-Containing........... 17.2 g/Mg (34,400 45.4 g/Mg (90,800
lb/Mton) [0-10]. lb/Mton) [0-50].
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A detailed description of the analysis of THC data, and the
controls necessary to reduce THC emissions, is included in the
document, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Analysis for the
Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing
Industry, available in the docket for this action.
3. Particulate Matter and Metal HAP
Based on responses to the CAA section 114 information request, the
EPA has fPM data from seven mixers and metal HAP data from five mixers.
The EPA had no reason to assume a difference in fPM and metal HAP
emissions based on the mixing of silica-containing or non-silica-
containing compounds, as silica is known to cause an increase in
organic emissions, which does not impact PM; thus, a single emission
standard was calculated for both classes of compounds. For each mixer,
the EPA calculated the 99 percent UPL for both fPM and the sum of the
metal HAP that were measured (antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium,
chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, phosphorus, and
selenium). As discussed in the beginning of section IV of this
preamble, for a source category of this size, the CAA requires the EPA
to determine the average emission limitation achieved by the best
performing 12 percent of the existing sources (for which the
Administrator has information) when establishing the MACT floor level
of control. There are an estimated 97 mixers in the source category,
and the MACT floor is calculated using data from the top performing 12
percent of mixers for which we have data. The EPA has fPM data from 7
mixers and metal HAP data for 5 mixers. The EPA calculated 12 percent
of 7 mixers (fPM) and 12 percent of 5 mixers (metal HAP) which results
in 0.84 and 0.6, respectively. When determining the best performing 12
percent of existing sources for the MACT floor pool, we round
fractional amounts to the next whole number to ensure that the MACT
floor calculations are based on no fewer than the best performing 12
percent of existing sources. In this instance, we rounded up to one
mixer for purposes of determining the existing source MACT floor for
fPM and metal HAP.
When setting new source MACT floors, the emission limit is achieved
in practice by the best controlled similar source. As a result, the
MACT floors for both new and existing sources are based on the best
performing existing source. Based on responses to the CAA section 114
information request, all mixers in this subcategory are controlled by a
fabric filter baghouse or similar control devices that control PM
emissions.
The EPA calculated the MACT floor for fPM as 3,410 lb/Mton rubber
produced (1.7 grams of fPM per megagram (g/Mg) of rubber produced) and
a total metal HAP emission rate of 74.1 lb/Mton rubber produced (0.037
g/Mg). The lowest fPM emission rate and the lowest metal HAP emission
rate were measured at the same mixer, and the fPM and metal HAP
emissions were measured simultaneously. Because the metal HAP are
emitted as fPM, the EPA is proposing to use fPM as a surrogate for
metal HAP and also an alternative emission limit for total metal HAP.
Data gathered from the CAA section 114 information request identified
that the primary control devices utilized for metal HAP emissions on
rubber tire mixers are fabric filter baghouses, and capture of fPM will
reliably indicate capture of metal HAP. It is also practical to use fPM
as a surrogate for metal HAP because the fPM emission limit accounts
for variability in individual metal HAP emission rates among different
batches of rubber compound being mixed.
The EPA is proposing to require facilities to measure fPM using EPA
Method 5 and the metal HAP will be measured using EPA Method 29.
Facilities may choose either the emission limit for fPM or the
alternative emission limit for total metal HAP to comply. We request
comment on our proposal to use fPM as a surrogate for metal HAP
emission limits at the MACT floor level and on our MACT floor
calculations.
All existing mixers in the subcategory are already controlled by
fabric filter baghouses to recover raw materials in the form of fPM and
recycle them back to the process and to minimize nuisance emissions.
The proposed emission limits for new and existing sources are based on
the use of a fabric filter baghouse. As part of our beyond-the-floor
analysis, we identify control options and techniques that have the
ability to achieve an emission limit more stringent than the MACT
floor. No control options or techniques were identified that would
achieve HAP reductions greater than the best performing mixer. Because
the proposed standards for new and existing sources are based on the
best performing mixer, which is already controlled by a fabric filter
baghouse, and no more effective controls than a fabric filter baghouse
for fPM or metal HAP are in use or were identified, we did not identify
any beyond-the-floor options to evaluate for either existing or new
mixers. We request comment on whether there are any beyond-the-floor
control options that the EPA should consider for controlling fPM
emissions from the rubber processing subcategory.
The rubber processing operations and resulting emissions, the stack
test data were used to calculate the fPM MACT floor limits based on the
99 percent UPL. Because the UPL value exceeds the 3xRDL value, the UPL
value was used to establish the MACT floor. The fPM MACT floor limits
were calculated based on concentration of fPM, in units of g/Mg (lb/
Mton) of rubber produced. The new and existing source fPM and metal HAP
MACT floor limits are summarized in table 4.
Table 4--Proposed FPM MACT Floor Limits and Total Metal HAP Alternative
for New and Existing Rubber Processing Sources
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Existing source
New source MACT MACT floor limit
Pollutant floor limit (g/Mg (g/Mg rubber
rubber produced) produced)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
fPM............................. 1.70 (3,400 lb/ 1.70 (3,400 lb/
Mton rubber Mton rubber
produced). produced).
[[Page 78704]]
Alternative: Total Metal HAP.... 0.037 (74 lb/Mton 0.037 (74 lb/Mton
rubber produced). rubber produced).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A detailed description of the analysis of fPM and metal HAP, and
the control devices to reduce fPM and metal HAP emissions, is included
in the memorandum, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
Analysis for the Rubber Processing Subcategory in the Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Industry,'' available in the docket for this action
(Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392).
B. What performance testing, monitoring, and recordkeeping and
reporting are we proposing?
1. Performance Testing
We are proposing, based on the new and existing source limits for
rubber processing, that new sources demonstrate initial compliance
within 180 days after startup, and existing sources demonstrate initial
compliance within 3 years after the promulgation of the final rule. We
are proposing that the initial performance tests to demonstrate
compliance with the MACT standards of tables 3 and 4 of this preamble
are conducted using the methods identified in table 5. Subsequent
performance testing will be required every 5 years, using the methods
identified in table 5.
Table 5--Summary of Proposed Test Methods
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA
Pollutant or parameter method
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Velocity/Volumetric Flow Rate................................ 1 and 2
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide.................................... 3B
Moisture..................................................... 4
PM........................................................... 5
Metal HAP.................................................... 29
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additionally, consistent with the existing performance testing
requirements of the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP (40 CFR 63.5992),
owners or operators must operate and maintain their dual range THC
continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) in accordance with
Performance Specification (PS) 8A and 40 CFR part 60, appendix F,
procedure 2. Note that as an alternative to using a dual range THC
CEMS, owners or operators may choose to use more than one THC CEMS.
2. Parameter Monitoring
Under this proposal, sources would be required to maintain
continuous compliance with the emission limits, which, for fPM or
metals, would be demonstrated through control device parameter
monitoring coupled with periodic emissions testing described earlier in
this preamble, and, for THC, via use of THC CEMS.
We are proposing to amend the parametric monitoring currently
specified in the rule to add table 16 to the NESHAP to include
parameter monitoring requirements for fPM control devices that we
expect would be used to comply with the standards for fPM from rubber
processing, as surrogates for metal HAP. Proposed additional
requirements include the following:
For fPM controls, continuously operate a baghouse leak detection
system (BLDS). We propose that owners or operators would install,
operate, and maintain BLDS such that, among other things:
concentrations of 1.0 milligram per dry standard cubic meter can be
detected; sensors can provide output of relative fPM loadings; the BLDS
has alarm systems that indicate when an increase in relative loading
occurs; and the BLDS is installed an operated consistent with the
guidance provided in ``Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
(OAQPS) Fabric Filter Bag Leak Detection Guidance'' (see EPA-454/R-98-
015). These requirements are consistent with those for a BLDS in our
Mineral Wool Production and Ferroalloys Production MACT standards.
3. Recordkeeping and Reporting
Under this proposal, and consistent with existing requirements in
the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP, a source owner or operator will
be required to submit semiannual compliance summary reports
electronically; these reports document both compliance with the
requirements of the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP and any deviations
from compliance with any of those requirements.
Owners and operators would be required to maintain the records
specified by 40 CFR 63.10 and, in addition, would be required to
maintain records of all inspection and monitoring data, in accordance
with the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP (40 CFR 63.6011).
C. What other actions are we proposing?
We are proposing to update the electronic reporting requirements
found in 40 CFR 63.6009(k) and in 40 CFR 63.6010(g) and (h) to reflect
new procedures for reporting CBI. The update provides an email address
to which source owners and operators can electronically mail CBI to the
OAQPS CBI Office when submitting compliance reports.
D. What compliance dates are we proposing, and what is the rationale
for the proposed compliance dates?
Amendments to the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP proposed in this
rulemaking for adoption under CAA section 112(d)(2) and (3) are subject
to the compliance deadlines outlined in the CAA under section 112(i).
For existing sources, CAA section 112(i)(3) provides that there shall
be compliance ``as expeditiously as practicable, but in no event later
than 3 years after the effective date of such standard'' subject to
certain exemptions further detailed in the statute.\4\ In determining
what compliance period is as ``expeditious as practicable,'' we
consider the amount of time needed to plan and construct projects and
change operating procedures. As provided in CAA section 112(i), all new
affected sources would comply with these provisions by the effective
date of the final amendments to the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP or
upon startup, whichever is later.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Association of Battery Recyclers v. EPA, 716 F.3d 667, 672
(D.C. Cir. 2013) (``Section 112(i)(3)'s 3-year maximum compliance
period applies generally to any emission standard . . . promulgated
under [section 112]'' (brackets in original)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EPA projects that many existing sources would need to install
add-on controls to comply with the proposed emission limits, including
new RTOs and new or upgraded fabric filter baghouses. These sources
would require time to construct, conduct performance testing, and
implement monitoring to comply with the revised provisions.
[[Page 78705]]
Sources would also be required to install THC CEMS and conduct
performance testing. Therefore, we are proposing to allow 3 years for
existing sources to comply with the new emission standards.
All affected facilities would have to continue to meet the current
provisions of 40 CFR part 63, subpart XXXX, until the applicable
compliance date of the amended rule. The final action is not a ``major
rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2), so the effective date of the
final rule will be the promulgation date as specified in CAA section
112(d)(10).
For all affected sources that commence construction or
reconstruction on or before November 16, 2023, we are proposing that it
is necessary to provide 3 years after the effective date of the final
rule (or upon startup, whichever is later) for owners and operators to
comply with the provisions of this action. For all affected sources
that commence construction or reconstruction after November 16, 2023,
we are proposing that owners and operators comply with the provisions
by the effective date of the final rule (or upon startup, whichever is
later).
We solicit comment on these proposed compliance periods, and we
specifically request submission of information from sources in this
source category regarding specific actions that would need to be
undertaken to comply with the proposed amended provisions and the time
needed to make the adjustments for compliance with any of the revised
provisions. We note that information provided may result in changes to
the proposed compliance dates.
V. Summary of Cost, Environmental, and Economic Impacts
A. What are the affected sources?
As listed in CFR 63.5982 (b)(4), the rubber processing affected
source is the collection of all rubber mixing processes (e.g., banburys
and associated drop mills) that either mix compounds or warm a rubber
compound before the compound is processed into components of rubber
tires. The mixed rubber compound itself is also included in the rubber
processing affected source. Among the 15 major sources that are subject
to the NESHAP, 12 facilities perform rubber processing, while 3
facilities do not perform rubber processing and use rubber that is
processed at other facilities. One rubber tire major source is now
closed but has a currently active title V permit.
B. What are the air quality impacts?
This action proposes first-time MACT floor emission standards for
THC (as a surrogate for organic HAP), metal HAP, and fPM from rubber
processing. These first-time MACT floor emission standards will limit
HAP emissions and require, in some cases, the installation of
additional controls at rubber tire manufacturing plants that are major
sources of HAP. We estimate that the rubber tire manufacturing industry
will comply with the proposed standards for THC, metal HAP, and fPM
through the installation and operation of control devices.
For THC, we estimate that the installation of RTOs or similar
control devices will achieve annual reductions of THC of 909.6 Mg (996
tons) across the source category.
For fPM and metal HAP, we estimate that the replacement or upgrade
of fabric filter baghouses will achieve annual reductions of fPM of
7.92 Mg (8.72 tons) or 0.14 Mg (318 pounds) of metal HAP across the
source category.
Indirect or secondary air emissions impacts are impacts that would
result from the increased energy usage associated with the operation of
control devices (e.g., increased secondary emissions of criteria
pollutants from power plants). Energy impacts are due to use of natural
gas needed to operate control devices and other equipment. We propose
to conclude that the secondary impacts of this action are minimal,
resulting from the operation of the control device, and would comprise
CO2 and fugitive methane (CH4) emissions from the
combustion of the natural gas required to maintain an RTO.
C. What are the cost impacts?
This action proposes MACT floor emission limits for new and
existing sources in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category,
specifically the rubber processing subcategory. Although the action
contains proposed requirements for new sources, we are not aware of any
new sources being constructed now or planned in the next 3 years, and,
consequently, we did not estimate any cost impacts for new sources. We
estimate the total annualized cost of the proposed rule to existing
sources in the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category to be $20.8
million per year. The costs are a combination of the annualized capital
and annual operating costs for installing and operating RTOs or similar
control devices to control THC and organic HAP; baghouses and
associated BLDSs to control PM and metal HAP; and THC CEMS to monitor
THC emissions. The capital and annual costs are summarized in table 6.
Table 6--Summary of Capital and Annual Costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized
Total capital equipment and
Cost element investments operation and
(million) maintenance costs
(million)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RTOs (23 new)..................... $71.9 $12.7
Baghouses (39 new and 29 upgraded) 13.7 1.8
THC CEMS (97 new)................. 14.0 4.2
BLDS and PM Testing............... 2.2 1.4
Recordkeeping and Reporting Costs. ................. 0.7
-------------------------------------
Totals........................ 101.8 20.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The estimated annual costs are based on operation and maintenance
of the added control systems. A memorandum titled Rubber Processing
Control Costs, Emission Reductions, And Cost Effectiveness, includes
details of our cost assessment and is included in the docket for this
action (Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392).
[[Page 78706]]
D. What are the economic impacts?
The EPA conducted economic impact analyses for the proposed rule,
as detailed in the memorandum, Economic Impact and Small Business
Analysis for the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing Amendments, Proposal, which is
available in the docket for this action (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-
0392). The economic impacts of the proposed rule are calculated as the
percentage of total annualized costs incurred by affected ultimate
parent owners to their revenues. This ratio provides a measure of the
direct economic impact to ultimate parent owners of facilities while
presuming no impact on consumers. We estimate that none of the ultimate
parent owners affected by this proposed rule will incur total
annualized costs of 1 percent or greater of their revenues. Thus, these
economic impacts are low for affected companies and the industry
impacted by the proposed rule, and there will not be substantial
impacts on the markets for affected products. The costs of the proposed
rule are not expected to result in a significant market impact,
regardless of whether they are passed on to the purchaser or absorbed
by the firms.
E. What are the benefits?
The benefits of this rule include any benefits relating to the
reduction of emissions of HAP or surrogates of HAP. Reduction of
emissions of PM2.5 will result in associated reduction in
PM2.5-related mortality and morbidity. Ecosystem effects
related to deposition of sulfur will also be avoided.
F. What analysis of environmental justice did we conduct?
The EPA defines environmental justice as ``the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income, with respect to the development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and
policies.'' \5\ The EPA further defines fair treatment to mean that
``no group of people should bear a disproportionate burden of
environmental harms and risks, including those resulting from the
negative environmental consequences of industrial, governmental, and
commercial operations or programs and policies.'' In recognizing that
communities with environmental justice concerns often bear an unequal
burden of environmental harms and risks, the EPA continues to consider
ways of protecting them from adverse public health and environmental
effects of air pollution. For purposes of analyzing regulatory impacts,
the EPA relies upon its June 2016 Technical Guidance for Assessing
Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis,\6\ which provides
recommendations that encourage analysts to conduct the highest quality
analysis feasible, recognizing that data limitations, time, resource
constraints, and analytical challenges will vary by media and
circumstance. The technical guidance states that a regulatory action
may involve potential environmental justice concerns if it could: (1)
Create new disproportionate impacts on minority populations, low-income
populations, and/or Indigenous peoples; (2) exacerbate existing
disproportionate impacts on minority populations, low-income
populations, and/or Indigenous peoples; or (3) present opportunity to
address existing disproportionate impacts on minority populations, low-
income populations, and/or Indigenous peoples through this action under
development.
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\5\ https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice.
\6\ See https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/technical-guidance-assessing-environmental-justice-regulatory-analysis.
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The demographic analysis was conducted for the 2020 RTR. There are
no known changes that would increase demographic risk, thus the EPA
relied on the 2020 demographic analysis for this rulemaking. The
methodology and the results of the demographic analysis are presented
in a technical report, Risk and Technology Review--Analysis of
Demographic Factors for Populations Living Near Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Source Category Operations, made available in the 2020
action; see Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392.
In the 2020 RTR, the EPA examined the potential for the 21 source
category facilities to pose concerns to communities living in proximity
to facilities. Specifically, the EPA analyzed how demographics and risk
are distributed pre-control, enabling us to address the core questions
that are posed in the EPA's 2016 Technical Guidance for Assessing
Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis.
To examine the potential for environmental justice concerns, the
EPA conducted a baseline proximity analysis and baseline risk-based
analysis (i.e., before implementation of any controls proposed by this
action). The baseline proximity demographic analysis is an assessment
of individual demographic groups in the total population living within
5 kilometers (km) (approximately 3.1 miles) and 50 km (approximately 31
miles) of the facilities. The baseline risk-based demographic analysis
is an assessment of risks to individual demographic groups in the
population living within 5 km and 50 km of the facilities prior to the
implementation of any controls proposed by this action. The results of
the proximity analysis for populations living within 50 km are included
in the document titled Analysis of Demographic Factors for Populations
Living Near Rubber Tire Manufacturing Source Category Operations, which
is available in the docket for this action.
Under the risk-based demographic analysis, the total population,
population percentages, and population count for each demographic group
for the entire U.S. population are shown in the column titled
``Nationwide Average for Reference'' in table 7 of this document. These
national data are provided as a frame of reference to compare the
results of the proximity analysis and the baseline risk-based analysis.
The results of the proximity analysis indicate that a total of
approximately 516,000 people live within 5 km of the 21 Rubber Tire
Manufacturing facilities. The percent of the population that is African
American (24 percent) is double the national average (12 percent). The
percent of people living below the poverty level and the percent of
people over the age of 25 without a high school diploma are higher than
the national averages. The results of the baseline proximity analysis
indicate that the proportion of other demographic groups living within
5 km of Rubber Tire Manufacturing facilities is similar to or below the
national average. The baseline risk-based demographic analysis, which
focuses on populations that have higher cancer risks, suggests that
African Americans and people living below the poverty level are
overrepresented at all cancer risk levels greater than 1-in-1 million.
At all risk levels, in most cases, populations living around facilities
where the percentage of the population below the poverty level is 1.5
to 2 times the national average also are above the national average for
African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino, or Other/
Multiracial.
a. Baseline Proximity Analysis
The column titled ``Baseline Proximity Analysis for Pop. Living
within 5 km of Rubber Tire Manufacturing Facilities'' in table 7 of
this preamble shows the share and count of people for each of the
demographic categories for the total population living within 5 km
(approximately 3.1 miles) of Rubber Tire Manufacturing facilities.
These are the
[[Page 78707]]
results of the baseline proximity analysis.
Approximately 516,000 people live within 5 km of the 21 Rubber Tire
Manufacturing facilities assessed. The results of the proximity
demographic analysis indicate that the percent of the population that
is African American (24 percent, 124,000 people) is double the national
average (12 percent). The percent of the people living below the
poverty level (21 percent, 108,000 people) and percent of people over
the age of 25 without a high school diploma (16 percent, 83,000 people)
are higher than the national averages (14 percent and 14 percent,
respectively). The baseline proximity analysis indicates that the
proportion of other demographic groups living within 10 km of Rubber
Tire Manufacturing facilities is similar to or below the national
average.
b. Baseline Risk-Based Demographics
The baseline risk-based demographic analysis results are shown in
the furthest right column of table 7 of this preamble. This analysis
focused on the populations living within 5 km (approximately 3.1 miles)
of the Rubber Tire Manufacturing facilities with estimated cancer risks
greater than or equal to 1-in-1 million resulting from source category
emissions (table 7 of this preamble). The risk analysis indicated that
emissions from the source category, prior to the controls we are
proposing, expose approximately 4,500 people living near 21 facilities
to a cancer risk at or above 1-in-1 million and expose no people to a
chronic noncancer target organ-specific hazard index (TOSHI) greater
than 1.
In baseline, there are 4,500 people living around 21 Rubber Tire
Manufacturing facilities with a cancer risk greater than or equal to 1-
in-1- million resulting from Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category
emissions. The percent of the baseline population with estimated cancer
risks great than or equal to 1-in-1 million who are African American
(25 percent, 1,000 people) is more than 2 times the average percentage
of the national population that is African American (12 percent). The
percent of the population with cancer risks greater than or equal to 1-
in-1 million resulting from Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category
emissions prior to the proposed controls that is Below the Poverty
Level (21 percent, 1,000 people) is similar to that in the baseline
proximity analysis (21 percent, 108,000 people).
Table 7--Source Category: Comparison of Baseline Demographics of Populations With Cancer Risk Greater Than or
Equal to 1-in-1 Million Resulting From Rubber Tire Manufacturing Source Category Emissions Living Within 5 km of
Facilities to the National Average and Proximity Demographics
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseline proximity
analysis for pop. Cancer risk >=1-in-1
Nationwide average for living within 5 km of million within 5 km of
Demographic group reference (million or rubber tire rubber tire
``M'') manufacturing manufacturing
facilities (thousand or facilities
``K'') (``baseline'')
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Population..................... 328 M.................. 515,800................ 4,524.
Race and Ethnicity by Percent:
White............................ 60 percent [197M]...... 63 percent [325K]...... 66 percent [3K].
Minority......................... 40 percent [131M]...... 37 percent [191K]...... 34 percent [2K].
Race and Ethnicity by Percent:
African American................. 12 percent [40M]....... 24 percent [124K]...... 25 percent [1K].
Native American.................. 0.7 percent [2M]....... 0.7 percent [4K]....... 0 percent [0].
Hispanic or Latino (includes 19 percent [62M]....... 5 percent [26K]........ 3 percent [100].
white and nonwhite).
Other and Multiracial............ 8 percent [27M]........ 8 percent [41K]........ 6 percent [300].
Income by Percent:
Below Poverty Level.............. 13 percent [44M]....... 21 percent [108K]...... 21 percent [1K].
Above Poverty Level.............. 87 percent [284M]...... 79 percent [407K]...... 79 percent [4K].
Education by Percent:
Over 25 and without a High School 12 percent [40M]....... 16 percent [83K]....... 12 percent [500].
Diploma.
Over 25 and with a High School 88 percent [288M]...... 84 percent [433K]...... 88 percent [4K].
Diploma.
Linguistically Isolated by Percent:
Linguistically Isolated.......... 5 percent [18M]........ 2 percent [10K]........ 1 percent [50].
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: Nationwide population and demographic percentages are based on Census's 2015-2019 American Community
Survey (ACS) 5-year block group averages. Total population count within 10 km is based on 2010 Decennial
Census block population.
G. What analysis of children's environmental health did we conduct?
In the July 24, 2020, final Rubber Tire Manufacturing RTR rule (85
FR 44752), the EPA conducted a residual risk assessment and determined
that risk from the Rubber Tire Manufacturing source category was
acceptable, and the standards provided an ample margin of safety to
protect public health (see Docket Item No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392-0013).
There are no known changes that would increase risk, thus the EPA
relied on the 2020 demographic analysis for this rulemaking. In
addition, this action proposes first-time emissions standards for THC
and filterable PM & metal HAP) for the rubber processing subcategory,
which will further reduce emissions. Specifically, we estimate that the
new emission limits will reduce THC and filterable PM emissions by 996
tpy and 8.72 tpy, respectively.
This action's health and risk assessments are protective of the
most vulnerable populations, including children, due to how we
determine exposure and through the health benchmarks that we use.
Specifically, the risk assessments we perform assume a lifetime of
exposure, in which populations are conservatively presumed to be
exposed to airborne concentrations at their residence continuously, 24
hours per day for a 70-year lifetime, including childhood. With regards
to children's potentially greater susceptibility to noncancer
toxicants, the assessments rely on the EPA's (or comparable) hazard
identification and dose-response values that have been
[[Page 78708]]
developed to be protective for all subgroups of the general population,
including children.
VI. Request for Comments
We solicit comments on this proposed action. In addition to general
comments on this proposed action, we are interested in additional data
that may improve the analyses. We are specifically interested in
receiving any information regarding developments in practices,
processes, and control technologies that reduce HAP emissions for the
rubber processing sub-category within the Rubber Tire Manufacturing
source category.
VII. Submitting Data Corrections
The site-specific emissions data used in setting MACT standards for
THC and fPM/Metal HAP as emitted from the Rubber Tire Manufacturing
source category are available at https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/rubber-tire-manufacturing-national-emission-standards-hazardous.
If you believe that the data are not representative or are
inaccurate, please identify the data in question, provide your reason
for concern, and provide any ``improved'' data that you have, if
available. When you submit data, we request that you provide
documentation of the basis for the revised values to support your
suggested changes. Your data should be prepared using our Electronic
Reporting Tool (ERT), whose instructions are available at the internet
address https://www.epa.gov/electronic-reporting-air-emissions/electronic-reporting-tool-ert, and your ERT files should be submitted
to our Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI). Be
sure to include a complete copy of the relevant test reports as a
portable document format (PDF) file as an attachment to your ERT file.
For information on how to submit comments, including the submittal
of data corrections, refer to the instructions provided in the
introduction of this preamble.
VIII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Additional information about these statutes and Executive Orders
can be found at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/laws-and-executive-orders.
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
This action is not a significant regulatory action as defined in
Executive Order 12866, as amended by Executive Order 14094, and was
therefore not subject to a requirement for Executive Order 12866
review.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
The information collection activities in this proposed rule have
been submitted for approval to OMB under the PRA. The Information
Collection Request (ICR) document that the EPA prepared has been
assigned EPA ICR number 1982.06. You can find a copy of the ICR in the
docket for this rule, and it is briefly summarized here.
We are proposing changes to the reporting and recordkeeping
requirements for the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP by incorporating
the reporting and recordkeeping requirements associated with the new
and existing source MACT standards proposed for the rubber processing
subcategory source.
Respondents: Rubber tire manufacturing facilities conducting rubber
processing operations.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR part 63,
subpart XXXX).
Estimated number of respondents: 12.
Frequency of response: Initially, semiannually, annually.
Estimated Annual burden: The average annual burden to industry over
the next 3 years from the proposed recordkeeping and reporting
requirements is estimated to be 2,121 hours per year. Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
Estimated Annual cost: The annual recordkeeping and reporting costs
for all facilities to comply with all of the requirements in the NESHAP
is estimated to be $2.13 million per year. This includes labor costs of
$258,000 per year and non-labor capital and O&M costs of $1.87 million
per year for monitoring systems for the proposed rubber processing
amendments when they are fully implemented.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for the
EPA's regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9. Submit your
comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the
provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing
respondent burden to the EPA using the docket identified at the
beginning of this rule. The EPA will respond to any ICR-related
comments in the final rule. You may also send your ICR-related comments
to OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs using the
interface at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. OMB
must receive comments no later than December 18, 2023.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
I certify that this action will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities under the RFA. This
action will not impose any requirements on small entities. The Agency
has determined that none of the four ultimate parent companies owning
the potentially affected facilities are small entities, as defined by
the U.S. Small Business Administration. Details of this analysis are
presented in ``Economic Impact and Small Business Analysis for the
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Amendments, Proposal,'' which is located in the docket
for this action (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2019-0392).
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
This action does not contain an unfunded mandate of $100 million or
more as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1531-
1538, and does not significantly or uniquely affect small governments.
The action imposes no enforceable duty on any State, local, or Tribal
governments or the private sector.
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism implications. It will not have
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian
Tribal Governments
This action does not have Tribal implications as specified in
Executive Order 13175. The EPA does not know of any rubber tire
manufacturing facilities owned or operated by Indian Tribal
governments. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not apply to this action.
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks
Executive Order 13045 directs Federal agencies to include an
evaluation of the health and safety effects of the planned regulation
on children in Federal health and safety standards and explain why
[[Page 78709]]
the regulation is preferable to potentially effective and reasonably
feasible alternatives. This action is not subject to Executive Order
13045 because it is not a significant regulatory action under section
3(f)(1) of Executive Order 12866, and because the EPA does not believe
the environmental health or safety risks addressed by this action
present a disproportionate risk to children. This action proposes
emission standards for a currently unregulated emission source;
therefore, the rule should result in health benefits to children by
reducing the level of HAP emissions emitted from the rubber tire
manufacturing process.
However, EPA's Policy on Children's Health applies to this action.
Information on how the Policy was applied is available under
``Children's Environmental Health'' in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this preamble.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive Order 13211, because it is
not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)
This action involves technical standards. Therefore, the EPA
conducted searches for the Rubber Tire Manufacturing NESHAP through the
Enhanced National Standards Systems Network Database managed by the
American National Standards Institute. We also conducted a review of
voluntary consensus standards (VCS) organizations and accessed and
searched their databases. We conducted searches for EPA Methods 5, 25A,
29, SW-846, M0010, SW-846 M3542, SW-846, M8270E, M204, PS 8A, and QA
Procedure 2. During the EPA's VCS search, if the title or abstract (if
provided) of the VCS described technical sampling and analytical
procedures that are similar to that of the EPA's referenced method, the
EPA ordered a copy of the standard and reviewed it as a potential
equivalent method. We reviewed all potential standards to determine the
practicality of the VCS for this rule. This review requires significant
method validation data that meet the requirements of EPA Method 301 for
accepting alternative methods or scientific, engineering, and policy
equivalence to procedures in the EPA referenced methods. The EPA may
reconsider determinations of impracticality when additional information
is available for any particular VCS.
Two voluntary consensus standards were identified as acceptable
alternatives to EPA test methods for the purposes of this rule. The
voluntary consensus standard ANSI/ASME PTC 19-10-1981--Part 10 (2010),
``Flue and Exhaust Gas Analyses,'' is an acceptable alternative to EPA
Method 3B (the manual portion only and not the instrumental portion).
The voluntary consensus standard ASTM D6784-16--Standard Test
Method for Elemental, Oxidized, Particle-Bound and Total Mercury Gas
Generated from Coal-Fired Stationary Sources (Ontario Hydro Method)
D6784-16 was reapproved in 2016 to include better quality control than
earlier 2008 version. It is an acceptable alternative to EPA Methods
101A and Method 29 (portion for particulate mercury only) as a method
for measuring mercury. [Note: this acceptability applies to
concentrations between approximately 0.5 and 100 [mu]g/Nm\3\].
The EPA proposes to incorporate by reference the VCS ANSI/ASME PTC
19.10-1981- Part 10 (2010), ``Flue and Exhaust Gas Analyses.'' The
manual procedures (but not instrumental procedures) of VCS ANSI/ASME
PTC 19.10-1981--Part 10 may be used as an alternative to EPA Method 3B
for measuring the oxygen or carbon dioxide content of the exhaust gas.
This standard is acceptable as an alternative to EPA Method 3B and is
available from ASME at http://www.asme.org; by mail at Three Park
Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990; or by telephone at (800) 843-2763.
This method determines quantitatively the gaseous constituents of
exhausts resulting from stationary combustion sources. The gases
covered in ANSI/ASME PTC 19.10-1981 are oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, nitric oxide,
nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrocarbons; however, the use
in this rule is only applicable to oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The EPA proposes to incorporate by reference the VCS ASTM D6784-16,
``Standard Test Method for Elemental, Oxidized, Particle-Bound and
Total Mercury Gas Generated from Coal-Fired Stationary Sources (Ontario
Hydro Method)'' as an acceptable alternative to EPA Method 29
(particulate portion for mercury only) as a method for measuring
mercury concentrations ranging from approximately 0.5 to 100 micrograms
per normal cubic meter. This test method describes equipment and
procedures for obtaining samples from effluent ducts and stacks,
equipment and procedures for laboratory analysis, and procedures for
calculating results. VCS ASTM D6784-16 allows for additional
flexibility in the sampling and analytical procedures for the earlier
version of the same standard VCS ASTM D6784-02 (Reapproved 2008).
Detailed information on the VCS search and determination can be
found in the memorandum, Voluntary Consensus Standard Results for
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire
Manufacturing Amendments, which is available in the docket for this
action (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0329). The 2 VCS may be obtained
from https://www.astm.org or from the ASTM Headquarters at 100 Barr
Harbor Drive, P.O. Box C700, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428-
2959.
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations and
Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing our Nation's Commitment to
Environmental Justice for All
The EPA believes that the human health or environmental conditions
that exist prior to this action do not result in disproportionate and
adverse human health or environmental effects on communities with
environmental justice concerns.
The EPA additionally identified and addressed environmental justice
concerns in the demographic analysis conducted for the 2020 RTR. There
are no known changes that would increase demographic risk, thus the EPA
relied on the 2020 demographic analysis for this rulemaking. The
methodology and the results of the demographic analysis are presented
in section V.F. of this preamble, as well as in the technical report,
Risk and Technology Review--Analysis of Demographic Factors for
Populations Living Near Rubber Tire Manufacturing Source Category
Operations, made available in the 2020 action; see Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OAR-2019-0392.
The EPA believes that this action is likely to reduce existing
adverse effects on communities with environmental justice concerns. The
EPA is proposing MACT standards for THC as a surrogate for organic HAP
and PM as a surrogate for metal HAP. EPA expects that facilities may
have to implement control measures to reduce emissions to comply with
the MACT standards and that HAP exposures for the communities with
environmental justice concerns living near these facilities would
decrease.
[[Page 78710]]
The EPA will additionally identify and address environmental
justice concerns by conducting outreach after signature of this
proposed rule. The EPA will reach out to tribes through a monthly
policy call and with consultation letters. The EPA will address this
rule during the monthly Environmental Justice call for communities
burdened by disproportionate environmental impacts. The information
supporting this Executive Order review is contained in section V.F of
this preamble.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 63
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Hazardous
substances, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Michael S. Regan,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-25276 Filed 11-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P