National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating); National Emission Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations, 72050-72075 [2011-29457]
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72050
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 224 / Monday, November 21, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
40 CFR Part 63
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2010–0786; FRL–9491–4]
RIN 2060–AQ42
National Emission Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions for
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating); National Emission Standards
for Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
This action finalizes the
residual risk and technology review
conducted for two industrial source
categories regulated by separate national
emission standards for hazardous air
pollutants. The two national emission
standards for hazardous air pollutants
are: National Emissions Standards for
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) and National Emissions
Standards for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations. This action
also finalizes revisions to the regulatory
provisions related to emissions during
periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction.
SUMMARY:
This final action is effective on
November 21, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
Number EPA–HQ–OAR–2010–0786. All
documents in the docket are listed on
the https://www.regulations.gov Web
site. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available,
e.g., confidential business information
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
is not placed on the Internet, and will
be publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either
electronically through https://
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the EPA Docket Center, EPA West
Building, Room Number 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington,
DC. The Public Reading Room hours of
operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday. The telephone number
for the Public Reading Room is (202)
566–1744 and the telephone number for
the Air and Radiation Docket and
Information Center is (202) 566–1742.
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DATES:
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For
questions about this final action
regarding the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP), contact Mr.
Nicholas Swanson, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards, Sector Policies
and Programs Division, Natural
Resources Group (E143–03), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;
telephone number: (919) 541–4080; fax
number: (919) 685–3219; and email
address: swanson.nicholas@epa.gov. For
questions about this final action
regarding the Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair (Surface Coating) NESHAP,
contact Ms. Tina Ndoh, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Sector
Policies and Programs Division,
Minerals and Manufacturing Group
(E243–04), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27711; telephone number:
(919) 541–2750; fax number: (919) 685–
5450; and email address:
ndoh.tina@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For
specific information regarding the
modeling methodology, contact Mr.
James Hirtz, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards, Health and
Environmental Impacts Division, Air
Toxics Assessment Group (C539–02),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;
telephone number: (919) 541–0881; fax
number: (919) 541–0840; and email
address: hirtz.james@epa.gov. For
information about the applicability of
these two NESHAP to a particular
entity, contact Dr. Rafael Sanchez,
Office of Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Washington, DC
20460; telephone number: (202) 564–
7028; fax number: (202) 564–0050; and
email address: sanchez.rafael@epa.gov.
Background Information Document.
On December 21, 2010 (75 FR 80220),
the EPA proposed revisions to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP and the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
NESHAP, which were evaluated in our
residual risk and technology review
(RTR). A summary of the public
comments on the proposal and the
EPA’s responses to the comments is
available in Docket ID Number EPA–
HQ–OAR–2010–0786.
Organization of this Document. The
following outline is provided to aid in
locating information in the preamble.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
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I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. Where can I get a copy of this
document?
C. Judicial Review
II. Background
III. Summary of the Final Rules
A. What are the final rule amendments for
the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) source category?
B. What are the final rule amendments for
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations source category?
C. What are the requirements during
periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction?
D. What are the effective and compliance
dates of the standards?
IV. Summary of Significant Changes Since
Proposal
A. What changes did we make to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP since proposal?
B. What changes did we make to the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
NESHAP since proposal?
V. Summary of Significant Comments and
Responses
A. Comments for Both Shipbuilding and
Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) and Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations
B. Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations
C. Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating)
VI. Impacts of the Final Rules
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Orders 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
K. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
Regulated Entities. Categories and
entities potentially regulated by this
action include:
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NAICS 1 Code
NESHAP and source category
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) ....................................................................................................................
Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations .............................................................................................................................
1 North
336611.
3371, 3372, 3379.
American Industry Classification System.
This table is not intended to be
exhaustive, but rather provides a guide
for readers regarding entities likely to be
affected by the final action for the
source categories listed. To determine
whether your facility would be affected,
you should examine the applicability
criteria in the appropriate NESHAP. If
you have any questions regarding the
applicability of either of these NESHAP,
please contact the appropriate person
listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section.
B. Where can I get a copy of this
document?
In addition to being available in the
docket, an electronic copy of this final
action will also be available on the
World Wide Web (WWW) through the
Technology Transfer Network (TTN).
Following signature, a copy of the final
action will be posted on the TTN’s
policy and guidance page for newly
proposed and promulgated rules at the
following address: https://www.epa.gov/
ttn/atw/rrisk/rtrpg.html. The TTN
provides information and technology
exchange in various areas of air
pollution control.
Additionally, information on the
source category descriptions, detailed
emissions and other data that were used
as inputs to the risk assessments can be
found at this site.
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C. Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean
Air Act (CAA), judicial review of this
final action is available only by filing a
petition for review in the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit (the Court) by January
20, 2012. Under section 307(b)(2) of the
CAA, the requirements established by
these final rules may not be challenged
separately in any civil or criminal
proceedings brought by the EPA to
enforce the requirements.
Section 307(d)(7)(B) of the CAA
further provides that ‘‘[o]nly an
objection to a rule or procedure which
was raised with reasonable specificity
during the period for public comment
(including any public hearing) may be
raised during judicial review.’’ This
section also provides a mechanism for
us to convene a proceeding for
reconsideration, ‘‘[i]f the person raising
an objection can demonstrate to EPA
that it was impracticable to raise such
objection within [the period for public
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comment] or if the grounds for such
objection arose after the period for
public comment (but within the time
specified for judicial review) and if such
objection is of central relevance to the
outcome of the rule.’’ Any person
seeking to make such a demonstration to
us should submit a Petition for
Reconsideration to the Office of the
Administrator, U.S. EPA, Room 3000,
Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, with
a copy to both the person(s) listed in the
preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section and the Associate
General Counsel for the Air and
Radiation Law Office, Office of General
Counsel (Mail Code 2344A), U.S. EPA,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
II. Background
Section 112 of the CAA establishes a
two-stage regulatory process to address
emissions of hazardous air pollutants
(HAP) from stationary sources. In the
first stage, after the EPA has identified
categories of sources emitting one or
more of the HAP listed in section 112(b)
of the CAA, section 112(d) calls for us
to promulgate NESHAP for those
sources. ‘‘Major sources’’ are those that
emit, or have the potential to emit, any
single HAP at a rate of 10 tons per year
(tpy) or more, or 25 tpy or more of any
combination of HAP. For major sources,
these technology-based standards must
reflect the maximum degree of emission
reductions of HAP achievable (after
considering cost, energy requirements
and nonair quality health and
environmental impacts) and are
commonly referred to as maximum
achievable control technology (MACT)
standards.
For MACT standards, the statute
specifies certain minimum stringency
requirements, which are referred to as
floor requirements, and may not be
based on cost considerations. See CAA
section 112(d)(3). For new sources, the
MACT floor cannot be less stringent
than the emission control that is
achieved in practice by the best
controlled similar source. The MACT
standards for existing sources can be
less stringent than floors for new
sources, but they cannot be less
stringent than the average emission
limitation achieved by the bestperforming 12 percent of existing
sources in the category or subcategory
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(or the best-performing five sources for
categories or subcategories with fewer
than 30 sources). In developing MACT,
we must also consider control options
that are more stringent than the floor
under CAA section 112(d)(2). We may
establish standards more stringent than
the floor, based on the consideration of
the cost of achieving the emissions
reductions, any nonair quality health
and environmental impacts and energy
requirements. In promulgating MACT
standards, CAA section 112(d)(2) directs
us to consider the application of
measures, processes, methods, systems
or techniques that reduce the volume of
or eliminate HAP emissions through
process changes, substitution of
materials or other modifications;
enclose systems or processes to
eliminate emissions; collect, capture or
treat HAP when released from a process,
stack, storage or fugitive emissions
point; and/or are design, equipment,
work practice or operational standards.
In the second stage of the regulatory
process, we undertake two different
analyses, as required by the CAA.
Section 112(d)(6) of the CAA calls for us
to review the technology-based
standards and to revise them ‘‘as
necessary (taking into account
developments in practices, processes,
and control technologies)’’ no less
frequently than every 8 years. Within
8 years after promulgation of the
technology standards, CAA section
112(f) calls for us to evaluate the risk to
public health remaining after
application of the technology-based
standards and to revise the standards, if
necessary, to provide an ample margin
of safety to protect public health or to
prevent, taking into consideration costs,
energy, safety and other relevant factors,
an adverse environmental effect. In
doing so, the EPA may adopt standards
equal to existing MACT standards if the
EPA determines that the existing
standards are sufficiently protective.
National Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) v. EPA, 529 F.3d 1077, 1083
(DC Cir. 2008).
On December 21, 2010, the EPA
published a proposed rule in the
Federal Register for these two NESHAP
that took into consideration the residual
risk and technology review (RTR)
analyses. For these NESHAP—
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) and Wood Furniture
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Manufacturing Operations—this action
provides the EPA’s final determinations
and regulatory amendments pursuant to
the RTR provisions of CAA section 112.
For both NESHAP, we also are finalizing
revisions to requirements in each
NESHAP related to emissions during
periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction (SSM). This action also
addresses formaldehyde limits and the
use of conventional spray technology for
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP.
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III. Summary of the Final Rules
A. What are the final rule amendments
for the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) source category?
The NESHAP for Shipbuilding and
Ship Repair (Surface Coating) were
promulgated on December 15, 1995 (60
FR 64330), and codified at 40 CFR part
63, subpart II. The shipbuilding and
ship repair industry consists of
establishments that build, repair,
repaint, convert and alter ships which
are marine or fresh-water vessels used
for military or commercial operations.
The source category covered by this
MACT standard includes only the
shipbuilding and ship repair surface
coating operations that occur at facilities
that are major sources of HAP.
We are finalizing the Shipbuilding
and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) rule
as it was proposed, with no changes. For
the reasons provided in the proposed
rule and in the support documents in
the docket, we have determined that the
current MACT standards for
shipbuilding and ship repair (surface
coating) facilities reduce risk to an
acceptable level, provide an ample
margin of safety to protect public health
and prevent an adverse environmental
effect. We are, therefore, re-adopting the
existing MACT standards to satisfy
section 112(f) of the CAA. We have
determined that the developments in
technology would give minimal health
benefits and are not cost effective. The
costs of implementing developments in
practices, processes or control
technologies since promulgation of the
MACT standards are disproportionate to
the emission reduction that would be
achieved and, therefore, we are not
adopting additional technology
standards pursuant to CAA section
112(d)(6).
We are finalizing changes to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) MACT standards to eliminate
the SSM malfunction exemption. These
changes revise Table 1 in 40 CFR part
63, subpart II, to indicate that several
requirements of the 40 CFR part 63
General Provisions related to periods of
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SSM do not apply. We are adding
provisions to the Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair (Surface Coating) MACT
standards requiring sources to operate
in a manner that minimizes emissions,
removing the SSM plan requirement,
clarifying the required conditions for
performance tests and revising the SSMassociated recordkeeping and reporting
requirements to require reporting and
recordkeeping for periods of
malfunction. It is required that all
facilities comply with the NESHAP
during startup and shutdown. We are
also finalizing provisions, generally as
proposed, to provide an affirmative
defense against civil penalties for
potential violations of emission
standards caused by malfunctions, as
well as criteria for establishing the
affirmative defense.
These revisions to the Shipbuilding
and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)
MACT standards are not expected to
result in any emissions reduction or
economic impacts. We have determined
that facilities in this source category can
meet the applicable emissions standards
at all times. No changes in costs to
industry are predicted.
B. What are the final rule amendments
for the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations source category?
The NESHAP for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations were
promulgated on December 7, 1995 (60
FR 62930), and codified at 40 CFR part
63, subpart JJ. The Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations source
category consists of establishments that
produce a range of wood products,
including wood kitchen cabinets, wood
residential furniture, upholstered
residential and office furniture, wood
office furniture and fixtures, partitions,
shelving, lockers and other wood
furniture not included in one of the
categories listed above. The source
category covered by this MACT
standard includes only the wood
furniture manufacturing operations that
occur at facilities that are major sources
of HAP.
In the proposal for this rule making,
the EPA proposed a formaldehyde
emissions limit of 400 pounds per 12month period. As discussed in section
IV.B.1 below, the EPA received
comments concerning potential impacts
on facilities with high production
volume and determined that the
proposed limit would not be cost
effective for all facilities in the source
category. For this reason, the EPA is
finalizing two alternative compliance
options. Under the authority of section
112(d)(6) of the CAA, we are finalizing
a limit on formaldehyde emissions by
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limiting formaldehyde content in
coatings and contact coatings and
contact adhesives to 1 percent by
weight. As an alternative compliance
option, we are allowing facilities to
comply with a formaldehyde usage limit
of 400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period, as we originally proposed. Less
than 20 facilities are known to exceed
400 pounds per 12-month period based
on 2005 National Emissions Inventory
(NEI) data and communications with
wood furniture manufacturing
facilities.1 The phone calls indicated
that there were reductions in emissions
since the 2005 NEI and all but one of the
facilities contacted were below 400
pounds per 12-month period. This leads
us to conclude that most of the facilities
that exceeded 400 pounds of
formaldehyde per 12 month period
according to the 2005 NEI are now
below that level. We are aware of at
least one facility that has facilities with
high production volume that still
exceeds the 400 pound level. After
receiving updated information, we
concluded that the proposed 400
pounds formaldehyde per rolling 12month period usage limit was not cost
effective as a mandatory formaldehyde
limit for all facilities within the source
category. For this reason, the EPA is
adopting the 400 pound formaldehyde
limit as an alternative requirement to
the requirement to limit formaldehyde
content to 1 percent in coatings and
contact adhesives. The 400 pound limit
would not be cost effective for facilities
with high production volume because,
while they use low-formaldehyde
coatings, these facilities would still
exceed the 400 pounds per 12-month
period because of the quantity of
coatings and contact adhesives applied.
To further reduce formaldehyde
emissions, these facilities would require
the addition of costly control devices
and/or reconstruction of their spray line
system. For more information, see
Estimated Cost Impact for Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Industry To
Comply With Proposed Formaldehyde
Limit on Coating Operations Wood
Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated
August 4, 2011, in the docket for this
action. Such facilities can, however,
cost-effectively comply with a standard
1 The memo to the docket, Impacts of
Implementing a Limit on Formaldehyde Usage in
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
Source Category, dated October 19, 2010, shows
that there are 27 facilities that exceed 400 pounds
per year of formaldehyde emissions according to
2005 NEI data. Calls to industry showed that many
of these facilities have lowered their emissions of
formaldehyde significantly since 2005 as shown in
the memo Updated Formaldehyde Emissions from
Select Wood Furniture Manufacturers, dated August
3, 2011, in the docket for this action.
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that limits the formaldehyde content of
coatings and contact adhesives to 1
percent.2 While the formaldehyde
content of coating and contact adhesive
formulations have been reduced since
promulgation of the 1995 NESHAP, the
EPA has received information that some
facilities may still rely on formulations
that contain greater than 1 percent
formaldehyde.3 The EPA has
determined that some of these facilities
could not readily meet the 1 percent
formaldehyde limit and so is allowing,
as an alternative compliance option, the
originally proposed 400 pound
formaldehyde limit.
We are also finalizing, with one
modification, the proposed prohibition
on the use of conventional spray 4 guns
pursuant to CAA section 112(d)(6). As
explained in the proposed rule and
supporting documents in the docket, we
have determined that use of nonconventional spray guns results in lower
HAP emissions than use of conventional
spray guns. When spraying a piece of
wood furniture with a coating, there is
a prescribed amount of coating to be
applied to the wood surface. With the
higher spray efficiency associated with
non-conventional spray guns, less spray
is generally required to apply the
desired amount of coating so less
coating is used. This means that less
overspray will occur, creating fewer
emissions. Conventional spray guns are
now used infrequently in the wood
furniture manufacturing industry, and
the costs to use non-conventional spray
guns are approximately equal to
conventional spray guns. The EPA
estimates that the switch to nonconventional spray guns does not incur
a cost burden associated with decreased
product consumption and cost.5
Considering information received
during the comment period that some
facilities route conventional spray gun
overspray to control devices, we are
modifying the proposed prohibition on
the use of conventional spray guns to
2 The concentrations of formaldehyde received
from the known facility with high production
volume exceeds 400 pounds per 12-month period
is in the Estimated Cost Impact for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Industry To Comply With Proposed
Formaldehyde Limit on Coating Operations Wood
Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated August 4,
2011, in the docket for this action.
3 For more details, see Conversation with a
Representative of Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers
Association (KCMA) Regarding Add-On Control
Devices and High Formaldehyde Concentration in
Coatings, dated June 23, 2011, in the docket for this
action.
4 The definition of ‘‘conventional spray’’ can be
found in the 1995 Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP.
5 See Developments in Practices, Processes, and
Control Technologies, dated August 24, 2010 in the
docket for this action.
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retain an exception in the NESHAP to
allow the use of conventional spray
guns if emissions from the finishing
station are routed to a control device.
See 40 CFR 63.803(h)(4). The efficiency
of the control device, even when
coupled with the conventional spray
gun, reduces excess emissions better
than a change to high efficiency spray
technology. The EPA does not expect
facilities will incur the significant cost
of installing a control device for the sole
purpose of using conventional spray
guns. We expect the vast majority of
facilities to use non-conventional
applicators of wood furniture finishes,
with only a small number of facilities
choosing to use conventional spray guns
with a control device.
We are also finalizing changes to the
Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP to eliminate the
SSM exemption. These changes revise
Table 1 in 40 CFR part 63, subpart JJ, to
indicate that several requirements of the
40 CFR part 63 General Provisions
related to periods of SSM do not apply.
We are adding provisions to the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
MACT standards requiring sources to
operate in a manner that minimizes
emissions, removing the SSM plan
requirement, clarifying the required
conditions for performance tests and
revising the SSM-associated
recordkeeping and reporting
requirements to require reporting and
recordkeeping for periods of
malfunction. We are also adding
provisions to provide an affirmative
defense against civil penalties for
exceedances of emission standards
caused by malfunctions, as well as
criteria for establishing the affirmative
defense.
We are finalizing language to clarify
the applicability for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations to be
consistent with surface coating rules
issued after the promulgation of the
Wood Furniture MACT standards in
1995. These include the subparts for
Surface of Miscellaneous Metal Parts
and Products (MMMM), Surface Coating
of Plastic Parts and Products (PPPP),
Surface Coating of Wood Building
Products (QQQQ), and Surface Coating
of Metal Furniture (RRRR) of 40 CFR
part 63. Subparts MMMM, PPPP, QQQQ
and RRRR exempt surface coating
operations that are subject to other
subparts of 40 CFR part 63, such as the
Wood Furniture Operations MACT
standards. (See 40 CFR 63.3881(c)(6),
63.4481(c)(7), 63.4681(c)(2),
63.4881(c)(2)). Therefore, we are
finalizing amendments to the Wood
Furniture Operations MACT standards
to acknowledge that surface coating
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operations that are subject to subparts
MMMM, PPPP, QQQQ or RRRR of 40
CFR part 63 are not subject to the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
standards.
In this action, we are taking a step to
improve data accessibility. Owners and
operators demonstrating compliance
using the test methods cited in
§ 63.805(c), as an alternative to § 63.9(h),
are not required but may submit
electronic copies of required
performance test reports through the
Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT). The
ERT transmits the electronic report
through EPA’s Central Data Exchange
network for storage in the WebFIRE
database making submittal of data very
straightforward and easy. The WebFIRE
database was constructed to store
performance test data for use in
developing emission factors. A
description of the ERT can be found at
https://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ert/
ert_tool.html. A description of the
WebFIRE database is available at
https://cfpub.epa.gov/oarweb/
index.cfm?action=fire.main.
The ERT would allow for an
electronic review process rather than a
manual data assessment, making review
and evaluation of the source-provided
data and calculations easier and more
efficient. Finally, having data submitted
electronically, the EPA would be able to
develop improved emission factors,
make fewer information requests and
promulgate better regulations. These
revisions to the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations MACT
standards are not expected to result in
economic or quantifiable environmental
impacts. We have determined that
facilities in this source category can
meet the applicable emissions standards
at all times.
C. What are the requirements during
periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction?
The Court vacated portions of two
provisions in the EPA’s CAA section
112 regulations governing the emissions
of HAP during periods of SSM. Sierra
Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019 (D.C. Cir.
2008). Specifically, the Court vacated
the SSM exemption contained in
40 CFR 63.6(f)(1) and 40 CFR 63.6(h)(1),
that is part of a regulation, commonly
referred to as the ‘‘General Provisions
Rule,’’ that the EPA promulgated under
section 112 of the CAA. When
incorporated into CAA section 112(d)
regulations for specific source
categories, these two provisions exempt
sources from the requirement to comply
with the otherwise applicable CAA
section 112 emission standards during
periods of SSM.
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While the Court’s ruling in Sierra
Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019 (DC Cir.
2008), did not directly affect the two
NESHAP addressed here, the legality of
source category-specific SSM
provisions, such as those in both
NESHAP, are called into question based
on the reasoning in that decision.
Consistent with Sierra Club v. EPA,
we have eliminated the SSM
exemptions in these two NESHAP. We
have also revised Table 1 (the General
Provisions table) for subparts II and JJ in
several respects. For example, we have
eliminated the incorporation of the
General Provisions’ requirement that the
source develop an SSM plan. We have
also eliminated or revised certain
recordkeeping and reporting
requirements that related to the SSM
exemption. The EPA has attempted to
ensure that we have removed any
provisions that are inappropriate,
unnecessary or redundant in the
absence of the SSM exemption in the
regulatory language.
The EPA has not established different
standards for periods of startup and
shutdown for these NESHAP because
we believe compliance with the
standards is achievable during these
periods. For facilities that comply with
the NESHAP by using compliant
coatings and contact adhesives, there
are no startup or shutdown events that
would cause emissions that are different
than those that occur during normal
operations. For facilities that use control
devices, there is sufficient ability for the
control device to be started prior to the
spray lines being started and conversely
shutdown after the spray lines have
shutdown. In the example of a
regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO),
supplemental fuel can be provided
during startup and shutdown of the
spray lines to prevent noncompliance.
Thus, we are not aware of any technical
limitations such that emissions from
startup or shutdown cannot be
controlled by control devices to the
level achieved during normal
operations.
Periods of startup, normal operations
and shutdown are all predictable and
routine aspects of a source’s operations.
However, by contrast, malfunction is
defined as a ‘‘sudden, infrequent, and
not reasonably preventable failure of air
pollution control equipment, process
equipment, or a process to operate in a
normal or usual manner. * * *’’
(40 CFR 63.2). The EPA has determined
that CAA section 112 does not require
emissions that occur during periods of
malfunction to be factored into
development of CAA section 112
standards. Under section 112, emissions
standards for new sources must be no
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less stringent than the level ‘‘achieved’’
by the best controlled similar source,
and for existing sources, generally must
be no less stringent than the average
emission limitation ‘‘achieved’’ by the
best performing 12 percent of sources in
the category. There is nothing in section
112 that directs the agency to consider
malfunctions in determining the level
‘‘achieved’’ by the best performing or
best controlled sources when setting
emission standards. Moreover, while the
EPA accounts for variability in setting
emissions standards consistent with
section 112 case law, nothing in that
case law requires the agency to consider
malfunctions as part of that analysis.
Section 112 uses the concept of ‘‘best
controlled’’ and ‘‘best performing’’ unit
in defining the level of stringency that
section 112 performance standards must
meet. Applying the concept of ‘‘best
controlled’’ or ‘‘best performing’’ to a
unit that is malfunctioning presents
significant difficulties, as malfunctions
are sudden and unexpected events.
Further, accounting for malfunctions
would be difficult, if not impossible,
given the myriad different types of
malfunctions that can occur across all
sources in the category, and given the
difficulties associated with predicting or
accounting for the frequency, degree
and duration of various malfunctions
that might occur. As such, the
performance of units that are
malfunctioning is not ‘‘reasonably’’
foreseeable. See, e.g., Sierra Club v.
EPA, 167 F. 3d 658, 662 (D.C. Cir. 1999)
(The EPA typically has wide latitude in
determining the extent of data-gathering
necessary to solve a problem. We
generally defer to an agency’s decision
to proceed on the basis of imperfect
scientific information, rather than to
‘‘invest the resources to conduct the
perfect study’’). See also, Weyerhaeuser
v. Costle, 590 F.2d 1011, 1058 (D.C. Cir.
1978) (‘‘In the nature of things, no
general limit, individual permit, or even
any upset provision can anticipate all
upset situations. After a certain point,
the transgression of regulatory limits
caused by ‘uncontrollable acts of third
parties,’ such as strikes, sabotage,
operator intoxication or insanity, and a
variety of other eventualities, must be a
matter for the administrative exercise of
case-by-case enforcement discretion, not
for specification in advance by
regulation.’’). In addition, the goal of a
best controlled or best performing
source is to operate in such a way as to
avoid malfunctions of the source, and
accounting for malfunctions could lead
to standards that are significantly less
stringent than levels that are achieved
by a well-performing non-
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malfunctioning source. The EPA’s
approach to malfunctions is consistent
with section 112 and is a reasonable
interpretation of the statute.
In the event that a source fails to
comply with the applicable CAA section
112 standards as a result of a
malfunction event, the EPA would
determine an appropriate response
based on, among other things, the good
faith efforts of the source to minimize
emissions during malfunction periods,
including preventative and corrective
actions, as well as root cause analyses
to ascertain and rectify excess
emissions. The EPA would also
consider whether the source’s failure to
comply with the CAA section 112
standard was, in fact, ‘‘sudden,
infrequent, not reasonably preventable’’
and was not instead ‘‘caused in part by
poor maintenance or careless
operation.’’ 40 CFR 63.2 (definition of
malfunction).
Finally, the EPA recognizes that even
equipment that is properly designed and
maintained can sometimes fail, and that
such failure can sometimes cause an
exceedance of the relevant emission
standard. (See, e.g., State
Implementation Plans: Policy Regarding
Excessive Emissions During
Malfunctions, Startup, and Shutdown
(Sept. 20, 1999); Policy on Excess
Emissions During Startup, Shutdown,
Maintenance, and Malfunctions (Feb.
15, 1983)). The EPA is, therefore, adding
to the final rule an affirmative defense
to civil penalties for exceedances of
emission limits that are caused by
malfunctions. See 40 CFR 63.782
(Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating)) and 63.801 (Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations) (defining
‘‘affirmative defense’’ to mean, in the
context of an enforcement proceeding, a
response or defense put forward by a
defendant, regarding which the
defendant has the burden of proof, and
the merits of which are independently
and objectively evaluated in a judicial
or administrative proceeding). We also
have added other regulatory provisions
to specify the elements that are
necessary to establish this affirmative
defense. See 40 CFR 63.781
(Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating)) and 63.800 (Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations). The source
must prove by a preponderance of the
evidence that it has met all of the
elements set forth in the affirmative
defense. See also 40 CFR 22.24. The
criteria ensure that the affirmative
defense is available only where the
event that causes an exceedance of the
emission limit meets the narrow
definition of malfunction in 40 CFR 63.2
(sudden, infrequent, not reasonably
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preventable and not caused by poor
maintenance and/or careless operation).
For example, to successfully assert the
affirmative defense, the source must
prove by a preponderance of the
evidence that excess emissions ‘‘[w]ere
caused by a sudden, infrequent, and
unavoidable failure of air pollution
control and monitoring equipment,
process equipment, or a process to
operate in a normal or usual manner.
* * *’’ The criteria also are designed to
ensure that steps are taken to correct the
malfunction, to minimize emissions in
accordance with 40 CFR 63.783(b)(1)
and 63.802(c) and to prevent future
malfunctions. For example, the source
must prove by a preponderance of the
evidence that ‘‘[r]epairs were made as
expeditiously as possible when the
applicable emission limitations were
being exceeded * * *’’ and that ‘‘[a]ll
possible steps were taken to minimize
the impact of the excess emissions on
ambient air quality, the environment
and human health * * *’’ In any
judicial or administrative proceeding,
the Administrator may challenge the
assertion of the affirmative defense, and,
if the respondent has not met its burden
of proving compliance with all of the
requirements in the affirmative defense,
appropriate penalties may be assessed
in accordance with section 113 of the
CAA (see also 40 CFR 22.27).
The EPA included an affirmative
defense in the final rule in an attempt
to balance a tension, inherent in many
types of air regulation, to ensure
adequate compliance while
simultaneously recognizing that despite
the most diligent of efforts, emission
limits may be exceeded under
circumstances beyond the control of the
source. The EPA must establish
emission standards that ‘‘limit the
quantity, rate, or concentration of
emissions of air pollutants on a
continuous basis.’’ 42 U.S.C.
7602(k)(defining ‘‘emission limitation
and emission standard’’). See generally
Sierra Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019, 1021
(D.C. Cir. 2008). Thus, the EPA is
required to ensure that section 112
emissions limitations are continuous.
The affirmative defense for malfunction
events meets this requirement by
ensuring that even where there is a
malfunction, the emission limitation is
still enforceable through injunctive
relief. While ‘‘continuous’’ limitations,
on the one hand, are required, there is
also case law indicating that in many
situations, it is appropriate for the EPA
to account for the practical realities of
technology. For example, in Essex
Chemical v. Ruckelshaus, 486 F.2d 427,
433 (D.C. Cir. 1973), the DC Circuit
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acknowledged that in setting standards
under CAA section 111 ‘‘variant
provisions’’ such as provisions allowing
for upsets during startup, shutdown and
equipment malfunction ‘‘appear
necessary to preserve the reasonableness
of the standards as a whole and that the
record does not support the ‘never to be
exceeded’ standard currently in force.’’
See also, Portland Cement Association
v. Ruckelshaus, 486 F.2d 375 (D.C. Cir.
1973). Though intervening case law
such as Sierra Club v. EPA and the CAA
1977 amendments undermine the
relevance of these cases today, they
support the EPA’s view that a system
that incorporates some level of
flexibility is reasonable. The affirmative
defense simply provides for a defense to
civil penalties for excess emissions that
are proven to be beyond the control of
the source. By incorporating an
affirmative defense, the EPA has
formalized its approach to upset events.
In a Clean Water Act setting, the Ninth
Circuit required this type of formalized
approach when regulating ‘‘upsets
beyond the control of the permit
holder.’’ Marathon Oil Co. v. EPA, 564
F.2d 1253, 1272–73 (9th Cir. 1977). But
see, Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Costle, 590
F.2d 1011, 1057–58 (D.C. Cir. 1978)
(holding that an informal approach is
adequate). The affirmative defense
provisions give the EPA the flexibility to
both ensure that its emission limitations
are ‘‘continuous’’ as required by
42 U.S.C. 7602(k), and account for
unplanned upsets and thus support the
reasonableness of the standard as a
whole.
IV. Summary of Significant Changes
Since Proposal
D. What are the effective and
compliance dates of the standards?
The potential risk reductions
associated with advancement in coating
and adhesive formulations, described
below, led us to propose a formaldehyde
limit of 400 pounds per rolling 12month period, in part because we
believed that this limit could be
achieved cost-effectively. We stated in
the proposal that there are many
coatings and adhesives available that
contain no or low quantities of
formaldehyde, and we expected any
facilities above the 400 pounds per 12
month limit to be able to reduce their
emissions below the 400 pound level by
using coatings and adhesives with no or
low formaldehyde. We proposed the
formaldehyde usage limit under the
authority of CAA section 112(f) and
solicited comment on whether the
proposed limit on formaldehyde use
should be issued under CAA section
112(d)(6).
Comments received after proposal led
the EPA to conduct further analyses of
The revisions to the MACT standards
being promulgated in this action are
effective on November 21, 2011. For the
two MACT standards addressed in this
action, the compliance date for the
revised SSM-related requirements is
November 21, 2011. For the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
NESHAP, the compliance date for the
1 percent formaldehyde coating and
contact adhesive limit and the
alternative 400 pound per 12-month
formaldehyde use limit as well as the
prohibition on the use of conventional
spray guns is 3 years from the effective
date of the standards, November 21,
2014. Beyond the revised SSM
provisions, there are no changes to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP.
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A. What changes did we make to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP since proposal?
Following the proposed notice of the
RTR for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating), the EPA did not
receive any new data demonstrating any
cost effective technology updates or data
that would affect our analyses of risks.
Accordingly, we have made no changes
to the proposed rule language for the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP. However, we
corrected an inadvertent error made in
the preamble to the proposed rule. In
describing the Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair (Surface Coating) source
category, we incorrectly stated that there
were approximately 85 facilities subject
to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) MACT, and that 71 of
these 85 facilities, or approximately 84
percent of the source category, were
modeled for the risk analysis. At
proposal, we actually estimated that
there were 90 facilities subject to the
MACT, and of those 90 facilities, we
modeled approximately 94 percent, or
85 facilities, in the risk analysis. This
correction to the preamble text does not
affect the estimated risks or any
conclusions of the risk review. This
correction only affects the inadvertent
error made in the preamble text for the
proposed rule.
B. What changes did we make to the
Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP since proposal?
1. Formaldehyde Limit
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the compliance costs associated with
the proposed 400 pound usage limit.
Data received from one facility, which
already uses no- and low-formaldehyde
content coatings and contact adhesives,
indicated that reduction in
formaldehyde use to 400 pounds per 12month period would not be possible by
simply using no- and low-formaldehyde
content coatings and contact adhesives
due to the size of its operations and the
amount of coatings and contact
adhesives used. To comply with the
proposed 400 pound limit, a spray line
reconfiguration (adding five drying/
curing ovens) would be needed. The
cost-effectiveness of formaldehyde
reduction for the spray line
reconfiguration was estimated to be
$658,000/ton of formaldehyde reduced
annually. We believe other large
operation facilities would face similar
circumstances. The EPA does not have
specific information on compliance
costs for facilities other than Kitchen
Kompact, but even if we assume all
other wood furniture facilities with
formaldehyde emissions above 400
pounds per 12-month period in the 2005
NEI database would reduce their
formaldehyde emissions to 400 pound
per 12-month period and would incur
zero costs in doing so, the costeffectiveness would be $43,000/ton of
formaldehyde reduced. We conclude
this is not cost effective.6
Since the MACT was promulgated,
manufacturers of coatings and contact
adhesives have been able to replace
formaldehyde with less toxic chemicals,
resulting in products that are known in
the industry as ‘‘low-formaldehyde’’ or
‘‘no-formaldehyde.’’ This development
is particularly evident in the
reformulation of conversion varnishes
used in kitchen cabinet manufacturing
(see Conversation with Valspar
Regarding Formaldehyde Replacement
Chemicals in Coatings, dated August 4,
2011, in the docket for this action).The
EPA’s proposed 400 pound limit was
based on the availability of lowformaldehyde coatings and contact
adhesives and their use as the current
state of technology. Although there is no
formal industry definition of the term
‘‘low-formaldehyde,’’ the EPA found
that a formaldehyde content equal to or
less than 1 percent by weight currently
is consistent with the industry trend of
continually reducing low formaldehyde
formulations. We are aware of a range of
6 For more information regarding cost estimates
for compliance with the proposed 400 pound per
year formaldehyde limit, refer to Estimated Cost
Impact for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Industry
to Comply with Proposed Formaldehyde Limit on
Coating Operations Wood Furniture Manufacturing
RTR, dated August 4, 2011.
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values used in the industry to indicate
‘‘low-formaldehyde’’ (from 0.1 percent
to 1.0 percent). Based on information
available to the EPA, we determined
that a formaldehyde content level of 1
percent is the lowest concentration that
is clearly cost effective for the entire
source category. We are, therefore,
finalizing a limit of 1 percent
formaldehyde by weight based on the
availability of coatings and technical
specifications necessary to maintain
product quality and cost-effectiveness.7
A content less than 1 percent would not
allow facilities the flexibility to use
coatings and adhesives that are suitable
for a range of different products, from
cabinets to home furnishings, without
compromising their quality, cost or
production.8 Also, in many cases, the 1
percent formaldehyde content limit will
allow flexibility in different types of
line configurations.9
The proposed formaldehyde limit
(400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period) under CAA section 112(f) was
based on these grounds—that wood
furniture manufacturers can and are
reducing their formaldehyde emissions
through the use of newer lowformaldehyde coating and contact
adhesive formulations (see 75 FR
80246). The limit of 1 percent
formaldehyde in coatings and contact
adhesives in this final rulemaking is an
outgrowth of what the expected means
of compliance was during the proposal
for the proposed 400 pound limit. The
EPA has confirmed that most facilities
are using low- and no-formaldehyde
coatings and contact adhesives (i.e.,
coatings and adhesives that have a
formaldehyde concentration not
exceeding 1 percent by weight).10
7 Discussion with a coatings manufacturer
revealed that the label of ‘‘Low-Formaldehyde’’ is
subjective and it trends towards lower and lower
concentrations of formaldehyde. For more details,
see Telephone Call with Valspar Regulatory Affairs
Manager—Wood Coatings Wood Furniture
Manufacturing RTR dated June 29, 2011 in the
docket for this action. Also as noted previously,
Valspar does not carry any products that exceed 1
percent in formaldehyde concentration.
8 It is necessary for some facilities to minimize
levels of formaldehyde in the coating formulation
to promote cross-linking nucleation. This process
directly affects the quality and durability of the
wood furniture. See notes from the Marsh Furniture
Site Visit in the docket for this action for reference.
9 For additional information, please see memo to
the docket, EPA Meeting with Kitchen Cabinet
Manufacturers Association (KCMA) and Select
Representatives, dated August 17, 2011.
10 The confirmation of most facilities was
obtained in the following memos in the docket for
this action: Telephone Call with Valspar Regulatory
Affairs Manager—Wood Coatings on the
Availability and Use of Low- and No-Formaldehyde
Coatings, dated June 24, 2011. Also, one of the
major manufacturers of wood furniture coatings,
Valspar, does not carry any products that have
greater than 1 percent formaldehyde leading to the
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Facilities can thus achieve
formaldehyde emissions reductions that
are greater than those required under
the existing MACT standard. The
original Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP achieved an 89
percent reduction in HAP. The industry,
for the most part, has gone beyond the
original NESHAP for formaldehyde
emissions by continuing to use lower
concentrations of formaldehyde in the
coatings and contact adhesives. By
codifying these practices, the EPA is
setting a more stringent standard than
was adopted in 1995 and will prevent
backsliding into techniques and
formulations used in the past.
CAA section 112(d)(6) requires us to
revise emissions standards taking into
account developments in practices,
processes and control technologies.
Thus, to codify current industry practice
since the MACT was promulgated and
to prevent potential increases in
formaldehyde emissions in the future
from coating and contact adhesive use
in the wood furniture manufacturing
industry, we are finalizing, under
section 112(d)(6) of the CAA,
formaldehyde emissions limits through
two compliance options. One option is
for new and existing sources to use only
those coatings and contact adhesives
with a formaldehyde content of 1
percent by weight or less. As these lowformaldehyde coatings are readily
available in the marketplace and are
comparable in cost to other coating and
contact adhesive formulations, we
expect no additional costs associated
with the use of low-formaldehyde
coatings and contact adhesives.
Moreover, we are retaining the
proposed standard—a limit on the use
of formaldehyde of 400 pounds per
rolling 12-month period—as an
alternative emission limit to the 1
percent formaldehyde formulation limit.
While the EPA recognizes it is not cost
effective for at least one facility to
achieve a limit on the use of
formaldehyde of 400 pounds per 12
month period, we acknowledge that
most wood furniture manufacturing
facilities’ formaldehyde use is already
below this limit.11 It is likely that a
small subset of low-emitting niche
facilities use higher concentration
formaldehyde coatings that may prefer
conclusion that coatings greater than 1 percent
formaldehyde are mostly unnecessary in the
industry. https://www.valsparwood.com/
valsparwood/msds/msds.jsp.
11 For more information, see Updated
Formaldehyde Emissions from Select Wood
Furniture Manufacturers, dated August 3, 2011 and
Impacts of Implementing a Limit on Formaldehyde
Usage in the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations Source Category, dated October 19, 2011
in the docket for this rule.
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to comply with the alternate
formaldehyde use limit.12 These niche
facilities use greater concentrations of
formaldehyde to provide products to
small specialized markets. The EPA is
promulgating this 1 percent formulation
formaldehyde limit to ensure that we
are not limiting the production of
facilities while still encouraging
facilities to limit formaldehyde in their
coatings and contact adhesives. In
support of our proposed CAA section
112(f)(2) residual risk determination, we
conducted a risk assessment for the
Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations source category that
provided estimates of the Maximum
Individual Risk (MIR) posed by the
allowable and actual HAP emissions
from each source in the category, the
distribution of cancer risks within the
exposed populations, cancer incidence,
hazard index for chronic exposures to
HAP with noncancer health effects, and
hazard quotients (HQ) for acute
exposures to HAP with noncancer
health effects. We found that risks
remaining after compliance with the
MACT standard are acceptable.
In making our proposed ample margin
of safety determination under CAA
section 112(f)(2), we subsequently
evaluated the risk reductions and costs
associated with various emissions
control options to determine whether
we should impose additional standards
to reduce risks further. We proposed a
standard that would limit the use of
formaldehyde to 400 pounds per rolling
12 month period because we projected
that such a limit would lead to
reductions in cancer risks and the
potential for acute noncancer health
effects. Specifically, we estimated that
the limit would reduce formaldehyde
emissions by an estimated 9.46 tpy from
the baseline level of 20.125 tpy. We also
estimated the maximum individual
incremental lifetime cancer risk would
be reduced to approximately 10-in-1
million from a baseline of 20-in-1
million, the estimated cancer incidence
due to emissions from the source
category would be reduced by about 15
percent nationwide, and the estimated
maximum acute HQ would be reduced
from 7 to 3, based on the Reference
Exposure Levels (REL) for
formaldehyde, and from 0.35 to 0.15,
based on the acute exposure guideline
12 A representative of KCMA stated that there are
facilities that use coatings and contact adhesives
with higher concentrations of formaldehyde. For
more information see, Conversation with a
Representative of Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers
Association (KCMA) Regarding Add-On Control
Devices and High Formaldehyde Concentration in
Coatings, dated June 23, 2011 in the docket for this
action.
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level (AEGL–1) for formaldehyde. We
believed that there would be either no
or minimal additional costs associated
with this option, as the cost of lowformaldehyde coatings and adhesives
are approximately equal to other coating
and adhesive products containing larger
quantities of formaldehyde. Also, we
believed there were minimal costs
associated with the recordkeeping and
reporting requirements for compliance
with the rule.
Our estimates of the source category
maximum cancer risks have changed
since proposal due to information
received during the comment period.
One facility that was included in the
risk analysis at proposal has been
determined to not be part of the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing source
category. The facility is a manufacturer
of wood and melamine bowls and food
service supplies and is not a wood
furniture manufacturer. At proposal, the
MIR estimated for the bowl
manufacturing facility was 20 in-1million due to formaldehyde emissions,
based on actual emissions. This facility
MIR was the highest in the source
category. With the elimination of the
bowl manufacturing facility from the
category, the source category MIR is 10
in-1-million due to emissions of
ethylbenzene and formaldehyde, based
on actual emissions. The bowl
manufacturing facility also was one of
two facilities for which we estimated an
acute HQ of 7 for formaldehyde. The
maximum acute formaldehyde HQ of 7
for the other facility in the source
category is unchanged.
Since proposal we also have further
evaluated acute exposures resulting
from emissions from facilities in the
source category. To better characterize
the potential health risks associated
with estimated worst-case acute
exposures to HAP, and in response to a
key recommendation from the Science
Advisory Board’s (SAB) peer review of
the EPA’s RTR risk assessment
methodologies,13 we routinely have
examined a wider range of available
acute health metrics than we do for our
chronic risk assessments. This is in
response to the acknowledgement that
there are generally more data gaps and
inconsistencies in acute reference
values than there are in chronic
reference values. By definition, acute
California-Reference Exposure Levels
(CA–REL) represent a health-protective
level of exposure, with no risk
anticipated at or below those levels,
13 The SAB peer review of RTR Risk Assessment
Methodologies is available at: https://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
4AB3966E263D943A8525771F00668381/$File/the
EPA-SAB-10-007-unsigned.pdf.
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even for repeated exposures; however,
the health risk from higher-level
exposures is unknown. Therefore, when
a CA–REL is exceeded and an AEGL–1
or emergency response planning
guidelines (ERPG–1) level is available
(i.e., levels at which mild effects are
anticipated in the general public for a
single exposure), we have used them as
a second comparative measure.
Historically, comparisons of the
estimated maximum off-site 1-hour
exposure levels have not been typically
made to occupational levels for the
purpose of characterizing public health
risks in RTR assessments. For most
chemicals, the 15 minute occupational
ceiling values are set at levels higher
than a 1 hour AEGL–1, making
comparisons to them irrelevant unless
the AEGL–1 or ERPG–1 levels are
exceeded. This is not the case when
comparing the available acute
inhalation health effect reference values
for formaldehyde.14
The worst-case maximum estimated
1-hour exposure to formaldehyde
outside the facility fence line for this
source category is 0.47 mg/m3. This
estimated worst-case exposure exceeds
the 1-hour REL by a factor of 8 (HQREL
= 8) and is below the 1-hour AEGL–1
(HQAEGL–1 = 0.4). Although this
exposure estimate does not exceed the
AEGL–1, it exceeds the workplace
ceiling level guideline for the value
developed by the NIOSH 15 ‘‘for any 15
minute period in a work day’’ (NIOSH
REL-ceiling value of 0.12 mg/m3;
HQNIOSH = 4). Additionally, the
estimated maximum acute exposure
exceeds the Air Quality Guideline value
that was developed by the World Health
Organization 16 for 30-minute exposures
(0.1 mg/m3; HQWHO = 5). The estimated
HQ equals 1 when the ACGIH TLV–
Ceiling value (0.37 mg/m3), a value
defined as ‘‘not to be exceeded at any
time,’’ is compared to the worst-case
acute exposure screening level.17 As we
proposed, the EPA concludes that the
14 U.S. the EPA. (2009) Chapter 2.9, Chemical
Specific Reference Values for Formaldehyde in
Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect
Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures (Final
Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, DC, the EPA/600/R–09/061, and
available online at https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/
recordisplay.cfm?deid=211003.
15 National Institutes for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH). Occupational Safety and Health
Guideline for Formaldehyde; https://www.cdc.gov/
niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0293.pdf
16 WHO (2000). Chapter 5.8 Formaldehyde, in Air
Quality Guidelines for Europe, second edition.
World Health Organization Regional Publications,
European Series, No. 91. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Available on-line at https://www.euro.who.int/_data/
assets/pdf_file/0005/74732/E71922.pdf.
17 EPA considers this HQ of 1 not to represent an
exceedance of the ACGIH value.
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risk posed by the source category is
acceptable. Our estimate of maximum
individual cancer risk for this source
category has decreased since proposal.
This decrease is due to a
miscategorization of a facility within the
source category. While our screening for
acute impacts has identified the
potential for acute formaldehyde
exposures to exceed some public health
and occupational exposure guidelines at
some wood furniture facilities, after
considering the limited extent to
potential exposures, the fact that the
maximum estimate of acute risk has not
changed, the fact that one of these
facilities no longer uses formaldehyde,
and the conservative nature of this
screening process, these additional
estimates do not change our overall
judgment of risk acceptability. As
explained in the proposal, in
accordance with the approach
established in the Benzene NESHAP,
the EPA weighs all health risk measures
and information considered in the risk
acceptability determination, along with
the costs and economic impacts of
emissions controls, technological
feasibility, uncertainties, and other
relevant factors, in making our ample
margin of safety determination and
deciding whether standards are
necessary to reduce risks further.
Considering all of this information, in
particular our revised estimates of the
maximum cancer risks associated with
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
source category and our revised estimate
of the costs of additional controls that
would reduce risk further, the EPA has
determined that additional standards
under CAA section 112(f)(2) are not
necessary to provide an ample margin of
safety to protect public health. We
further note that we are finalizing
standards under our CAA section
112(d)(6) authority that, while not
expected to result in further reduction
in current emissions or risk levels, are
expected to reduce the emissions that
would have been allowed under the
1995 MACT standard.
to partially fuel control devices such as
RTOs. This exception from the ban
allows facilities to avoid having to
supplement fuel to a control device. The
efficiency of the control device more
than sufficiently reduces excess
emissions associated with the decreased
spray efficiency of conventional spray
guns.18 This exception for control
devices is the sole exception for
conventional spray gun use maintained
from the 1995 NESHAP.
The EPA estimates that the switch to
high efficiency spray guns from
conventional spray guns does not incur
a cost burden due to decreased product
consumption and cost. Some of the high
efficiency spray devices are more costly
than conventional guns, but the savings
in coating costs attributed to the
increased spray efficiency more than
compensates for increased cost of spray
technology. Because the EPA lacks data
regarding the number of conventional
spray guns used in the industry and the
change of spray efficiency in replacing
conventional spray technology, we
cannot quantify emissions reductions
due to changing spray technology. For
further information regarding cost and
emission reductions, refer to the
proposed preamble of this rulemaking.
2. Advances in Spray Technology
The EPA proposed to prohibit the use
of conventional spray guns, as defined
by the 1995 Wood Furniture
Manufacturing NESHAP, pursuant to
CAA section 112(d)(6). This final rule
promulgates this ban on conventional
spray guns with one modification.
Based on comments received, we are
retaining an existing provision allowing
the use of conventional spray guns
when the overspray is routed to a
control device. As reflected in the
comments, some facilities are using
overspray from conventional spray guns
18 A typical transfer efficiency of an HVLP gun is
65–80 percent compared to 25–45 percent for
conventional guns under similar conditions. This is
a difference of 40 percent spray efficiency. When
compared to an estimate of 90 percent efficiency of
an add-on control device, the control device more
than compensates for the 40 percent reduction in
efficiency of guns. For more information on transfer
efficiencies of spray technologies, see the memo to
the docket, Impacts of Prohibiting the Use of
Conventional Spray Guns in the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations Source Category, dated
October 29, 2010.
19 See Summary of Public Comments and
Responses for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) and Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations NESHAP, dated October
31, 2011, for summaries of all comments and our
responses to them.
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V. Summary of Significant Comments
and Responses
In the proposed action, we requested
public comments on our residual risk
reviews, our technology reviews,
proposed amendments related to
periods of SSM, the proposed
prohibition of conventional spray guns
in the wood furniture manufacturing
industry, the proposed limit on
formaldehyde use in coatings and
contact adhesives for the wood furniture
manufacturing industry and
clarification of rule provisions. We
received written comments from 18
commenters. Our responses to the
public comments that changed the basis
for our decisions, or are otherwise
significant, are provided below.19
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A. Comments for Both Shipbuilding and
Ship Repair (Surface Coating) and
Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations
Comment: A commenter pointed out
that the EPA’s own data show greater
emissions reductions are being achieved
and able to be achieved. According to
the commenter, the EPA recognizes that
certain sources have ‘‘achieved’’ a level
of ‘‘actual’’ emissions that is below the
level allowed under the existing MACT
standards. The commenter further states
that the EPA explains that ‘‘the ‘actual’
emission levels are often lower than the
emission levels that a facility might be
allowed to emit and still comply with
the MACT standards.’’ The commenter
says that the EPA’s expectation that
sources in these two categories are
generally operating at half the level of
emissions allowed under the existing
MACT standard is at the core of its
emission data analysis. Once the EPA
has this information, it must factor this
into the technology review under
section 112(d)(6). Doing so should lead
the EPA to revise the existing MACT for
both source categories to require
additional emission reductions.
The commenter further states that as
part of the required section 112(d)(6)
rulemaking, the EPA can have no
possible justification for failing to
recalculate the MACT floors based on
new technology or emission reductions
now achieved by these source
categories.
The Court in the Hazardous Organic
NESHAP (HON) decision stated that it
did ‘‘not think the words ‘review, and
revise as necessary’ ’’ required the EPA
to recalculate the floors ‘‘from scratch’’
in that case. NRDC, 529 F.3d at 1084. In
short, the NRDC Court expressly
declined to decide whether the EPA was
required to recalculate floors where, as
here, there have been developments in
practices, processes, and control
technologies.
As already noted above, for these
source categories, there are such
‘‘developments.’’ Therefore, the EPA
cannot rely on the HON case to evade
its duty to satisfy section 112(d)(6). The
HON case did not authorize the EPA to
ignore data showing that significant
emission reductions below the ‘‘MACTallowable’’ emissions level have been
‘‘achieved’’ in practice. Even under
NRDC—assuming arguendo that its
section 112(d)(6) holding is in any way
relevant here—section 112(d)(6)
requires the EPA to recalculate the
MACT floor when there have been
advances in technology (after taking
account of the factors listed in section
112(d)(6)), and when there is
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information showing that greater
emission reductions are ‘‘achieved in
practice.’’ Commenters contend that,
based on the information the EPA has,
it is therefore ‘‘necessary’’ for the EPA
to strengthen the existing MACT floor to
ensure it now complies with section
112(d)(2)–(3).
The EPA must consider and address
whether the existing MACT, including
the floor, remains lawful in view of the
greater levels of emission reductions
that have been achieved.
Response: The commenter is mistaken
on several grounds. First, the
commenter asserts that ‘‘the EPA
recognizes that certain sources have
‘achieved’ a level of ‘actual’ emissions
that is below the level allowed under
the existing MACT standards’’ and cites
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
preamble at 75 FR at 80227. This was
a qualitative, introductory statement
about how the NEI and other sources of
data typically contain estimates of
actual emissions that are ‘‘often’’ lower
than allowable emissions. The statement
was not specific to Wood Furniture or
Shipbuilding facilities or data and in
any event did not contain any
quantitative determination about actual
emissions levels.
Second, the commenter asserts that
the EPA has an ‘‘expectation’’ that wood
furniture and shipbuilding sources are
‘‘generally operating’’ at half of
allowable emissions and once the EPA
has this information, it must use it
under CAA section 112(d)(6) to revise
MACT standards, including
recalculating MACT floors under
section 112(d)(2)–(3). The comment
apparently refers to the MACT
allowable to actual emissions ratio
developed for the source categories in
this rulemaking. The commenter is
incorrect in characterizing this ratio as
a determination of the level of actual
emissions achieved in practice in either
source category. The actual to allowable
ratio represents the lowest
concentration of HAP in a coating
available to the industry compared to
the maximum allowed under the MACT.
The allowable ratio is used for
providing a worst-case scenario for
estimating allowable emissions from the
source. As clarification, for these
coating rules, the concentrations of HAP
in the coatings are considered the
emissions from the source.
Third, the commenter is incorrect in
asserting that the EPA must recalculate
MACT floors under CAA section
112(d)(2)–(3). As explained in prior RTR
rulemakings, the EPA does not read
112(d)(6) as requiring a reanalysis or
recalculation of MACT floors. See
proposed National Emission Standards
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for Coke Oven Batteries (69 FR 48388,
48351 (August 9, 2004)). Instead, we
interpret section 112(d)(6) as essentially
requiring us to consider developments
in pollution control in the industry
(‘‘taking into account developments in
practices, processes, and control
technologies’’), and assessing the costs
of potentially stricter standards
reflecting those developments. We read
this provision as providing the EPA
with substantial latitude in weighing
these factors and arriving at an
appropriate balance in considering
revisions to our standards. This
discretion also provides us with
substantial flexibility in choosing how
to apply modified standards, if
necessary, to the affected industry.
The EPA reviewed other potential
developments in practices, processes
and control technologies for the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) source categories and
evaluated costs of potentially more
stringent standards reflecting any such
developments.20 The EPA believes this
review and the revisions finalized in
this rulemaking satisfy the EPA’s
obligations under CAA 112(d)(6) for the
Wood Furniture and Shipbuilding
source categories.
B. Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations
Comment: A commenter stated the
EPA has provided no rational
explanation for refusing to update the
technology standards for both categories
to meet the CAA section 112(d)(6)
requirement, at minimum, by matching
the limits of what sources have achieved
and what other jurisdictions have
required. The commenter stated:
We urge the EPA to do so in the final rule.
Where, as here, there are ‘‘significant
developments’’ in technology, and where, as
here, sources have achieved lower levels of
emissions ‘‘in practice’’ than are ‘‘MACT20 The EPA’s review and analysis for the
shipbuilding source category can be found in
Affordability of Add-on Controls for Surface
Coating Operations at Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair Facilities, dated 10/28/2010, and for the
wood furniture surface category in Affordability of
Lower VHAP Coating and Add-on Controls for
Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations, dated
October 28, 2010. Other significant memos
describing the EPAs technology review are:
Developments in Practices, Processes, and
Control Technologies for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations, dated August 24, 2010;
Impacts of Prohibiting the Use of Conventional
Spray Guns in the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations Source Category, dated October 19,
2010;
Cost Analyses for Control Options, dated
September 27, 2010; Cost Analyses for Add-on
Controls for Surface Coating Operations at
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Facilities, dated
September 9, 2010.
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allowable,’’ it is abundantly clear that
§ 112(d)(6) requires the EPA to revise its
standards in accordance with CAA
§ 112(d)(2)–(3), (6), 42 U.S.C. § 7412(d)(2)–
(3), (6).
The commenter also inquires why the
EPA did not adopt more stringent
standards based on other regulating
bodies within the country.
Response: The EPA has concluded the
technology review for the wood
furniture manufacturing operations
NESHAP by setting a formaldehyde
limit based on formulation (1 percent by
weight) of finish coatings and contact
adhesives with a compliance alternative
using no more than 400 pounds of
formaldehyde per 12 months. Also
under the technology review, we are
adopting a restriction of conventional
spray guns limiting use to when
emissions from finishing applications
are routed to a control device. The
commenter refers to volatile organic
compounds (VOC) standards of the Bay
Area and South Coast Air Quality
Management Districts (BAAQMD and
SCAQMD). These two standards are
nearly identical in VOC formulation
limits. Through the RTR process, the
EPA evaluates risk and technology
developments associated with HAP for
the source categories under
consideration. Hazardous air pollutants
and VOC describe different sets of
compounds, although a large subset of
VOC are considered HAP. As discussed
in the preamble of the proposed rule, we
estimate that of all VOC in wood
furniture coatings, 50 percent on
average are HAP. This is an average
value that in fact varies from facility to
facility and coating to coating,
depending on the facility’s use of
coatings specific to their operation. This
is especially true for many niche
companies. The EPA acknowledges
BAAQMD and SCAQMD
implementation of VOC limits, but these
limits are not justified as nation-wide
standards to reduce HAP from Wood
Furniture Manufacturing. They are not
technically feasible to be implemented
nationally based on different operating
and environmental conditions as well as
the cost-effectiveness. By the
commenter’s own admission, there are
facilities that are having a difficult time
complying with the BAAQMD standard
within its region. Moreover, based on
available information, the EPA
maintains that both area regulations are
not cost effective as national standards
to reduce HAP. As discussed in the
preamble to the proposed rule, adoption
of the BAAQMD VOC limits would
result in 56 tpy of HAP reduction at a
cost of $30,000 per ton. Although the
commenter asserts based on a
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conversation with BAAQMD staff that
companies in the area are generally
complying with BAAQMD limits, the
EPA already assumed compliance when
we estimated HAP reductions and costeffectiveness of the BAAQMD limits.
We have not changed our conclusion
that the BAAQMD and SCAQMD
regulation are not cost effective as a
national standard.
Comment: Two commenters stated
that the facility with the highest
reported formaldehyde emissions
(Kitchen Kompact located in
Jeffersonville, Indiana) is not a
representative wood coating
manufacturing facility.
The commenters offered the following
reasons:
a. The facility finishes products 4
days a week (as opposed to the EPA’s
5-day assumption);
b. The facility uses uses higher VOC
coating without a control device; and
c. The facility has all operations at
one facility (other large facilities may
spread operations over several
facilities).
Another commenter believed that it is
arbitrary for the EPA to set the
formaldehyde limit based on data
indicating that 3 percent (more likely
1 percent, see below) of facilities have
formaldehyde emissions that could
result in exceedances of the acute REL.
The commenter offered the following
reasons why the EPA’s conclusion that
11 facilities (about 3 percent of the
facilities) have formaldehyde emissions
that could result in exceedances of the
acute REL is problematic:
a. The EPA identified four facilities
for emissions verification, two of which
were reported to have formaldehyde
emissions. One of these two,
Chromcraft, no longer uses coatings that
contain or emit formaldehyde. The
other, Kitchen Kompact, emits less
formaldehyde than reported and is not
a representative facility. Both facilities
are problematic and indicate that the
facility data used in the risk assessment
are suspect.
b. Three of the 11 facilities either no
longer use formaldehyde-containing
coatings or contact adhesives
(Chromcraft) or have lower production
than the EPA identified (Kitchen
Kompact and Legacy Cabinets).
Removing Chromcraft, only 10 facilities,
or 2.5 percent of the total, have
emissions that could result in
exceedances of the acute REL.
c. The refined modeling approach that
used aerial photographs of the facilities
identified two major problems with the
Human Exposure Model-3 (HEM–3)
screening results:
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• The REL, for several facilities, were
overestimated due to global positioning
system errors and;
• Moving the ‘‘polar ring’’ has a
significant impact on the risk
assessment. An evaluation of the aerial
map indicated that the REL needed to be
lowered in some cases by as much as 74
percent. While developing refined acute
risks based on review of aerial maps is
better than the screening approach, it is
subjective at best.
d. Three of the 10 facilities had
refined predicted acute risks greater
than 3. The remaining 7 facilities had
refined predicted acute risks of less than
3, and a majority of these had predicted
acute risks just above 1 (1.5, 1.5, 1.6,21
1.8). The commenter suggested that the
risks for these facilities should be
discounted.
After removing these data points
discussed above, the commenter noted
that there are six facilities
(approximately 1 percent of the
facilities) with acute risks greater than 1.
The commenter noted that setting a
standard based on six facilities (or 1
percent of all wood furniture facilities)
is unjustified and arbitrary.
Response: The EPA acknowledges
that there have been changes to
formaldehyde emissions since 2005.
According to the comments received as
well as phone conversations with
several facilities, the EPA has received
indications that facilities have changed
and lowered formaldehyde emissions,
subsequent to the 2005 NEI data. These
updates, however, are not being used to
replace the 2005 NEI data because data
were not provided to support the
assertions. Because the data are
unverified, the EPA used source data
from 2005 NEI to keep a verified source
for purposes of risk assessment. As
discussed elsewhere in this preamble,
we are not adopting any new or
additional requirements based on the
risk assessment under section 112(f). We
have found risk to be acceptable for this
rule making.
Comment: Multiple commenters
offered comments on the use of
formaldehyde dose-response values.
Two commenters supported the use of
the Integrated Risk Management System
(IRIS) dose-response value for
formaldehyde in the risk assessment.
One of the commenters stated that it
is not only appropriate for the EPA to
end its use of the Chemical Industry
Institute of Toxicology (CIIT) Centers for
Health Research risk value for
21 The value of 1.6 refers to Legacy Cabinets
which, as the commenter asserts, no longer has any
coatings or contact adhesives with formaldehyde in
them.
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formaldehyde emissions, doing the
contrary would be arbitrary, capricious
and unlawful. The commenter
supported the IRIS value because it is
more than 2,000 times greater than the
CIIT value and thus more healthprotective.
Alternatively, six commenters did not
support the use of ‘‘outdated’’ and
‘‘overly conservative’’ models, such as
that used to derive the IRIS doseresponse value for formaldehyde.
One commenter stated that the EPA
must use the best available science in its
risk assessment, which is not the IRIS
value. The commenter noted that the
EPA has previously determined that the
IRIS value ‘‘no longer represents the
best available science in the peer
reviewed literature.’’ 69 FR 18,327,
18,333 (Apr. 7, 2004). It was stated that
the decision to discontinue use of CIIT
model is inappropriate. The CIIT model
should continue to be used to inform
formaldehyde risk assessments. The
criticisms of the model by Crump and
colleagues lack foundation because the
manipulations and alterations of the
model on which they are based did not
have an adequate basis in the
underlying biology.
Response: In 2004, the EPA
determined that the Chemical Industry
Institute of Toxicology (CIIT) cancer
dose-response value for formaldehyde
(5.5 × 10¥9 per mg/m3) was based on
better science than the IRIS doseresponse value (1.3 × 10¥5 per mg/m3),
and we switched from using the IRIS
value to the CIIT value in risk
assessments supporting regulatory
actions. Based on subsequent published
research, however, the EPA changed its
determination regarding the CIIT model,
and in 2010 the EPA returned to using
1991 IRIS value. The National Academy
of Sciences (NAS) completed its review
of the EPA’s draft assessment in April
of 2011 (https://www.nap.edu/
catalog.php?record_id=13142), and the
EPA has been working on revising the
formaldehyde assessment. The EPA will
follow the NAS Report
recommendations and will present
results obtained by implementing the
biologically based dose response (BBDR)
model for formaldehyde. The EPA will
compare these estimates with those
currently presented in the External
Review draft of the assessment and will
discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
As recommended by the NAS
committee, appropriate sensitivity and
uncertainty analyses will be an integral
component of implementing the BBDR
model. In the interim, we will present
findings using the 1991 IRIS value as a
primary estimate, and may also consider
other information as the science
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evolves. The EPA notes that risk
estimates based on both the IRIS and the
CIIT unit risk estimates for
formaldehyde were presented in the
proposal for this final rule and that the
risks were acceptable in both cases.
Comment: A commenter stated that
the best available science indicates that
formaldehyde in outdoor air does not
present a risk to human health.
In support of their assertion, the
commenter quoted WHO which stated
that ‘‘[i]n ambient air, formaldehyde is
quickly photo-oxidized in carbon
dioxide. It also reacts very quickly with
the hydroxyl radicals to give formic
acid. The half-life estimated for these
reactions is about one hour depending
on the environmental conditions.’’
(WHO, 2010, at 103). Further, WHO
concluded that because levels in
ambient air are low, outdoor air does
not contribute significantly to indoor
pollution. Id. at 108. Therefore, the
EPA’s proposed cap on formaldehyde
use is an unnecessary restriction that
will not reduce residual risk, if any, to
public health.
Response: Everyone is exposed to
small amounts of formaldehyde in air
and some foods and products. Nasal and
eye irritation, neurological effects, and
increased risk of asthma and/or allergy
have been observed in humans
breathing 0.1 to 0.5 ppm. Eczema and
changes in lung function have been
observed at 0.6 to 1.9 ppm. The
Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) has determined that
formaldehyde is a known human
carcinogen based on human and animal
inhalation studies.22 The EPA considers
formaldehyde as a ‘‘Probable Human
Carcinogen’’ in IRIS; https://
www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0419.htm. The
International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde
as a human carcinogen; https://
monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/
vol88/index.
Ambient modeling of formaldehyde in
the National Scale Air Toxics
Assessment (NATA) at major urban
centers indicate that formaldehyde
exposures over the long term for excess
cancer risks could be up to 100 in a
million with a national average of 20 in
a million based upon the current IRIS
Unit Risk Estimate (URE). Monitoring at
the National Air Toxics Trends Sites for
formaldehyde are in good agreement
with the NATA, refer to the following
Web site; https://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/
nata2005/compare.html.
22 This is according to the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry. https://
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=219&tid=39.
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The dispersion modeling for wood
furniture manufacturing and
shipbuilding does not incorporate
photochemical decay. The EPA
conducted a sensitivity analysis and
determined this feature in AERMOD 23
does not have a significant effect on
near-field exposures and is most
relevant for population exposures in the
far field especially for pollutants with
half-lives less than 30 minutes. The rate
of decay is also very dependent
temporally with less reactivity occurring
during evening hours as well as during
colder seasons. For more information on
the sensitivity analysis, please refer to
Section 4.6: Sensitivity Analysis—
Atmospheric Chemistry in ‘‘the EPA’s
Risk and Technology Review (RTR) Risk
Assessment Methodologies,’’ that was
reviewed by the EPA’s SAB; https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/rrisk/rtrpg.html.
Based upon the rate of decay for
formaldehyde varying from 1 hour to 16
hours and the fact that the MIR location
for this source category is located within
300 meters of the emission source, we
find that photochemical decay will not
have an effect on the MIR.
Comment: A commenter stated the
EPA’s sole justification for setting the
formaldehyde limit at 400 lbs per rolling
12-month period appears to be the fact
that this level is already contained in
the existing MACT as a work practice
requirement. Specifically, the
commenter contended:
The EPA has stated that adopting this level
as an emission standard would create ‘‘either
no or minimal additional costs.’’ Id. at
80,247. This number was chosen in 1995,
however. Where this number came from
initially is unclear. While it may be
convenient for industry to use a level with
which it is already familiar and that would
incur little or no extra cost, the EPA has not
provided a reasoned explanation based on
the required statutory health-based criteria
for choosing this limit, rather than a more
stringent limit. The record does not show
why this is the appropriate limit to set as a
residual risk standard in today’s world.
The EPA must complete this analysis and
set an appropriately protective standard to
satisfy CAA section 112(f)(2). Specifically,
the EPA must consider and address how
much emissions would be reduced if the EPA
set a lower standard, and what level of
emission standard is required to provide an
‘‘ample margin of safety.’’ 42 U.S.C.
§ 7412(f)(2). The EPA must address what
emission standard would be needed to bring
the MIR down to 1-in-1-million as the statute
directs. Id. The EPA must address what
standard is needed ‘‘to provide maximum
23 AERMOD was developed by the American
Meteorological Service (AMS)/EPA Regulatory
Model Improvement Committee (AERMIC). This is
the preferred model by EPA for modeling point,
area and volume sources of continuous air
emissions from facilities.
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feasible protection against risks to health’’ by
‘‘protecting the greatest number of persons
possible’’ to a lifetime risk level no greater
than 1-in-1 million. 75 Fed. Reg. at 80,223
(quoting Benzene NESHAP). The need for
this analysis is amplified by the fact that the
EPA has recognized numerous ‘‘uncertainties
related to the risk assessments, particularly
for formaldehyde and glycol ether
emissions.’’ Id. at 80,242–43. For example,
the EPA has stated that it is concerned that
its risk analysis has failed to account for
additional formaldehyde emissions that
likely occur during curing and gluing. Id. at
80,243. The uncertain amount of additional
risk unaccounted for provides another reason
for the EPA to set a more protective
formaldehyde emission standard than the
level chosen as a work practice standard in
1995.
Response: The EPA is not finalizing
the 400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period formaldehyde use limit as
proposed under 112(f) of the CAA. See
section III of the preamble for a
discussion of our final action.
The EPA is promulgating a
formaldehyde standard under section
112(d)(6). Please refer to earlier
descriptions in the preamble for further
justification of section 112(d)(6) of the
CAA. All wood furniture coatings and
contact adhesives must be low- or noformaldehyde (concentration not to
exceed 1 percent by weight
formaldehyde) or, as a compliance
alternative, formaldehyde emissions
from wood furniture facilities must not
exceed 400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period. The compliance options are
designed to promote continuing
reductions in formaldehyde emissions
from wood furniture without requiring
equipment changes that are not cost
effective or limiting in production. The
formaldehyde limits will avoid
constraining the production of wood
furniture products facilities while
encouraging facilities to maintain or
decrease levels of formaldehyde within
coatings and contact adhesives.
The 400 pounds per 12 month period
formaldehyde limit is based on the
threshold level in Table 5 of the 1995
NESHAP, which itself was a result of
negotiations with industry. In this RTR,
we took the familiar numerical
threshold for formaldehyde emissions
and made it a level not to exceed as a
compliance alternative. This was done,
in the proposal, to reduce the HQ of
formaldehyde from 7 to 3 in a cost
effective manner. Between proposal and
promulgation, it became clear through
public comments that this limit was not
cost effective for the source category. As
discussed in greater detail of section IV
of this preamble, this limit is now a
compliance alternative under section
112(d)(6).
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The science is unclear as to the degree
of formaldehyde curing under different
environmental conditions. We did not
receive any public comments containing
substantive or relevant emissions
information on formaldehyde emissions
from curing at wood furniture facilities.
Until there is more data relevant to how
cure formaldehyde is formed and/or in
what quantities, we are unable to set
limits for such emissions.
Comment: Five commenters disagreed
with the 400 pound per 12 month
period formaldehyde limit. Two of the
commenters noted that limiting
formaldehyde emissions from the wood
furniture manufacturing operations
source category is not supported by the
EPA’s risk analysis and is therefore
arbitrary. One commenter noted that the
total estimated cancer incidence due to
actual emissions is 0.005 excess cancer
cases per year or one case in every 200
years.
Another commenter further stated
that the limit is not necessary because
formaldehyde emissions are likely to
decrease further during the 2-year
compliance period, without any further
regulations.
A commenter stated that the EPA is
not justified in adopting this standard
under CAA section 112(f)(2)(A) or CAA
section 112(d)(6). On a related note, a
different commenter questioned the
authority of the EPA to establish a 400
pounds per year limit on formaldehyde
emissions. The basis for the
commenter’s assertion is that a 400
pound limit will limit production at
facilities and will inhibit companies
from meeting industry performance
standards. A commenter noted that the
EPA chose the 400 pound per year
formaldehyde limit based on Table 5 of
the MACT standard (List of VHAP of
Potential Concern Identified by
Industry). Currently, facilities that
exceed their baseline level would need
no further explanation to permitting
authorities if the exceedance is no more
than 15 percent above the baseline, or
if the use is below the level in Table 5.
According to the commenter, the EPA
did not note the number of facilities that
use the formaldehyde limit versus the
baseline exceedance option. Without
more data, it is not known if facilities
use the 400 pound per year limit. The
commenter assumed that most facilities
comply via the exceedance of baseline
option and not the 400 pound per year
limit.
A commenter also stated that the EPA
improperly presumed a ‘‘one-size fits
all’’ approach to coatings and adhesives
is feasible in the manufacture of wood
furniture/cabinet products. The EPA
failed to take into account the
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performance, quality and customer
requirements of these manufactured
goods. The coatings and adhesives used
for cabinet manufacture are specialized
and may contain higher amounts of
formaldehyde due to unique customer
requirements.
A commenter noted that based on the
data in an EPA memorandum,24 the
difference in price between coatings
with formaldehyde and those that are
formaldehyde-free is $3.02 per gallon.
The commenter assumed a 1 percent
formaldehyde content in the lower
priced coating and a coating density of
8 pounds per gallon. The $3.02 per
gallon additional cost for a
formaldehyde-free coating would reduce
formaldehyde emissions by 0.08 pounds
for a cost of $37.75 per pound of
formaldehyde eliminated or $75,500 per
ton.
The commenter also evaluated the
replacement cost for a topcoat
containing 0.25-percent formaldehyde
with a material containing only 0.005
percent formaldehyde. The price
differential of $3.58 per gallon resulting
in a cost of over $365,000 per ton of
formaldehyde eliminated.
The commenter noted the high cost of
replacement of contact adhesives. Based
on the relatively low formaldehyde
content in the current materials used, an
incremental cost of only $1 to $2 per
gallon could result in a cost exceeding
$20,000 per ton.
Response: Based on information
received in the comments and further
inquiry of the effects of the proposed
limit of 400 pounds formaldehyde per
rolling 12-month period, the EPA has
revised the standard to require the
formaldehyde content of coatings and
contact adhesives to be less than or
equal to 1 percent by weight with an
alternate compliance option of the 400
pounds per rolling 12-month period
formaldehyde use limit, as explained
elsewhere in the preamble.
This approach is promulgated under
the technology review requirements
under the CAA section 112(d)(6). Risk
was determined to be acceptable under
section 112(f)(2) of the CAA (residual
risk). This technology rule will not limit
production or result in significant costs
for high production facilities and will
encourage further reductions in the
future without compromising the
integrity of product.
The EPA has information that
indicates that most facilities will be able
to cost-effectively comply with the 1
24 See: Impacts of Implementing a Limit on
Formaldehyde Usage in the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations Source Category,
October 19, 2010. This document is available in the
docket for this rulemaking.
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percent by weight formaldehyde limit.25
A commenter asserts that coatings and
contact adhesives that are 1 percent
formaldehyde are cost effective. This
level of formaldehyde will be sufficient
to create the cross-linking nucleation
that provides durability to wood
furniture products in many cases. By
also having a formulation restriction as
an alternative to the 400 pound per year
limit, there will not be a restriction of
production.
Comment: Multiple commenters
offered comments related to the EPA’s
estimate of the cost for meeting the
proposed formaldehyde standard.
One of the commenters noted that the
EPA does not adequately support its
cost estimate. The commenter stated
that the EPA provided no data or
analysis to support its assumption that
all facilities operate in the same way or
that the use of no- or low- formaldehyde
coatings and contact adhesives would
be suitable for use by all facilities.
The commenter further noted that the
EPA’s ‘‘cost analysis’’ consists of price
information, from one supplier, of 13
no- or low-formaldehyde coatings that
the agency considers to be suitable for
use in wood furniture manufacturing
operations.26 The commenter noted that
the EPA does not analyze whether the
available coatings can be used in all
applications or would meet industry
performance standards.
A different commenter stated that the
technical and cost analyses the EPA
puts forth in support of the 400 pound
per year limit are not backed up by any
critical analysis or actual data.
According to the commenter, this
analysis amounts to the assertion that,
‘‘because some facilities are doing it, all
facilities should be able to do it. This is
an empty ‘analysis’ that provides no
support for the proposed 400 lb per year
limit. On top of that, the EPA also
asserts that the new standard can be met
‘at little or no extra cost.’ ’’ The
commenter stated that a much more
robust cost analysis would be needed to
justify imposing an additional emissions
limitation.
Moreover, two commenters noted that
the EPA does not address the additional
costs incurred due to the potential need
25 One of the major manufacturers of wood
furniture coatings, Valspar, does not carry any
products that have greater than 1 percent
formaldehyde leading to the conclusion that
coatings greater than 1 percent formaldehyde are
mostly unnecessary in the industry. https://
www.valsparwood.com/valsparwood/msds/
msds.jsp
26 See U.S. the EPA, Memorandum, Impacts of
Implementing a Limit on Formaldehyde Use in the
Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations Source
Category dated October 19, 2010 in the docket for
this action.
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for new equipment, the significant
expenses to adapt to a new finish
material.
Response: Based on information
received in comments, we have adopted
a 1 percent by weight formaldehyde
limit with a 400 pounds formaldehyde
per rolling 12-month period alternative
compliance limit that allows wood
furniture manufacturers to use their
discretion to reformulate to lower
formaldehyde coatings and contact
adhesives while not necessitating the
expense of production line
reconfiguration. As discussed above, we
have updated the cost-effectiveness
analysis for the proposed formaldehyde
limit and concluded that the 400 pound
per 12 month limit as proposed would
not be cost effective.27
Using low-formaldehyde coatings and
contact adhesives reflects developments
in technology and was described in the
proposal as the method to achieve
compliance with the proposed 400
pounds formaldehyde per rolling 12month period. A limit of 1 percent
formaldehyde in coatings and adhesives
allows facilities the flexibility to use
coatings and adhesives that are suitable
for a range of different products, from
cabinets to home furnishings, without
compromising their quality, cost or
production.28 Also, in many cases, the
1 percent formaldehyde limit will allow
flexibility in different types of line
configurations.29
Comment: Multiple commenters
noted that the EPA overestimated the
health risk from glycol ethers by using
ethylene glycol methyl ether as the
representative glycol ether.30 Given that
the use of glycol ethers other than
ethylene glycol methyl ether is the norm
for the industry, the risk associated with
this class of compounds is overstated in
the EPA’s analysis and no additional
regulation of glycol ethers is warranted.
The table contains a summary of
speciated glycol ethers that are less
toxic than ethylene glycol methyl ether.
This shows, in the commenter’s
27 For further detail, see memo to the docket,
Estimated Cost Impact for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Industry to Comply with Proposed
Formaldehyde Limit on Coating Operations Wood
Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated July 15, 2011.
28 It is necessary for some facilities to minimize
levels of formaldehyde in the coating formulation
to promote cross-linking nucleation. This process
directly affects the quality and durability of the
wood furniture. See notes from the Marsh Furniture
Site Visit in the docket for this action for reference.
29 For additional information, please see memo to
the docket, EPA Meeting with Kitchen Cabinet
Manufacturers Association (KCMA) and Select
Representatives, dated August 17, 2011.
30 The commenters referred to Table 4 in the
EPA’s October 22, 2010, memorandum, Review of
Glycol Ether Emissions Associated with Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Source Category.
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opinion, the EPA’s overestimation of the
health risk from these compounds.
One commenter offered another
assessment approach for glycol ethers:
A more reasonable assessment of glycol
ethers would be the example based on data
from all facilities of a large wood furniture
manufacturing company. Glycol ether
emissions in 2010 totaled 3.76 tons, of which
over 95 percent of the emissions were
ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, with the
remainder comprising diethylene glycol
phenyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl ether
and phenoxyethanol. Based on the
preponderance of ethylene glycol monobutyl
ether in these emissions, a risk assessment
using the significantly higher REL for
ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (REL = 14
vs. REL for ethylene glycol methyl ether of
0.093 ref: https://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/pdf/
acuterel.pdf) would conclude that the risk
from glycol ethers is approximately 150 times
lower than the EPA’s analysis shows. Even if
the REL for another glycol ether—Ethylene
Glycol Monoethyl Ether, REL 0.37—were
used, the risk associated with glycol ethers
would be reduced by a factor of 4.
A second commenter offered a
different option. The commenter
recommended that the HQ derived by
the EPA for Propyl Cellosolve®
(ethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether
(EGME)) be recalculated using an REL
they propose for ethylene glycol phenyl
ether (EGPE). The commenter contends
that information provided in their
comments demonstrates that sufficient
information exists to derive an REL for
EGPE, which would be more
appropriate for risk management than
the REL for EGME.
Response: As we acknowledged in the
proposal, the use of the EGME REL in
our acute risk screening assessments
provided us with a conservative (i.e.,
health-protective) estimate of potential
acute health risks from glycol ethers
when the exact speciation profile of
emitted glycol ethers was uncertain. For
this source category, approximately 70
percent of facilities reporting glycol
ether emissions reported them without
any speciation information. Since there
are no AEGL or ERPG values available
for any glycol ethers, this further limits
our ability to interpret the potential
acute impacts of glycol ethers. Since
this uncertainty remains, the EPA is not
convinced that the use of less healthprotective assumptions (such as those
recommended by the commenters)
represents any improvement in the
assessment of potential acute impacts.
Even so, because of the healthprotective nature of our assessment, we
do not believe that these estimated
worst-case acute glycol ether impacts
warrant the adoption of additional
control measures.
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Comment: A commenter suggested
that the EPA either define the term
‘‘conventional’’ or mention the types of
spray guns that are to be used to assist
the regulated community in complying
with this rule. The commenter
suggested specific items, mentioned in
the Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous
Surface Coating Operations rule
(Subpart HHHHHH): High-volume lowpressure (HVLP) spray guns,
electrostatic applications, airless or airassisted airless spray guns, or airassisted airless equivalent technologies.
Another commenter suggested that
the EPA exclude the following
components from the definition:
Handheld non-refillable aerosol
containers, touch-up markers, marking
pens, and the application of paper film
or plastic film which may be pre-coated
with an adhesive by the manufacturer.
These items are allowed by the
miscellaneous metal parts and products
NESHAP (subpart MMMM).
Response: The existing Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
MACT standards define ‘‘conventional
air spray’’ as:
a spray coating method in which the coating
is atomized by mixing it with compressed air
and applied at an air pressure greater than 10
pounds per square inch (gauge) at the point
of atomization. Airless and air assisted airless
spray technologies are not conventional air
spray because the coating is not atomized by
mixing it with compressed air. Electrostatic
spray technology is also not considered
conventional air spray because an
electrostatic charge is employed to attract the
coating to the workpiece. 40 CFR 63.801(a).
Many of the above suggestions for
specific coating applications are clearly
included or excluded by the definition
of conventional spray provided in the
1995 NESHAP. The technologies listed
above such as touch-up markers,
marking pens and manufacturer precoated adhesive film are not affected by
the ban on use of conventional spray
guns because they do not have a spray,
i.e., they are not ‘‘a spray coating
method.’’ Despite certain technologies
being incorporated to other rule
makings such as subpart HHHHHH, the
commenter did not explain why these
applications are necessary for this rule
making. Examples of compliant spray
technology include, but are not limited
to HVLP spray guns, low-volume lowpressure guns (LVLP), electrostatic
applications, airless and air-assisted
airless spray guns. Low-capacity HVLP
cup guns may be used for small batch
operations.
Comment: A commenter suggested
that the EPA clarify in the rule that
facilities with controls can continue to
use conventional spray guns. Any
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emissions would be controlled via the
control device.
Another commenter noted that several
RTOs, which rely on rich VOC waste
streams, are being operated in the
industry. To impose air-assisted-airless
guns reduces RTO efficiency and
requires more fossil fuel to be
consumed. Regenerative thermal
oxidizers are fueled by overspray and
fossil fuels; when the quantity of
overspray is decreased, the more fossil
fuel that is needed to keep the RTO
functioning.
Response: The proposed rule has been
revised to allow use of conventional
spray guns when the overspray is routed
to a functioning control device. The
efficiency of the control device
sufficiently reduces excess emissions
associated with the decreased spray
efficiency of conventional spray guns.31
Comment: Two commenters noted
that the EPA offered an incorrect
premise that all applicator
improvements to increase transfer
efficiency of the sprayed material will
result in reduced emissions simply due
to higher transfer efficiencies. The
premise does not consider the low-use
application considerations required for
trials, touchups and product repairs.
One of the commenters noted:
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HVLP and equivalent high efficiency
applicators require larger volumes of
premixed materials for application and are
best used where large quantities of materials
are intended (usually volumes larger than
one gallon to as much as 30 gallons) and in
production quantity applications where large
surface areas are coated. Under large volume
spray applications, the high transfer
efficiency equipment results in reduced
material consumptions resulting in lower
operating costs and lower emissions. Under
high volume application conditions, there are
both economic and environmental
advantages for operations to use high transfer
efficiency equipment.
However, for low use applications such as
low volume color stains, trial materials, small
touchups and repairs, mixing large batches
for use in high transfer efficiency equipment
will result in increased material consumption
and waste, increased cleanup solvent
consumption and waste, and, for catalyzed
top coat materials, material loss through
restricted pot life. The proposed applicator
changes would result in an inability to
31 A typical transfer efficiency of an HVLP gun is
65–85 percent compared to 25–45 percent for
conventional guns under similar conditions. This is
a difference of 40 percent spray efficiency. When
compared to an estimate of 90 percent efficiency of
an add-on control device, the control device more
than compensates for the 40 percent reduction in
efficiency of guns. For more information on transfer
efficiencies of spray technologies see the memo to
the docket, Impacts of Prohibiting the Use of
Conventional Spray Guns in the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations Source Category, dated
October 29, 2010.
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properly mix small batch work coatings
(stains, sealers, topcoats, etc.), resulting in
more wasted raw material, increased cleanup
material use, waste and emissions and an
unnecessary increase in generated waste
volume.
Arguably, the use of low volume
conventional spray equipment such as cup
guns, etc., affords the industry a small
volume spray alternative that would
otherwise require a part to be re-finished or
scrapped entirely. Failed finish repairs with
minimal rework and reapplication to the part
and in some instances salvage of an
otherwise scrapped production part makes
production and environmental sense. Indeed
small quantity applicators (generally those
with a restricted volume of 1.0 U.S. quart or
less) may actually result in lower VOC and
VHAP emissions due to the restricted use
and inherent limited production capability of
the application equipment itself.
Such an overreaching requirement for all
spray equipment to be of the HVLP spray
type or equivalent is not reasonable and does
not consider the other adverse environmental
impacts discussed above.
Response: First, we note the
commenter agrees with the EPA that
with large volume spray applications,
which the commenter defines as larger
than one gallon and in production
quantities, high transfer efficiency
equipment results in reduced material
consumption, lower operating costs and
lower emissions.32 In addition, we find
that the application technology is
available for small batches of coating to
be applied with non-conventional spray
guns such as HVLP cup guns. The use
of HVLP cup guns will allow for smaller
batch mixes. This prevents unneeded
coating material going to waste. With
the higher spray efficiency associated
with non-conventional spray guns, a
greater portion of the spray is coating
the piece of wood. This means that there
is less overspray leading to fewer
emissions. Other touch-up applications
such as touch-up markers and handheld
non-refillable aerosol containers may
still be used under the standard. For
more information see Use of NonConventional Spray Technology in the
Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Industry, dated August 3, 2011 and
Impacts of Prohibiting the Use of
Conventional Spray Guns in the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations
Source Category, dated October 19,
2010, in the docket for this action.
C. Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating)
Comment: A commenter stated the
EPA has provided no rational
32 For more information please see Impacts of
Prohibiting the Use of Conventional Spray Guns in
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
Source Category, dated October 19, 2010, in the
docket for this action.
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explanation for refusing to update the
technology standards for both categories
to meet the CAA section 112(d)(6)
requirement, at minimum, by matching
the limits of what sources have achieved
and what other jurisdictions have
required. The commenter stated:
We urge the EPA to do so in the final rule.
Where, as here, there are ‘‘significant
developments’’ in technology, and where, as
here, sources have achieved lower levels of
emissions ‘‘in practice’’ than are ‘‘MACTallowable,’’ it is abundantly clear that
§ 112(d)(6) requires the EPA to revise its
standards in accordance with CAA
§ 112(d)(2)–(3), (6), 42 U.S.C. § 7412(d)(2)–
(3), (6).
The commenter also inquires why the
EPA did not adopt more stringent
standards based on other regulating
bodies within the country.
Response: As explained in the
proposal, in accordance with the
approach established in the Benzene
NESHAP, our analysis of risks for this
source category showed that the
maximum source-category cancer risks
for all facilities are within the range of
acceptable risks and that the maximum
chronic noncancer risks are unlikely to
cause health impacts. The EPA has
weighed all health risk measures and
information considered in the risk
acceptability determination, along with
the costs and economic impacts of
emissions controls, technological
feasibility, uncertainties, and other
relevant factors, in making our ample
margin of safety determination. The
EPA has found the overall level of risk
to be acceptable for the source category
and the ample margin of safety
determination for this source category
indicates that potential controls are not
cost effective and technically feasible.
Comment: A commenter stated that
the EPA has failed to fulfill its CAA
section 112(f)(2) duty to fully assess and
determine whether the risk from this
source category is ‘‘acceptable.’’ The
EPA concludes that this category creates
an MIR of 20-in-1 million based on
allowable emissions, and 10-in-1
million based on estimated ‘‘actual’’
emissions. The EPA does not justify its
conclusion on the record that this level
of risk is acceptable. It simply lists the
numbers and different factors, without
explaining how it is analyzing these
factors or why they have led the EPA to
reach its conclusion. The EPA
recognizes that disparities in risk exist,
with individuals in certain demographic
groups, including African Americans
and people with income below the
poverty level, more likely to experience
a higher level of risk. As discussed
above, the EPA cannot simply rely on
the old Benzene presumption that any
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level of risk under 100-in-1 million is
acceptable. And, the fact that 4,000
people is a ‘‘relatively low’’ number
(i.e., the number estimated to be
exposed to cancer risks of 1-in-1 million
or greater) does not justify the EPA’s
proposal of inaction to protect these
people. CAA section 112(f)(2) requires
the EPA to set standards for the
maximum exposed individual. The
individuals in this group of 4,000 are
the very people whom the law requires
the EPA to be concerned about.
Response: We do not consider the 1in-1 million MIR level as a ‘bright line’
mandated level of protection for
establishing residual risk standards. In
determining the ample margin of safety
(i.e., the level of the standard), health
risk is one factor that we must consider,
along with other factors such as cost and
technological feasibility. Balancing
these and other factors with the ability
to achieve meaningful risk reduction is
a critical component of the residual risk
rulemaking process. We considered
reducing risks further but concluded
that the technology required, such as a
portable or permanent enclosure big
enough to accommodate an entire ship
or even a section of a ship to capture
and control air emissions, would be cost
prohibitive for this industry. Although
our additional analysis of the
demographics of the exposed
population shows some disparities in
risks between demographic groups for
both categories, the EPA has determined
that no group is exposed to an
unacceptable level of risk. In general,
the contribution of the source category
to elevated facilitywide cancer or
noncancer risks is low throughout the
facilities in this source category. The
primary processes driving the
facilitywide cancer and noncancer risks
are welding and blasting which are not
regulated under this source activity.
Comment: A commenter stated that
the EPA has determined that maximum
individual cancer risk at the
facilitywide level is 200-in-1 million
based on estimated ‘‘actual’’ emissions.
This means that the risk is likely to be
higher based on allowable emissions.
Further, of the 41 facilities with
facilitywide MIR of 1-in-1 million or
more, 15 have shipbuilding and ship
repair operations that contribute over 50
percent to the facilitywide risks. Yet, the
EPA does not propose to take any action
to address that risk. The EPA should
investigate ways to reduce this residual
risk. It does not consider or address
whether this level of facilitywide risk is
acceptable at facilities where this source
category is contributing so significantly.
The EPA must do so to complete its
CAA section 112(f)(2) duty. Its failure to
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consider regulatory options to address
this residual risk is also arbitrary and
capricious. At minimum, the EPA
should consider whether to set a
residual risk standard in order to reduce
this high level of facilitywide risk. It
should consider requiring extra work
practice, reporting, monitoring and
other measures for facilities that have
the level of emissions putting them into
this highest risk category. In sum, the
EPA must address what standard is
needed ‘‘to provide maximum feasible
protection against risks to health’’ by
‘‘protecting the greatest number of
persons possible’’ to a lifetime risk level
no greater than 1-in-1 million. (quoting
Benzene NESHAP), and its facilitywide
risk analysis has failed to complete this
essential step.
Response: We examined facilitywide
risk to provide additional context to the
source category risks. Facilitywide risks
are driven by estimated emissions from
blasting and welding sources at
shipbuilding and ship repair facilities.
These sources are not part of the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (surface
coating) source category. As discussed
in the preamble to the proposed actions
for this source category [75 FR 80237],
we intend to list welding and blasting
operations as a major source category
under section 112(c)(5) of the CAA.
Comment: A commenter stated that
with respect to the Shipbuilding and
Ship Repair standard, we are concerned
that the EPA based its decision that no
additional controls are needed and that
the existing standard provides an ample
margin of safety in part due to ‘‘the
uncertainty and lack of data associated
with one potential risk reduction option
identified, and the technological
infeasibility of the other option
identified.’’ The commenter urged the
EPA to obtain the necessary data
regarding the two options to make a
more informed decision, including
contacting air quality agencies that
currently regulate the source category.
We compliment the EPA on its intention
to list welding and blasting operations
at shipbuilding and ship repair facilities
as a major source category under section
112(c)(5), but encourage the EPA to
determine the extent to which this
action will address the risks remaining
at these facilities before deciding that
relying on this strategy is sufficient.
Another commenter stated that the
EPA’s proposal fails to satisfy the
‘‘ample margin’’ requirement. The EPA
bases this conclusion in part on the fact
that it has ‘‘not identified any data
regarding the availability, use,
performance and emissions associated
with the use of lower overall volatile
organic hazardous air pollutants
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(VOHAP) content or lower toxicity
VOHAP content.’’ Id. The EPA’s
conclusion is incorrect based on the use
of the California standards in place. It is
unclear why the EPA did not simply
contact the four identified California air
quality districts that have more stringent
emission limits to attempt to gather
these data. See Part IV.A.1, infra. This
is the 8-year residual risk rulemaking
and now is the time to collect and
consider those data. The EPA may not
defer or ignore this responsibility, or the
fact that stricter standards are in use
that it must address. The EPA also
cannot justify a failure to set a residual
risk standard on a lack of data. The EPA
has failed to explain how the existing
section 112(d) standard could provide
the required ‘‘ample margin of safety.’’
One commenter also stated that where
other jurisdictions have implemented
stronger standards, this provides
evidence that for the purposes of CAA
section 112(d)(6), that more stringent
limitations are achievable and have
been achieved.
However, the EPA states that there are
differences between coating limits in the
four air districts, and that the 1995
MACT standard includes cold weather
limits which are not present in the
California standards due to its moderate
climate. Neither of these points is a
valid reason for the EPA not to further
analyze and adopt stronger standards
based on these California examples.
While it may not be appropriate to
adopt the California standards in full on
a national basis, the EPA gives no
rational justification for not analyzing
how to take these models and use them
to create an appropriate national
standard under CAA section 112(d)(6).
The EPA concludes that ‘‘we do not
have data to determine whether these
lower-VOC content coatings could be
applied nationwide.’’ Gathering and
analyzing that data, starting with any
information already compiled by the
California districts, is precisely what the
section 112(d)(6) rulemaking is designed
for. A lack of data is not a lawful basis
for the EPA to decline to adopt a
stronger MACT standard.
Response: The EPA researched
current technologies for the
shipbuilding and ship repair surface
coating industry, and did not find any
cost effective options that would make
the current standard more stringent.
Related to the marine coating limits in
the MACT rule, we reviewed the general
use and 22 specialty coating VOHAP
limits and the lower limits that some
states and air districts have adopted
over the past decade for some of the
specialty categories. Furthermore, we
requested comment on the availability
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and feasibility of using lower VOHAP
coatings but did not receive any data or
information during the comment period.
Following proposal, we did contact a
shipyard in Maine, and found that the
use of lower VOHAP coatings, such as
those required to meet the limits set by
some of the California air quality
districts, is not feasible in climates that
are not as moderate and, therefore,
necessitate greater thinning of paint.
As noted by the commenter, some
jurisdictions have implemented more
stringent standards that have resulted in
changes to formulations being used in
those locations. However, temperature
and humidity issues experienced by
other locations would make painting
operations having to comply with the
more stringent limitations more
difficult, more expensive, and in some
cases unachievable.
There are many different coatings,
and in some cases groups of specific
coatings, comprising each of the marine
coating categories. Over the past several
years, there have been changes to some
formulations with HAP solvent
reductions and solvent replacements,
but those are coating and manufacturer
specific and not reflective of the entire
marine coating category.33
Comment: A commenter stated the
EPA recognizes that there are
‘‘disparities in risks’’ for certain
minority and lower-income individuals.
For shipbuilding and ship repair,
African Americans and people below
the poverty level face a cancer risk of at
least 1-in-1 million at a higher rate than
their representation in the population.
The EPA must consider potential ways
to address the disproportionate impact
on minority individuals and
communities in deciding whether the
likelihood of cancer risk is ‘‘acceptable’’
and whether there is action that could
provide an ‘‘ample margin of safety’’ for
these individuals and communities.
Indeed, the EPA has recognized this
since the development of the Benzene
NESHAP, although it has failed to take
action to address this (citing Benzene
NESHAP factors, including ‘‘overall
incidence of cancer or other serious
health effects within the exposed
population… other quantified or
unquantified health effects’’). These
additional factors are supposed to be
used in addition to the MIR. It is neither
acceptable, nor just, to avoid the need
to reduce the correlation between race
33 See following memos to the docket on costeffectiveness of control technologies: Cost Analyses
for Add-on Controls for Surface Coating Operations
at Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Facilities, dated
September 2, 2010 and Affordability of Add-on
Controls for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Source
Category, dated October 18, 2010.
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or income level and a disproportionate
risk of cancer from toxic air pollution.
The EPA’s proposals for inaction, in the
face of the recognized disparities,
contradict the Administrator’s professed
commitment to ‘‘fair treatment’’ (EJ
Guidance, infra note 30, at 3). With the
knowledge it has, the EPA must, at
minimum, consider the amount of
background pollution faced by, and
baseline health of, racial minorities and
communities affected by these two
source categories, including for the
types of health effects that these HAP
emissions have potential to exacerbate.
These types of health data are readily
available for the EPA to factor into its
analysis and to use in proposing a
regulatory response to the
disproportionate risk found. It would be
arbitrary and capricious to propose to
take no further action at all after finding
these disparities for both source
categories.
The commenter supports the EPA’s
effort to gather demographic data.
Merely looking at these numbers in a
simplistic manner, however, is no
substitute for a true environmental
justice (EJ) analysis. The EPA should
develop and undertake an actual
analysis of the location and community
effects of these source categories. It has
sufficient data on the locations of these
facilities to undertake an analysis of the
effect of their emissions on the
maximum exposed individual, the
history of pollution faced in the most
affected community, and to consider
how to set a just standard in view of
these lasting harms.
Response: The demographic analysis
found that African Americans and
people below the poverty line may be
somewhat disproportionately impacted
by facilitywide air toxics emissions;
however, emissions from the source
category itself contribute minimally to
these impacts. The EPA also found the
overall level of risk from both source
categories to be acceptable and to
provide an ample margin of safety for all
populations in close proximity to these
sources. As noted previously, the EPA’s
ability to quantitatively assess impacts
on EJ communities is evolving.
VI. Impacts of the Final Rules
We estimate the only compliance
costs for these amendments to the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) MACT standard to be those
costs associated with facilities that
choose to take advantage of the
affirmative defense although there is no
expectation that a facility will have a
need for affirmative defense in this
source category. These estimated costs
are $3,141 per year, and are discussed
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in section VII.B. For these amendments
to the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations MACT standards, we
estimate the compliance costs to be
$188,000 per year for the formaldehyde
limit reporting and recordkeeping
provisions, and $3,141 for facilities that
choose to take advantage of the
affirmative defense although there is no
expectation that a facility will have a
need for affirmative defense in this
source category. These costs are
discussed in section VII.B.
VII. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
A. Executive Orders 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review, and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and
Regulatory Review
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR
51735, October 4, 1993), this action is a
‘‘significant regulatory action.’’
Accordingly, the EPA submitted this
action to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review under
Executive Order 12866 and Executive
Order 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21,
2011), and any changes made in
response to OMB recommendations
have been documented in the docket for
this action.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
The information collection
requirements in the final rules have
been submitted for approval to OMB
under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.
The information collection requirements
are not enforceable until OMB approves
them.
The information requirements are
based on notification, recordkeeping
and reporting requirements in the
NESHAP General Provisions (40 CFR
part 63, subpart A), which are
mandatory for all operators subject to
national emission standards. These
recordkeeping and reporting
requirements are specifically authorized
by section 114 of the CAA (42 U.S.C.
7414). All information submitted to the
EPA pursuant to the recordkeeping and
reporting requirements for which a
claim of confidentiality is made is
safeguarded according to agency
policies set forth in 40 CFR part 2,
subpart B.
These final rules would require
maintenance inspections of the control
devices but would not require any
notifications or reports beyond those
required by the General Provisions. The
recordkeeping requirements require
only the specific information needed to
determine compliance.
When a malfunction occurs, sources
must report them according to the
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applicable reporting requirements of 40
CFR part 63, subparts II and JJ. An
affirmative defense to civil penalties for
exceedances of emission limits that are
caused by malfunctions is available to a
source if it can demonstrate that certain
criteria and requirements are satisfied.
The criteria ensure that the affirmative
defense is available only where the
event that causes an exceedance of the
emission limit meets the narrow
definition of malfunction in 40 CFR 63.2
(sudden, infrequent, not reasonable
preventable, and not caused by poor
maintenance and or careless operation)
and where the source took necessary
actions to minimize emissions. In
addition, the source must meet certain
notification and reporting requirements.
For example, the source must prepare a
written root cause analysis and submit
a written report to the Administrator
documenting that it has met the
conditions and requirements for
assertion of the affirmative defense.
To provide the public with an
estimate of the relative magnitude of the
burden associated with an assertion of
the affirmative defense position adopted
by a source, the EPA provides an
administrative adjustment to these ICRs
that estimates the costs of the
notification, recordkeeping and
reporting requirements associated with
the assertion of the affirmative defense.
The EPA’s estimate for the required
notification, reports and records,
including the root cause analysis,
associated with a single incident totals
approximately $3,141, and is based on
the time and effort required of a source
to review relevant data, interview plant
employees, and document the events
surrounding a malfunction that has
caused an exceedance of an emission
limit. The estimate also includes time to
produce and retain the records and
reports for submission to the EPA. The
EPA provides this illustrative estimate
of this burden because these costs are
only incurred if there has been a
violation and a source chooses to take
advantage of the affirmative defense.
In these source categories, compliance
is primarily achieved through
reformulation of the coating. Because of
this a malfunction of equipment, other
than control devices, will not result in
an exceedance of the standard. As noted
previously, there is a small percentage
of wood furniture facilities that use
control devices for compliance;
malfunctions with these devices are
unlikely due to limited number in the
industry compounding the unlikelihood
of a malfunction. Therefore, we assert
that although a cost for affirmative
defense is possible, we believe that
malfunctions are unlikely. Thus for
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these source categories, the EPA is not
assigning any burden associated with
affirmative defense.
This burden estimate for Shipbuilding
and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) has
been assigned EPA ICR number 1712.07
and for Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations has been assigned EPA ICR
number 1716.08, and both have been
updated to reflect the estimate cost of
availing the affirmative defense should
a facility choose this option.
For the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations MACT
standards, the ICR document prepared
by the EPA has also been amended to
include burden changes associated with
the amendments regarding the
formaldehyde limit added to the rule.
The change in respondents’ annual
reporting and recordkeeping burden
associated with these amendments for
this collection (averaged over the first
3 years after the effective date of the
standards) is estimated to be 2,000 labor
hours with a total cost of $188,000 per
year for the formaldehyde limit
reporting and recordkeeping provisions.
There will be no capital costs associated
with the information collection
requirements of the final rule.
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. When
these ICRs are approved by OMB, the
agency will publish a technical
amendment to 40 CFR part 9 in the
Federal Register to display the OMB
control numbers for the approved
information collection requirements
contained in the final rules.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
The RFA generally requires an agency
to prepare a regulatory flexibility
analysis of any rule subject to notice
and comment rulemaking requirements
under the Administrative Procedure
Act, or any other statute, unless the
agency certifies that the rule will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
Small entities include small businesses,
small organizations and small
governmental jurisdictions.
For purposes of assessing the impact
of these final rules on small entities,
small entity is defined as: (1) A small
business as defined by the Small
Business Administration’s regulations at
13 CFR 121.201; (2) a small
governmental jurisdiction that is a
government of a city, county, town,
school district or special district with a
population of less than 50,000; and (3)
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a small organization that is any not-forprofit enterprise which is independently
owned and operated and is not
dominant in its field.
After considering the economic
impacts of these final rules on small
entities, I certify that this action will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
The costs associated with the new
requirements in these final rules (i.e.,
the formaldehyde use limit and
conventional spray gun prohibition in
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations standards) are negligible as
discussed above.
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA)
These rules do not contain a federal
mandate that may result in expenditures
of $100 million or more for state, local
and tribal governments, in the aggregate,
or the private sector in any 1 year. Thus,
these rules are not subject to the
requirements of sections 202 or 205 of
UMRA.
These rules also do not contain
regulatory requirements that might
significantly or uniquely affect small
governments. They contain no
requirements that apply to such
governments or impose obligations
upon them.
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, as specified in
Executive Order 13132. These final
rules primarily affect private industry
and do not impose significant economic
costs on state or local governments.
Thus, Executive Order 13132 does not
apply to this action.
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
This action does not have tribal
implications, as specified in Executive
Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
2000). It will not have a substantial
direct effect on tribal governments, on
the relationship between the federal
government and Indian tribes, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities between the federal
government and Indian tribes, as
specified in Executive Order 13175.
Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not
apply to this action.
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G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks
This action is not subject to Executive
Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23,
1997), because it is not economically
significant as defined in 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 will not relax the
control measures on existing regulated
sources, and the EPA’s risk assessments
(included in the docket for the proposed
rules) demonstrate that the existing
regulations are associated with an
acceptable level of risk and an ample
margin of safety to protect public health.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution or Use
This action is not a ‘‘significant
energy action’’ as defined in Executive
Order 13211 (66 FR 28355 (May 22,
2001)), because it is not likely to have
a significant adverse effect on the
supply, distribution or use of energy.
This action will not create any new
requirements for sources in the energy
supply, distribution or use sectors.
Further, we have concluded that these
final rules are not likely to have any
adverse energy effects.
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I. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTAA)
Section 12(d) of the NTTAA of 1995,
Public Law Number 104–113, 12(d) (15
U.S.C. 272 note) directs the EPA to use
voluntary consensus standards (VCS) in
its regulatory activities, unless to do so
would be inconsistent with applicable
law or otherwise impractical. The VCS
are technical standards (e.g., materials
specifications, test methods, sampling
procedures and business practices) that
are developed or adopted by VCS
bodies. The NTTAA directs the EPA to
provide Congress, through OMB,
explanations when the agency decides
not to use available and applicable VCS.
This action does not involve technical
standards. Therefore, the EPA did not
consider the use of any VCS.
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal
Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629,
February 16, 1994) establishes federal
executive policy on EJ. Its main
provision directs federal agencies, to the
greatest extent practicable and
permitted by law, to make EJ part of
their mission by identifying and
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addressing, as appropriate,
disproportionately high and adverse
human health or environmental effects
of their programs, policies and activities
on minority populations and lowincome populations in the United
States.
The EPA has determined that these
final rules will not have
disproportionately high and adverse
human health or environmental effects
on minority or low-income populations,
because we have concluded that the
existing rules adequately protect human
health with an adequate margin of safety
and the final rules do not decrease the
level of protection provided to human
health or the environment. To examine
the potential for any EJ issues that might
be associated with each source category,
we evaluated the distributions of HAPrelated cancer risks across different
social, demographic and economic
groups within the populations living
near the facilities where these source
categories are located. Our analyses
show that, for the two source categories
evaluated, there is no potential for an
adverse environmental effect or human
health multi-pathway effects, and that
acute and chronic noncancer health
impacts are unlikely. Our additional
analysis of facilitywide risks showed
that the maximum facilitywide cancer
risks for all source categories are within
the range of acceptable risks and that
the maximum chronic noncancer risks
are unlikely to cause health impacts.
Although our additional analysis of the
demographics of the exposed
population shows some disparities in
risks between demographic groups for
both categories, the EPA has determined
that no group is exposed to an
unacceptable level of risk.
The rules will not relax the control
measures on emissions sources
regulated by the rules, and therefore,
will not increase risks to any
populations exposed to these emissions
sources.
K. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
The CRA, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq., as
added by the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996,
generally provides that, before a rule
may take effect, the agency
promulgating the rule must submit a
rule report, which includes a copy of
the rule, to each House of the Congress
and to the Comptroller General of the
United States. The EPA will submit a
report containing this final rule and
other required information to the United
States Senate, the United States House
of Representatives, and the Comptroller
General of the United States prior to
publication of the final rule in the
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Federal Register. A major rule cannot
take effect until 60 days after it is
published in the Federal Register. This
action is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as defined
by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). The final rule will
be effective on November 21, 2011.
List of Subjects for 40 CFR Part 63
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedures,
Air pollution control, Hazardous
substances, Intergovernmental relations,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: November 4, 2011.
Lisa P. Jackson,
Administrator.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, Title 40, chapter I, of the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is
amended as follows:
PART 63—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 63
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
Subpart II—[Amended]
2. Section 63.781 is amended by
revising paragraph (d) to read as
follows:
■
§ 63.781
Applicability.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) If you are authorized in
accordance with 40 CFR 63.783(c) to use
an add-on control system as an
alternative means of limiting emissions
from coating operations, in response to
an action to enforce the standards set
forth in this subpart, you may assert an
affirmative defense to a claim for civil
penalties for exceedances of such
standards that are caused by a
malfunction, as defined in 40 CFR 63.2.
Appropriate penalties may be assessed,
however, if you fail to meet your burden
of proving all the requirements in the
affirmative defense. The affirmative
defense shall not be available in
response to claims for injunctive relief.
(1) To establish the affirmative
defense in any action to enforce such a
limit, you must timely meet the
notification requirements in paragraph
(d)(2) of this section, and must prove by
a preponderance of evidence that:
(i) The excess emissions:
(A) Were caused by a sudden,
infrequent and unavoidable failure of air
pollution control and monitoring
equipment, process equipment or a
process to operate in a normal or usual
manner; and
(B) Could not have been prevented
through careful planning, proper design
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or better operation and maintenance
practices; and
(C) Did not stem from any activity or
event that could have been foreseen and
avoided, or planned for; and
(D) Were not part of a recurring
pattern indicative of inadequate design,
operation, or maintenance; and
(ii) Repairs were made as
expeditiously as possible when the
applicable emission limitations were
being exceeded. Off-shift and overtime
labor were used, to the extent
practicable to make these repairs; and
(iii) The frequency, amount and
duration of the excess emissions
(including any bypass) were minimized
to the maximum extent practicable
during periods of such emissions; and
(iv) If the excess emissions resulted
from a bypass of control equipment or
a process, then the bypass was
unavoidable to prevent loss of life,
personal injury or severe property
damage; and
(v) All possible steps were taken to
minimize the impact of the excess
emissions on ambient air quality, the
environment and human health; and
(vi) All emissions monitoring and
control systems were kept in operation
if at all possible, consistent with safety
and good air pollution control practices;
and
(vii) All of the actions in response to
the excess emissions were documented
by properly signed, contemporaneous
operating logs; and
(viii) At all times, the affected source
was operated in a manner consistent
with good practices for minimizing
emissions; and
(ix) A written root cause analysis has
been prepared, the purpose of which is
to determine, correct and eliminate the
primary causes of the malfunction and
the excess emissions resulting from the
malfunction event at issue. The analysis
shall also specify, using best monitoring
methods and engineering judgment, the
amount of excess emissions that were
the result of the malfunction.
(2) Notification. The owner or
operator of the facility experiencing an
exceedance of its emission limit(s)
during a malfunction shall notify the
Administrator by telephone or facsimile
(FAX) transmission as soon as possible,
but no later than 2 business days after
the initial occurrence of the
malfunction, if it wishes to avail itself
of an affirmative defense to civil
penalties for that malfunction. The
owner or operator seeking to assert an
affirmative defense shall also submit a
written report to the Administrator
within 45 days of the initial occurrence
of the exceedance of the standard in this
subpart to demonstrate, with all
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necessary supporting documentation,
that it has met the requirements set forth
in paragraph (d)(1) of this section. The
owner or operator may seek an
extension of this deadline for up to 30
additional days by submitting a written
request to the Administrator before the
expiration of the 45 day period. Until a
request for an extension has been
approved by the Administrator, the
owner or operator is subject to the
requirement to submit such report
within 45 days of the initial occurrence
of the exceedance.
■ 3. Section 63.782 is amended by
adding a definition for ‘‘affirmative
defense’’ to read as follows:
§ 63.782
Definitions.
*
*
*
*
*
Affirmative defense means, in the
context of an enforcement proceeding, a
response or a defense put forward by a
defendant, regarding which the
defendant has the burden of proof, and
the merits of which are independently
and objectively evaluated in a judicial
or administrative proceeding.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 4. Section 63.783 is amended by
redesignating paragraphs (b)(1) and
(b)(2) as (b)(2) and (b)(3) and adding a
new paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows:
§ 63.783
Standards.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(1) At all times the owner or operator
must operate and maintain any affected
source, including associated air
pollution control equipment and
monitoring equipment, in a manner
consistent with safety and good air
pollution control practices for
minimizing emissions. Determination of
whether such operation and
maintenance procedures are being used
will be based on information available
to the Administrator which may
include, but is not limited to,
monitoring results, review of operation
and maintenance procedures, review of
operation and maintenance records, and
inspection of the source.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 5. Section 63.785 is amended by
adding paragraph (e) before Figure 1 to
§ 63.785 to read as follows:
§ 63.785
Compliance procedures.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) Continuous compliance
requirements. You must demonstrate
continuous compliance with the
emissions standards and operating
limits by using the performance test
methods and procedures in § 63.786 for
each affected source.
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(1) General requirements.
(i) You must monitor and collect data,
and provide a site specific monitoring
plan, as required by §§ 63.783, 63.785,
63.786 and 63.787.
(ii) Except for periods of monitoring
system malfunctions, repairs associated
with monitoring system malfunctions,
and required monitoring system quality
assurance or quality control activities
(including, as applicable, calibration
checks and required zero and span
adjustments), you must operate the
monitoring system and collect data at all
required intervals at all times the
affected source is operating, and periods
of malfunction. Any period for which
data collection is required and the
operation of the Continuous Emissions
Monitoring System (CEMS) is not
otherwise exempt and for which the
monitoring system is out-of-control and
data are not available for required
calculations constitutes a deviation from
the monitoring requirements.
(iii) You may not use data recorded
during monitoring system malfunctions,
repairs associated with monitoring
system malfunctions or required
monitoring system quality assurance or
control activities in calculations used to
report emissions or operating levels. A
monitoring system malfunction is any
sudden, infrequent, not reasonably
preventable failure of the monitoring
system to provide valid data.
Monitoring system failures that are
caused in part by poor maintenance or
careless operation are not malfunctions.
The owner or operator must use all the
data collected during all other periods
in assessing the operation of the control
device and associated control system.
(2) [Reserved]
*
*
*
*
*
■ 6. Section 63.786 is amended by
adding paragraph (e) to read as follows:
§ 63.786
Test methods and procedures.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) For add-on control systems
approved for use in limiting emissions
from coating operations pursuant to
§ 63.783(c), performance tests shall be
conducted under such conditions as the
Administrator specifies to the owner or
operator based on representative
performance of the affected source for
the period being tested. Upon request,
the owner or operator shall make
available to the Administrator such
records as may be necessary to
demonstrate the conditions present
during performance tests.
■ 7. Section 63.788 is amended by
adding paragraph (b)(5) and revising
paragraph (c) to read as follows:
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§ 63.788 Recordkeeping and reporting
requirements.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(5) Each owner or operator that
receives approval pursuant to
§ 63.783(c) to use an add-on control
system to control coating emissions
shall maintain records of the occurrence
and duration of each malfunction of
operation (i.e., process equipment) or
the required air pollution control and
monitoring equipment. Each owner or
operator shall maintain records of
actions taken during periods of
malfunction to minimize emissions in
accordance with § 63.783(b)(1),
including corrective actions to restore
malfunctioning process and air
pollution control and monitoring
equipment to its normal or usual
manner of operation.
(c) Reporting requirements. Before the
60th day following completion of each
6 month period after the compliance
date specified in § 63.784, each owner
or operator of an affected source shall
submit a report to the Administrator for
each of the previous 6 months. The
report shall include all of the
information that must be retained
pursuant to paragraphs (b)(2) through
(3) of this section, except for that
information specified in paragraphs
(b)(2)(i) through (ii), (b)(2)(v),
(b)(3)(i)(A), (b)(3)(ii)(A), and
(b)(3)(iii)(A). If a violation at an affected
source is detected, the owner or
operator of the affected source shall also
report the information specified in
paragraph (b)(4) of this section for the
reporting period during which the
violation(s) occurred. To the extent
possible, the report shall be organized
according to the compliance
procedure(s) followed each month by
the affected source. If there was a
malfunction during the reporting
period, the report must also include the
number, duration and a brief
description of each malfunction which
occurred during the reporting period
and which caused or may have caused
any applicable emission limitation to be
exceeded. The report must also include
a description of actions taken by an
owner or operator during a malfunction
of an affected source to minimize
emissions in accordance with
§ 63.783(b)(1), including actions taken
to correct a malfunction.
■ 8. Table 1 to subpart II of part 63 is
amended by:
■ a. Removing entry 63.6(e)–(f);
■ b. Adding entries 63.6(e)(1)(i),
63.6(e)(1)(ii), 63.6(e)(1)(iii), 63.6(e)(2),
63.6(e)(3), 63.6(f)(1), and 63.6(f)(2)–
(f)(3);
■ c. Removing entry 63.7;
■ d. Adding entries 63.7(a)–(d),
63.7(e)(1), and 63.7(e)(2)–(e)(4);
■ e. Revising entry 63.8;
■ f. Removing entry 63.10(a)–(b);
■ g. Adding entries 63.10(a), 63.10(b)(1),
63.10(b)(2)(i), 63.10(b)(2)(ii),
63.10(b)(2)(iii), 63.10(b)(2)(iv)–(b)(2)(v),
63.10(b)(2)(vi)–(b)(2)(xiv), and
63.10(b)(3);
■ h. Removing entry 63.10(c);
■ i. Adding entries 63.10(c)(1)–(9),
63.10(c)(10)–(11), 63.10(c)(12)–(14), and
63.10(c)(15);
■ j. Removing entry 63.10(d); and
■ k. Adding entries 63.10(d)(1)–(4) and
63.10(d)(5).
The revisions read as follows:
TABLE 1—TO SUBPART II OF PART 63—GENERAL PROVISIONS OF APPLICABILITY TO SUBPART II
Applies to subpart II
*
*
*
63.6(e)(1)(i) ...................................................................
63.6(e)(1)(ii) ..................................................................
63.6(e)(1)(iii) .................................................................
63.6(e)(2) ......................................................................
63.6(e)(3) ......................................................................
63.6(f)(1) .......................................................................
63.6(f)(2)–(f)(3) .............................................................
*
No ..............................................
No.
Yes.
No ..............................................
No.
No.
No ..............................................
*
*
*
63.7(a)–(d) ....................................................................
*
No ..............................................
63.7(e)(1) ......................................................................
No ..............................................
63.7(e)(2)–(e)(4) ...........................................................
No ..............................................
*
*
*
63.8 ...............................................................................
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Reference
*
No ..............................................
*
*
*
63.10(a) ........................................................................
63.10(b)(1) ....................................................................
63.10(b)(2)(i) .................................................................
Yes.
Yes.
No.
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*
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Comment
*
*
*
See § 63.783(b)(1) for general duty requirement.
Section reserved.
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then this section does apply.
*
*
*
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then these
sections do apply.
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then see
§ 63.786(e).
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then these
sections do apply.
*
*
*
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then this section does apply, with the exception of § 63.8(c)(1)(i),
§ 63.8(c)(1)(iii), and the last sentence of
§ 63.8(d)(3).
*
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TABLE 1—TO SUBPART II OF PART 63—GENERAL PROVISIONS OF APPLICABILITY TO SUBPART II—Continued
Reference
Applies to subpart II
Comment
63.10(b)(2)(ii) ................................................................
No ..............................................
See § 63.788(b)(5) for recordkeeping of occurrence,
duration, and actions taken during malfunctions.
63.10(b)(2)(iii) ...............................................................
63.10(b)(2)(iv)–(b)(2)(v) ................................................
63.10(b)(2)(vi)–(b)(2)(xiv) .............................................
63.10(b)(3) ....................................................................
63.10(c)(1)–(9) ..............................................................
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Yes.
No ..............................................
63.10(c)(10)–(11) ..........................................................
No ..............................................
63.10(c)(12)–(14) ..........................................................
No ..............................................
63.10(c)(15) ..................................................................
63.10(d)(1)–(4) .............................................................
63.10(d)(5) ....................................................................
No.
Yes.
No ..............................................
*
*
*
9. Table 3 to subpart II of part 63 is
amended by revising entry
‘‘Determination of whether containers
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then these
sections do apply.
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then see
§ 63.788(b)(5) for records of malfunctions.
If an alternative means of limiting emissions (e.g., an
add-on control system) is used to comply with subpart II in accordance with § 63.783(c), then these
sections do apply.
See § 63.788(c) for reporting malfunctions.
*
*
*
*
meet the standards described in
§ 63.783(b)(2)’’ to read as follows:
■
TABLE 3 TO SUBPART II OF PART 63—SUMMARY OF RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS a
All Opts.
Option 1
Option 2
b c
Option 3
Requirement
Rec
*
*
*
*
Determination of whether containers meet the standards described in § 63.783(b)(3) ...
*
*
*
*
Rep
Rec
Rep
Rec
Rep
Rec
Rep
X
........
*
........
........
........
*
........
........
*
X
*
*
*
a Affected
sources that comply with the cold-weather limits must record and report additional information, as specified in § 63.788(b)(3)(ii)(C),
(iii)(C), and (iv)(D).
b Affected sources that detect a violation must record and report additional information, as specified in § 63.788(b)(4).
c OPTION 4: The recordkeeping and reporting requirements of Option 4 are identical to those of Options 1, 2, or 3, depending on whether and
how thinners are used. However, when using Option 4, the term volatile organic hazardous air pollutants ‘‘VOHAP’’ shall be used in lieu of the
term Volatile Organic Compounds ‘‘VOC,’’ and the owner or operator shall record and report the Administrator-approved VOHAP test method or
certification procedure.
*
*
*
*
*
Subpart JJ—[AMENDED]
10. Section 63.800 is amended by:
a. Redesignating paragraphs (f) and (g)
as paragraphs (h) and (i);
■ b. Redesignating paragraphs (d) and
(e) as paragraphs (e) and (f);
■ c. Adding new paragraphs (d) and (g);
and
■ d. Adding paragraph (j) to read as
follows:
■
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■
§ 63.800
Applicability.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) This subpart does not apply to any
surface coating or coating operation that
meets any of the criteria of paragraphs
(d)(1) through (4) of this section.
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(1) Surface coating of metal parts and
products other than metal components
of wood furniture that meets the
applicability criteria for miscellaneous
metal parts and products surface coating
(subpart MMMM of this part).
(2) Surface coating of plastic parts and
products other than plastic components
of wood furniture that meets the
applicability criteria for plastic parts
and products surface coating (subpart
PPPP of this part).
(3) Surface coating of wood building
products that meets the applicability
criteria for wood building products
surface coating (subpart QQQQ of this
part). The surface coating of millwork
and trim associated with cabinet
manufacturing are subject to subpart JJ.
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(4) Surface coating of metal furniture
that meets the applicability criteria for
metal furniture surface coating (subpart
RRRR of this part). Surface coating of
metal components of wood furniture
performed at a wood furniture or wood
furniture component manufacturing
facility are subject to subpart JJ.
*
*
*
*
*
(g) Existing affected sources shall be
in compliance with § 63.802(a)(4) and
§ 63.803(h) no later than November 21,
2014. The owner or operator of an
existing area source that increases its
emissions of (or its potential to emit)
hazardous air pollutants (HAP) such
that the source becomes a major source
that is subject to this subpart shall
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comply with this subpart 1 year after
becoming a major source.
*
*
*
*
*
(j) If the owner or operator, in
accordance with 40 CFR 63.804, uses a
control system as a means of limiting
emissions, in response to an action to
enforce the standards set forth in this
subpart, you may assert an affirmative
defense to a claim for civil penalties for
exceedances of such standards that are
caused by malfunction, as defined in 40
CFR 63.2. Appropriate penalties may be
assessed, however, if the respondent
fails to meet its burden of proving all
the requirements in the affirmative
defense. The affirmative defense shall
not be available for claims for injunctive
relief.
(1) To establish the affirmative
defense in any action to enforce such a
limit, the owner or operator must timely
meet the notification requirements in
paragraph (j)(2) of this section, and must
prove by a preponderance of evidence
that:
(i) The excess emissions:
(A) Were caused by a sudden,
infrequent, and unavoidable failure of
air pollution control and monitoring
equipment, process equipment, or a
process to operate in a normal or usual
manner; and
(B) Could not have been prevented
through careful planning, proper design
or better operation and maintenance
practices; and
(C) Did not stem from any activity or
event that could have been foreseen and
avoided, or planned for; and
(D) Were not part of a recurring
pattern indicative of inadequate design,
operation, or maintenance; and
(ii) Repairs were made as
expeditiously as possible when the
applicable emission limitations were
being exceeded. Off-shift and overtime
labor were used, to the extent
practicable to make these repairs; and
(iii) The frequency, amount and
duration of the excess emissions
(including any bypass) were minimized
to the maximum extent practicable
during periods of such emissions; and
(iv) If the excess emissions resulted
from a bypass of control equipment or
a process, then the bypass was
unavoidable to prevent loss of life,
personal injury, or severe property
damage; and
(v) All possible steps were taken to
minimize the impact of the excess
emissions on ambient air quality, the
environment, and human health; and
(vi) All emissions monitoring and
control systems were kept in operation
if at all possible, consistent with safety
and good air pollution control practices;
and
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(vii) All of the actions in response to
the excess emissions were documented
by properly signed, contemporaneous
operating logs; and
(viii) At all times, the facility was
operated in a manner consistent with
good practices for minimizing
emissions; and
(ix) A written root cause analysis has
been prepared, the purpose of which is
to determine, correct and eliminate the
primary causes of the malfunction and
the excess emissions resulting from the
malfunction event at issue. The analysis
shall also specify, using best monitoring
methods and engineering judgment, the
amount of excess emissions that were
the result of the malfunction.
(2) Notification. The owner or
operator of the facility experiencing an
exceedance of its emission limit(s)
during a malfunction shall notify the
Administrator by telephone or facsimile
(FAX) transmission as soon as possible,
but no later than 2 business days after
the initial occurrence of the
malfunction, if it wishes to avail itself
of an affirmative defense to civil
penalties for that malfunction. The
owner or operator seeking to assert an
affirmative defense shall also submit a
written report to the Administrator
within 45 days of the initial occurrence
of the exceedance of the standard in this
subpart to demonstrate, with all
necessary supporting documentation,
that it has met the requirements set forth
in paragraph (h)(1) of this section. The
owner or operator may seek an
extension of this deadline for up to 30
additional days by submitting a written
request to the Administrator before the
expiration of the 45 day period. Until a
request for an extension has been
approved by the Administrator, the
owner or operator is subject to the
requirement to submit such report
within 45 days of the initial occurrence
of the exceedance.
■ 11. Section 63.801 is amended by:
■ a. Adding a definition for ‘‘affirmative
defense’’ and ‘‘low-formaldehyde’’ and
revising the definition for ‘‘wood
furniture’’ in paragraph (a); and
■ b. Adding paragraphs (b)(24) through
(b)(28).
The additions and revisions read as
follows:
§ 63.801
Definitions.
(a) * * *
Affirmative defense means, in the
context of an enforcement proceeding, a
response or defense put forward by a
defendant, regarding which the
defendant has the burden of proof and
the merits of which are independently
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and objectively evaluated in a judicial
or administrative proceeding.
*
*
*
*
*
Low-formaldehyde means, in the
context of a coating or contact adhesive,
a product concentration of less than or
equal to 1.0 percent formaldehyde by
weight, as described in a certified
product data sheet for the material.
*
*
*
*
*
Wood furniture means any product
made of wood, a wood product such as
rattan or wicker, or an engineered wood
product such as particleboard that is
manufactured at any facility that is
engaged, either in part or in whole, in
the manufacture of wood furniture or
wood furniture components, including,
but not limited to, facilities under any
of the following standard industrial
classification codes: 2434, 2511, 2512,
2517, 2519, 2521, 2531, 2541, 2599, or
5712.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(24) Cf = the formaldehyde content of
a finishing material (c), in pounds of
formaldehyde per gallon of coating (lb/
gal).
(25) Ftotal = total formaldehyde
emissions in each rolling 12 month
period.
(26) Gf = the formaldehyde content of
a contact adhesive (g), in pounds of
formaldehyde per gallon of contact
adhesive (lb/gal).
(27) Vc = the volume of formaldehydecontaining finishing material (c), in gal.
(28) Vg = the volume of formaldehydecontaining contact adhesive (g), in gal.
■ 12. Section 63.802 is amended by
adding paragraphs (a)(4), (b)(4), and (c)
to read as follows:
§ 63.802
Emission limits.
(a) * * *
(4) Limit formaldehyde emissions by
complying with the provisions specified
in either paragraph (a)(4)(i) or (a)(4)(ii)
of this section.
(i) Limit total formaldehyde (Ftotal) use
in coatings and contact adhesives to no
more than 400 pounds per rolling 12
month period.
(ii) Use coatings and contact
adhesives only if they are lowformaldehyde coatings and adhesives,
in any wood furniture manufacturing
operations.
(b) * * *
(4) Limit formaldehyde emissions by
complying with the provisions specified
in either paragraph (b)(4)(i) or (b)(4)(ii)
of this section.
(i) Limit total formaldehyde (Ftotal) use
in coatings and contact adhesives to no
more than 400 pounds per rolling 12
month period.
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(ii) Use coatings and contact
adhesives only if they are lowformaldehyde coatings and adhesives,
in any wood furniture manufacturing
operations.
(c) At all times, the owner or operator
must operate and maintain any affected
source, including associated air
pollution control equipment and
monitoring equipment, in a manner
consistent with safety and good air
pollution control practices for
minimizing emissions. Determination of
whether such operation and
maintenance procedures are being used
will be based on information available
to the Administrator which may
include, but is not limited to,
monitoring results, review of operation
and maintenance procedures, review of
operation and maintenance records, and
inspection of the source.
13. Section 63.803 is amended by
revising paragraph (h) to read as
follows:
■
§ 63.803
Work practice standards.
*
*
*
*
*
(h) Application equipment
requirements. Each owner or operator of
an affected source shall not use
conventional air spray guns except
when all emissions from the finishing
application station are routed to a
functioning control device.
*
*
*
*
*
14. Section 63.804 is amended by
adding paragraphs (g)(9) and (h) to read
as follows:
■
§ 63.804 Compliance procedures and
monitoring requirements.
*
*
*
*
*
(g) * * *
(9) Continuous compliance
requirements. You must demonstrate
continuous compliance with the
emissions standards and operating
limits by using the performance test
methods and procedures in § 63.805 for
each affected source.
(i) General requirements. (A) You
must monitor and collect data, and
provide a site specific monitoring plan
as required by §§ 63.804, 63.806 and
63.807.
(B) Except for periods of monitoring
system malfunctions, repairs associated
with monitoring system malfunctions,
and required monitoring system quality
assurance or quality control activities
(including, as applicable, calibration
checks and required zero and span
adjustments), you must operate the
monitoring system and collect data at all
required intervals at all times the
affected source is operating and periods
of malfunction. Any period for which
data collection is required and the
operation of the CEMS is not otherwise
exempt and for which the monitoring
system is out-of-control and data are not
available for required calculations
and contact adhesives, as applicable,
have been used each day in the
semiannual reporting period or should
otherwise identify the periods of
noncompliance and the reasons for
noncompliance. An affected source is in
violation of the standard whenever a
coating or contact adhesive that is not
low-formaldehyde, as demonstrated by
records or by a sample of the coating or
contact adhesive, is used. Use of a
noncompliant coating or contact
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adhesive is a separate violation for each
day the noncompliant coating or contact
adhesive is used.
(ii) The compliance certification shall
be signed by a responsible official of the
company that owns or operates the
affected source.
15. Section 63.805 is amended by
redesignating paragraph (a) as paragraph
(a)(1) and adding paragraph (a)(2) to
read as follows:
■
E:\FR\FM\21NOR2.SGM
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6 is no more than 400 pounds per
rolling 12 month period.
(3) Demonstrate compliance by use of
coatings and contact adhesives only if
they are low-formaldehyde coatings and
contact adhesives maintaining a
certified product data sheet for each
coating and contact adhesive used, as
required by § 63.806(b)(1), and
submitting a compliance certification
with the semiannual report required by
§ 63.807(c).
(i) The compliance certification shall
state that low-formaldehyde coatings
constitutes a deviation from the
monitoring requirements.
(C) You may not use data recorded
during monitoring system malfunctions,
repairs associated with monitoring
system malfunctions, or required
monitoring system quality assurance or
control activities in calculations used to
report emissions or operating levels. A
monitoring system malfunction is any
sudden, infrequent, not reasonably
preventable failure of the monitoring
system to provide valid data.
Monitoring system failures that are
caused in part by poor maintenance or
careless operation are not malfunctions.
The owner or operator must use all the
data collected during all other periods
in assessing the operation of the control
device and associated control system.
(ii) [Reserved]
(h) The owner or operator of an
existing or new affected source subject
to § 63.802(a)(4) or (b)(4) shall comply
with those provisions by using either of
the methods presented in § 63.804(h)(1)
and (2) if complying with
§ 63.802(a)(4)(i) or (b)(4)(i) or by using
the method presented in § 63.804(h)(3)
if complying with § 63.802(a)(4)(ii) or
(b)(4)(ii).
(1) Calculate total formaldehyde
emissions from all finishing materials
and contact adhesives used at the
facility using Equation 5 and maintain
a value of Ftotal no more than 400
pounds per rolling 12 month period.
ER21NO11.000
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(2) Use a control system with an
overall control efficiency (R) such that
the calculated value of Ftotal in Equation
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§ 63.805
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 224 / Monday, November 21, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
Performance test methods.
(a)(1) * * *
(2) Performance tests shall be
conducted under such conditions as the
Administrator specifies to the owner or
operator based on representative
performance of the affected source for
the period being tested. Upon request,
the owner or operator shall make
available to the Administrator such
records as may be necessary to
determine the conditions of
performance tests.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 16. Section 63.806 is amended by
removing and reserving paragraph (e)(4)
and adding paragraphs (b)(4) and (k) to
read as follows:
§ 63.806
Recordkeeping requirements.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(4) The formaldehyde content, in lb/
gal, as applied, of each finishing
material and contact adhesive subject to
the emission limits in § 63.802(a)(4) or
(b)(4) and chooses to comply with the
400 lb/yr limits on formaldehyde in
§ 63.802(a)(4) (i) or (b)(4)(i).
*
*
*
*
*
(k) The owner or operator of an
affected source subject to this subpart
shall maintain records of the occurrence
and duration of each malfunction of
operation (i.e., process equipment) or
the air pollution control equipment and
monitoring equipment. The owner or
operator shall maintain records of
actions taken during periods of
malfunction to minimize emissions in
accordance with § 63.802(c), including
corrective actions to restore
malfunctioning process and air
pollution control and monitoring
equipment to its normal or usual
manner of operation.
■ 17. Section 63.807 is amended by
revising paragraphs (c) introductory text
and (c)(3) and the first sentence in
paragraph (d) to read as follows:
§ 63.807
Reporting requirements.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) The owner or operator of an
affected source demonstrating
compliance in accordance with
§ 63.804(g)(1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (h)(1),
and (h)(3) shall submit a report covering
the previous 6 months of wood furniture
manufacturing operations.
*
*
*
*
*
(3) The semiannual reports shall
include the information required by
§ 63.804(g) (1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (h)(1),
and (h)(3), a statement of whether the
affected source was in compliance or
noncompliance, and, if the affected
source was in noncompliance, the
measures taken to bring the affected
source into compliance. If there was a
malfunction during the reporting
period, the report shall also include the
number, duration and a brief
description for each type of malfunction
which occurred during the reporting
period and which caused or may have
caused any applicable emission
limitation to be exceeded. The report
must also include a description of
actions taken by an owner or operator
during a malfunction of an affected
source to minimize emissions in
accordance with § 63.802(c), including
actions taken to correct a malfunction.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) The owner or operator of an
affected source demonstrating
compliance in accordance with
§ 63.804(g)(4), (6), and (h)(2) of this
subpart shall submit the excess
emissions and continuous monitoring
system performance report and
summary report required by § 63.10(e)
of subpart A. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
■ 18. Table 1 to Subpart JJ of part 63 is
amended by:
■ a. Removing entry 63.6(e)(1);
■ b. Adding entries 63.6(e)(1)(i),
63.6(e)(1)(ii), 63.6(e)(1)(iii);
■ c. Revising entries 63.6(e)(2) and
(e)(3);
■ d. Removing entries 63.7 and 63.8;
■ e. Adding entries 63.7(a)–(d),
63.7(e)(1), 63.7(e)(2)–(e)(4), 63.8(a)–(b),
63.8(c)(1)(i), 63.8(c)(1)(ii), 63.8(c)(1)(iii),
63.8(c)(2)–(d)(2), 63.8(d)(3), and 63.8(e)–
(g);
■ f. Removing entry 63.10(b)(2);
■ g. Adding entries 63.10(b)(2)(i),
63.10(b)(2)(ii), 63.10(b)(2)(iii),
63.10(b)(2)(iv)–(b)(2)(v), 63.10(b)(2)(vi)–
(b)(2)(xiv);
■ h. Removing entry 63.10(c);
■ i. Adding entries 63.10(c)(1)–(9),
63.10(c)(10)–(11), 63.10(c)(12)–(c)(14),
and 63.10(c)(15); and
■ j. Revising entry 63.10(d)(5) to read as
follows:
TABLE 1 TO SUBPART JJ OF PART 63—GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABILITY TO SUBPART JJ
Applies to subpart JJ
*
*
*
63.6(e)(1)(i) ...................................................................
63.6(e)(1)(ii) ..................................................................
63.6(e)(1)(iii) .................................................................
63.6(e)(2) ......................................................................
63.6(e)(3) ......................................................................
63.6(f)(1) .......................................................................
63.7(a)–(d) ....................................................................
*
No ..............................................
No.
Yes.
No ..............................................
No.
No.
Yes .............................................
63.7(e)(1) ......................................................................
63.7(e)(2)–(e)(4) ...........................................................
No ..............................................
Yes .............................................
63.8(a)–(b) ....................................................................
Yes .............................................
63.8(c)(1)(i) ...................................................................
63.8(c)(1)(ii) ..................................................................
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No.
Yes .............................................
63.8(c)(1)(iii) .................................................................
63.8(c)(2)–(d)(2) ...........................................................
No.
Yes .............................................
63.8(d)(3) ......................................................................
Yes, except for last sentence ....
63.8(e)–(g) ....................................................................
Yes .............................................
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*
*
*
See § 63.802(c) for general duty requirement.
Section reserved.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
See § 63.805(a)(1).
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
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72075
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 224 / Monday, November 21, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 1 TO SUBPART JJ OF PART 63—GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABILITY TO SUBPART JJ—Continued
Reference
Applies to subpart JJ
*
*
*
63.10(b)(2)(i) .................................................................
63.10(b)(2)(ii) ................................................................
*
No.
No ..............................................
63.10(b)(2)(iii) ...............................................................
Yes .............................................
63.10(b)(2)(iv)–(b)(2)(v) ................................................
63.10(b)(2)(vi)–(b)(2)(xiv) .............................................
No.
Yes .............................................
*
*
*
63.10(c)(1)–(9) ..............................................................
63.10(c)(10)–(11) ..........................................................
63.10(c)(12)–(14) ..........................................................
63.10(c)(15) ..................................................................
*
Yes.
No ..............................................
Yes.
No.
See § 63.806(k) for recordkeeping of malfunctions.
*
*
*
63.10(d)(5) ....................................................................
*
No ..............................................
*
*
*
See § 63.807(c)(3) for reporting of malfunctions.
*
*
*
19. Table 3 to Subpart JJ of part 63 is
amended by adding an entry for ‘‘All
Finishing Operations and Contact
■
*
Comment
*
*
*
See § 63.806(k) for recordkeeping of occurrence and
duration of malfunctions and recordkeeping of actions taken during malfunctions.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
Applies only to affected sources using a control device to comply with the rule.
*
*
*
*
*
*
Adhesives’’ following the entry for
‘‘Contact Adhesives’’ to read as follows:
TABLE 3 TO SUBPART JJ OF PART 63—SUMMARY OF EMISSION LIMITS
Emission point
Existing source
*
*
*
*
*
All Finishing Operations and Contact Adhesives:
(a) Achieve total free formaldehyde emissions across all finishing operations and contact adhesives,
lb per rolling 12 month period, as applied ............................................................................................
(b) Use coatings and contact adhesives only if they are low-formaldehyde coatings and contact adhesives ......................................................................................................................................................
*
New source
*
400
400
f 1.0
f 1.0
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
f The
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
limits refer to the formaldehyde content by weight of the coating or contact adhesive, as specified on certified product data sheets.
[FR Doc. 2011–29457 Filed 11–18–11; 8:45 am]
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 224 (Monday, November 21, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72050-72075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29457]
[[Page 72049]]
Vol. 76
Monday,
No. 224
November 21, 2011
Part II
Environmental Protection Agency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
40 CFR Part 63
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions for
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating); National Emission
Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 76 , No. 224 / Monday, November 21, 2011 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 72050]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 63
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0786; FRL-9491-4]
RIN 2060-AQ42
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions
for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating); National Emission
Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This action finalizes the residual risk and technology review
conducted for two industrial source categories regulated by separate
national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants. The two
national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants are: National
Emissions Standards for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)
and National Emissions Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations. This action also finalizes revisions to the regulatory
provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction.
DATES: This final action is effective on November 21, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under
Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0786. All documents in the docket are
listed on the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in
the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g.,
confidential business information or other information whose disclosure
is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the Internet, and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are
available either electronically through https://www.regulations.gov or
in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room Number
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading
Room hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, Monday through Friday. The telephone number for the Public
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center is (202) 566-1742.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this final action
regarding the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), contact Mr. Nicholas
Swanson, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Sector Policies
and Programs Division, Natural Resources Group (E143-03), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;
telephone number: (919) 541-4080; fax number: (919) 685-3219; and email
address: swanson.nicholas@epa.gov. For questions about this final
action regarding the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)
NESHAP, contact Ms. Tina Ndoh, Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Minerals and
Manufacturing Group (E243-04), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-2750; fax
number: (919) 685-5450; and email address: ndoh.tina@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For specific information regarding the
modeling methodology, contact Mr. James Hirtz, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards, Health and Environmental Impacts Division, Air
Toxics Assessment Group (C539-02), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-
0881; fax number: (919) 541-0840; and email address:
hirtz.james@epa.gov. For information about the applicability of these
two NESHAP to a particular entity, contact Dr. Rafael Sanchez, Office
of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-7028; fax
number: (202) 564-0050; and email address: sanchez.rafael@epa.gov.
Background Information Document. On December 21, 2010 (75 FR
80220), the EPA proposed revisions to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) NESHAP and the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP, which were evaluated in our residual risk and
technology review (RTR). A summary of the public comments on the
proposal and the EPA's responses to the comments is available in Docket
ID Number EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0786.
Organization of this Document. The following outline is provided to
aid in locating information in the preamble.
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. Where can I get a copy of this document?
C. Judicial Review
II. Background
III. Summary of the Final Rules
A. What are the final rule amendments for the Shipbuilding and
Ship Repair (Surface Coating) source category?
B. What are the final rule amendments for the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations source category?
C. What are the requirements during periods of startup, shutdown
and malfunction?
D. What are the effective and compliance dates of the standards?
IV. Summary of Significant Changes Since Proposal
A. What changes did we make to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) NESHAP since proposal?
B. What changes did we make to the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP since proposal?
V. Summary of Significant Comments and Responses
A. Comments for Both Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) and Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
B. Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
C. Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)
VI. Impacts of the Final Rules
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Orders 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
K. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
Regulated Entities. Categories and entities potentially regulated
by this action include:
[[Page 72051]]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NESHAP and source category NAICS \1\ Code
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair 336611.
(Surface Coating).
Wood Furniture Manufacturing 3371, 3372, 3379.
Operations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ North American Industry Classification System.
This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by the final
action for the source categories listed. To determine whether your
facility would be affected, you should examine the applicability
criteria in the appropriate NESHAP. If you have any questions regarding
the applicability of either of these NESHAP, please contact the
appropriate person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section.
B. Where can I get a copy of this document?
In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of
this final action will also be available on the World Wide Web (WWW)
through the Technology Transfer Network (TTN). Following signature, a
copy of the final action will be posted on the TTN's policy and
guidance page for newly proposed and promulgated rules at the following
address: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/rrisk/rtrpg.html. The TTN provides
information and technology exchange in various areas of air pollution
control.
Additionally, information on the source category descriptions,
detailed emissions and other data that were used as inputs to the risk
assessments can be found at this site.
C. Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), judicial review
of this final action is available only by filing a petition for review
in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit (the Court) by January 20, 2012. Under section 307(b)(2) of the
CAA, the requirements established by these final rules may not be
challenged separately in any civil or criminal proceedings brought by
the EPA to enforce the requirements.
Section 307(d)(7)(B) of the CAA further provides that ``[o]nly an
objection to a rule or procedure which was raised with reasonable
specificity during the period for public comment (including any public
hearing) may be raised during judicial review.'' This section also
provides a mechanism for us to convene a proceeding for
reconsideration, ``[i]f the person raising an objection can demonstrate
to EPA that it was impracticable to raise such objection within [the
period for public comment] or if the grounds for such objection arose
after the period for public comment (but within the time specified for
judicial review) and if such objection is of central relevance to the
outcome of the rule.'' Any person seeking to make such a demonstration
to us should submit a Petition for Reconsideration to the Office of the
Administrator, U.S. EPA, Room 3000, Ariel Rios Building, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, with a copy to both the
person(s) listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section and the Associate General Counsel for the Air and Radiation Law
Office, Office of General Counsel (Mail Code 2344A), U.S. EPA, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
II. Background
Section 112 of the CAA establishes a two-stage regulatory process
to address emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from stationary
sources. In the first stage, after the EPA has identified categories of
sources emitting one or more of the HAP listed in section 112(b) of the
CAA, section 112(d) calls for us to promulgate NESHAP for those
sources. ``Major sources'' are those that emit, or have the potential
to emit, any single HAP at a rate of 10 tons per year (tpy) or more, or
25 tpy or more of any combination of HAP. For major sources, these
technology-based standards must reflect the maximum degree of emission
reductions of HAP achievable (after considering cost, energy
requirements and nonair quality health and environmental impacts) and
are commonly referred to as maximum achievable control technology
(MACT) standards.
For MACT standards, the statute specifies certain minimum
stringency requirements, which are referred to as floor requirements,
and may not be based on cost considerations. See CAA section 112(d)(3).
For new sources, the MACT floor cannot be less stringent than the
emission control that is achieved in practice by the best controlled
similar source. The MACT standards for existing sources can be less
stringent than floors for new sources, but they cannot be less
stringent than the average emission limitation achieved by the best-
performing 12 percent of existing sources in the category or
subcategory (or the best-performing five sources for categories or
subcategories with fewer than 30 sources). In developing MACT, we must
also consider control options that are more stringent than the floor
under CAA section 112(d)(2). We may establish standards more stringent
than the floor, based on the consideration of the cost of achieving the
emissions reductions, any nonair quality health and environmental
impacts and energy requirements. In promulgating MACT standards, CAA
section 112(d)(2) directs us to consider the application of measures,
processes, methods, systems or techniques that reduce the volume of or
eliminate HAP emissions through process changes, substitution of
materials or other modifications; enclose systems or processes to
eliminate emissions; collect, capture or treat HAP when released from a
process, stack, storage or fugitive emissions point; and/or are design,
equipment, work practice or operational standards.
In the second stage of the regulatory process, we undertake two
different analyses, as required by the CAA. Section 112(d)(6) of the
CAA calls for us to review the technology-based standards and to revise
them ``as necessary (taking into account developments in practices,
processes, and control technologies)'' no less frequently than every 8
years. Within 8 years after promulgation of the technology standards,
CAA section 112(f) calls for us to evaluate the risk to public health
remaining after application of the technology-based standards and to
revise the standards, if necessary, to provide an ample margin of
safety to protect public health or to prevent, taking into
consideration costs, energy, safety and other relevant factors, an
adverse environmental effect. In doing so, the EPA may adopt standards
equal to existing MACT standards if the EPA determines that the
existing standards are sufficiently protective. National Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) v. EPA, 529 F.3d 1077, 1083 (DC Cir. 2008).
On December 21, 2010, the EPA published a proposed rule in the
Federal Register for these two NESHAP that took into consideration the
residual risk and technology review (RTR) analyses. For these NESHAP--
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) and Wood Furniture
[[Page 72052]]
Manufacturing Operations--this action provides the EPA's final
determinations and regulatory amendments pursuant to the RTR provisions
of CAA section 112. For both NESHAP, we also are finalizing revisions
to requirements in each NESHAP related to emissions during periods of
startup, shutdown and malfunction (SSM). This action also addresses
formaldehyde limits and the use of conventional spray technology for
the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations NESHAP.
III. Summary of the Final Rules
A. What are the final rule amendments for the Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair (Surface Coating) source category?
The NESHAP for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) were
promulgated on December 15, 1995 (60 FR 64330), and codified at 40 CFR
part 63, subpart II. The shipbuilding and ship repair industry consists
of establishments that build, repair, repaint, convert and alter ships
which are marine or fresh-water vessels used for military or commercial
operations. The source category covered by this MACT standard includes
only the shipbuilding and ship repair surface coating operations that
occur at facilities that are major sources of HAP.
We are finalizing the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) rule as it was proposed, with no changes. For the reasons
provided in the proposed rule and in the support documents in the
docket, we have determined that the current MACT standards for
shipbuilding and ship repair (surface coating) facilities reduce risk
to an acceptable level, provide an ample margin of safety to protect
public health and prevent an adverse environmental effect. We are,
therefore, re-adopting the existing MACT standards to satisfy section
112(f) of the CAA. We have determined that the developments in
technology would give minimal health benefits and are not cost
effective. The costs of implementing developments in practices,
processes or control technologies since promulgation of the MACT
standards are disproportionate to the emission reduction that would be
achieved and, therefore, we are not adopting additional technology
standards pursuant to CAA section 112(d)(6).
We are finalizing changes to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) MACT standards to eliminate the SSM malfunction
exemption. These changes revise Table 1 in 40 CFR part 63, subpart II,
to indicate that several requirements of the 40 CFR part 63 General
Provisions related to periods of SSM do not apply. We are adding
provisions to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) MACT
standards requiring sources to operate in a manner that minimizes
emissions, removing the SSM plan requirement, clarifying the required
conditions for performance tests and revising the SSM-associated
recordkeeping and reporting requirements to require reporting and
recordkeeping for periods of malfunction. It is required that all
facilities comply with the NESHAP during startup and shutdown. We are
also finalizing provisions, generally as proposed, to provide an
affirmative defense against civil penalties for potential violations of
emission standards caused by malfunctions, as well as criteria for
establishing the affirmative defense.
These revisions to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) MACT standards are not expected to result in any emissions
reduction or economic impacts. We have determined that facilities in
this source category can meet the applicable emissions standards at all
times. No changes in costs to industry are predicted.
B. What are the final rule amendments for the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations source category?
The NESHAP for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations were
promulgated on December 7, 1995 (60 FR 62930), and codified at 40 CFR
part 63, subpart JJ. The Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations source
category consists of establishments that produce a range of wood
products, including wood kitchen cabinets, wood residential furniture,
upholstered residential and office furniture, wood office furniture and
fixtures, partitions, shelving, lockers and other wood furniture not
included in one of the categories listed above. The source category
covered by this MACT standard includes only the wood furniture
manufacturing operations that occur at facilities that are major
sources of HAP.
In the proposal for this rule making, the EPA proposed a
formaldehyde emissions limit of 400 pounds per 12-month period. As
discussed in section IV.B.1 below, the EPA received comments concerning
potential impacts on facilities with high production volume and
determined that the proposed limit would not be cost effective for all
facilities in the source category. For this reason, the EPA is
finalizing two alternative compliance options. Under the authority of
section 112(d)(6) of the CAA, we are finalizing a limit on formaldehyde
emissions by limiting formaldehyde content in coatings and contact
coatings and contact adhesives to 1 percent by weight. As an
alternative compliance option, we are allowing facilities to comply
with a formaldehyde usage limit of 400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period, as we originally proposed. Less than 20 facilities are known to
exceed 400 pounds per 12-month period based on 2005 National Emissions
Inventory (NEI) data and communications with wood furniture
manufacturing facilities.\1\ The phone calls indicated that there were
reductions in emissions since the 2005 NEI and all but one of the
facilities contacted were below 400 pounds per 12-month period. This
leads us to conclude that most of the facilities that exceeded 400
pounds of formaldehyde per 12 month period according to the 2005 NEI
are now below that level. We are aware of at least one facility that
has facilities with high production volume that still exceeds the 400
pound level. After receiving updated information, we concluded that the
proposed 400 pounds formaldehyde per rolling 12-month period usage
limit was not cost effective as a mandatory formaldehyde limit for all
facilities within the source category. For this reason, the EPA is
adopting the 400 pound formaldehyde limit as an alternative requirement
to the requirement to limit formaldehyde content to 1 percent in
coatings and contact adhesives. The 400 pound limit would not be cost
effective for facilities with high production volume because, while
they use low-formaldehyde coatings, these facilities would still exceed
the 400 pounds per 12-month period because of the quantity of coatings
and contact adhesives applied. To further reduce formaldehyde
emissions, these facilities would require the addition of costly
control devices and/or reconstruction of their spray line system. For
more information, see Estimated Cost Impact for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Industry To Comply With Proposed Formaldehyde Limit on
Coating Operations Wood Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated August 4,
2011, in the docket for this action. Such facilities can, however,
cost-effectively comply with a standard
[[Page 72053]]
that limits the formaldehyde content of coatings and contact adhesives
to 1 percent.\2\ While the formaldehyde content of coating and contact
adhesive formulations have been reduced since promulgation of the 1995
NESHAP, the EPA has received information that some facilities may still
rely on formulations that contain greater than 1 percent
formaldehyde.\3\ The EPA has determined that some of these facilities
could not readily meet the 1 percent formaldehyde limit and so is
allowing, as an alternative compliance option, the originally proposed
400 pound formaldehyde limit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The memo to the docket, Impacts of Implementing a Limit on
Formaldehyde Usage in the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
Source Category, dated October 19, 2010, shows that there are 27
facilities that exceed 400 pounds per year of formaldehyde emissions
according to 2005 NEI data. Calls to industry showed that many of
these facilities have lowered their emissions of formaldehyde
significantly since 2005 as shown in the memo Updated Formaldehyde
Emissions from Select Wood Furniture Manufacturers, dated August 3,
2011, in the docket for this action.
\2\ The concentrations of formaldehyde received from the known
facility with high production volume exceeds 400 pounds per 12-month
period is in the Estimated Cost Impact for Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Industry To Comply With Proposed Formaldehyde Limit on
Coating Operations Wood Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated August 4,
2011, in the docket for this action.
\3\ For more details, see Conversation with a Representative of
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) Regarding Add-On
Control Devices and High Formaldehyde Concentration in Coatings,
dated June 23, 2011, in the docket for this action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are also finalizing, with one modification, the proposed
prohibition on the use of conventional spray \4\ guns pursuant to CAA
section 112(d)(6). As explained in the proposed rule and supporting
documents in the docket, we have determined that use of non-
conventional spray guns results in lower HAP emissions than use of
conventional spray guns. When spraying a piece of wood furniture with a
coating, there is a prescribed amount of coating to be applied to the
wood surface. With the higher spray efficiency associated with non-
conventional spray guns, less spray is generally required to apply the
desired amount of coating so less coating is used. This means that less
overspray will occur, creating fewer emissions. Conventional spray guns
are now used infrequently in the wood furniture manufacturing industry,
and the costs to use non-conventional spray guns are approximately
equal to conventional spray guns. The EPA estimates that the switch to
non-conventional spray guns does not incur a cost burden associated
with decreased product consumption and cost.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ The definition of ``conventional spray'' can be found in the
1995 Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations NESHAP.
\5\ See Developments in Practices, Processes, and Control
Technologies, dated August 24, 2010 in the docket for this action.
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Considering information received during the comment period that
some facilities route conventional spray gun overspray to control
devices, we are modifying the proposed prohibition on the use of
conventional spray guns to retain an exception in the NESHAP to allow
the use of conventional spray guns if emissions from the finishing
station are routed to a control device. See 40 CFR 63.803(h)(4). The
efficiency of the control device, even when coupled with the
conventional spray gun, reduces excess emissions better than a change
to high efficiency spray technology. The EPA does not expect facilities
will incur the significant cost of installing a control device for the
sole purpose of using conventional spray guns. We expect the vast
majority of facilities to use non-conventional applicators of wood
furniture finishes, with only a small number of facilities choosing to
use conventional spray guns with a control device.
We are also finalizing changes to the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP to eliminate the SSM exemption. These changes revise
Table 1 in 40 CFR part 63, subpart JJ, to indicate that several
requirements of the 40 CFR part 63 General Provisions related to
periods of SSM do not apply. We are adding provisions to the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations MACT standards requiring sources to
operate in a manner that minimizes emissions, removing the SSM plan
requirement, clarifying the required conditions for performance tests
and revising the SSM-associated recordkeeping and reporting
requirements to require reporting and recordkeeping for periods of
malfunction. We are also adding provisions to provide an affirmative
defense against civil penalties for exceedances of emission standards
caused by malfunctions, as well as criteria for establishing the
affirmative defense.
We are finalizing language to clarify the applicability for Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations to be consistent with surface
coating rules issued after the promulgation of the Wood Furniture MACT
standards in 1995. These include the subparts for Surface of
Miscellaneous Metal Parts and Products (MMMM), Surface Coating of
Plastic Parts and Products (PPPP), Surface Coating of Wood Building
Products (QQQQ), and Surface Coating of Metal Furniture (RRRR) of 40
CFR part 63. Subparts MMMM, PPPP, QQQQ and RRRR exempt surface coating
operations that are subject to other subparts of 40 CFR part 63, such
as the Wood Furniture Operations MACT standards. (See 40 CFR
63.3881(c)(6), 63.4481(c)(7), 63.4681(c)(2), 63.4881(c)(2)). Therefore,
we are finalizing amendments to the Wood Furniture Operations MACT
standards to acknowledge that surface coating operations that are
subject to subparts MMMM, PPPP, QQQQ or RRRR of 40 CFR part 63 are not
subject to the Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations standards.
In this action, we are taking a step to improve data accessibility.
Owners and operators demonstrating compliance using the test methods
cited in Sec. 63.805(c), as an alternative to Sec. 63.9(h), are not
required but may submit electronic copies of required performance test
reports through the Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT). The ERT transmits
the electronic report through EPA's Central Data Exchange network for
storage in the WebFIRE database making submittal of data very
straightforward and easy. The WebFIRE database was constructed to store
performance test data for use in developing emission factors. A
description of the ERT can be found at https://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ert/ert_tool.html. A description of the WebFIRE database is available
at https://cfpub.epa.gov/oarweb/index.cfm?action=fire.main.
The ERT would allow for an electronic review process rather than a
manual data assessment, making review and evaluation of the source-
provided data and calculations easier and more efficient. Finally,
having data submitted electronically, the EPA would be able to develop
improved emission factors, make fewer information requests and
promulgate better regulations. These revisions to the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations MACT standards are not expected to result in
economic or quantifiable environmental impacts. We have determined that
facilities in this source category can meet the applicable emissions
standards at all times.
C. What are the requirements during periods of startup, shutdown and
malfunction?
The Court vacated portions of two provisions in the EPA's CAA
section 112 regulations governing the emissions of HAP during periods
of SSM. Sierra Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019 (D.C. Cir. 2008).
Specifically, the Court vacated the SSM exemption contained in 40 CFR
63.6(f)(1) and 40 CFR 63.6(h)(1), that is part of a regulation,
commonly referred to as the ``General Provisions Rule,'' that the EPA
promulgated under section 112 of the CAA. When incorporated into CAA
section 112(d) regulations for specific source categories, these two
provisions exempt sources from the requirement to comply with the
otherwise applicable CAA section 112 emission standards during periods
of SSM.
[[Page 72054]]
While the Court's ruling in Sierra Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019 (DC
Cir. 2008), did not directly affect the two NESHAP addressed here, the
legality of source category-specific SSM provisions, such as those in
both NESHAP, are called into question based on the reasoning in that
decision.
Consistent with Sierra Club v. EPA, we have eliminated the SSM
exemptions in these two NESHAP. We have also revised Table 1 (the
General Provisions table) for subparts II and JJ in several respects.
For example, we have eliminated the incorporation of the General
Provisions' requirement that the source develop an SSM plan. We have
also eliminated or revised certain recordkeeping and reporting
requirements that related to the SSM exemption. The EPA has attempted
to ensure that we have removed any provisions that are inappropriate,
unnecessary or redundant in the absence of the SSM exemption in the
regulatory language.
The EPA has not established different standards for periods of
startup and shutdown for these NESHAP because we believe compliance
with the standards is achievable during these periods. For facilities
that comply with the NESHAP by using compliant coatings and contact
adhesives, there are no startup or shutdown events that would cause
emissions that are different than those that occur during normal
operations. For facilities that use control devices, there is
sufficient ability for the control device to be started prior to the
spray lines being started and conversely shutdown after the spray lines
have shutdown. In the example of a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO),
supplemental fuel can be provided during startup and shutdown of the
spray lines to prevent noncompliance. Thus, we are not aware of any
technical limitations such that emissions from startup or shutdown
cannot be controlled by control devices to the level achieved during
normal operations.
Periods of startup, normal operations and shutdown are all
predictable and routine aspects of a source's operations. However, by
contrast, malfunction is defined as a ``sudden, infrequent, and not
reasonably preventable failure of air pollution control equipment,
process equipment, or a process to operate in a normal or usual manner.
* * *'' (40 CFR 63.2). The EPA has determined that CAA section 112 does
not require emissions that occur during periods of malfunction to be
factored into development of CAA section 112 standards. Under section
112, emissions standards for new sources must be no less stringent than
the level ``achieved'' by the best controlled similar source, and for
existing sources, generally must be no less stringent than the average
emission limitation ``achieved'' by the best performing 12 percent of
sources in the category. There is nothing in section 112 that directs
the agency to consider malfunctions in determining the level
``achieved'' by the best performing or best controlled sources when
setting emission standards. Moreover, while the EPA accounts for
variability in setting emissions standards consistent with section 112
case law, nothing in that case law requires the agency to consider
malfunctions as part of that analysis. Section 112 uses the concept of
``best controlled'' and ``best performing'' unit in defining the level
of stringency that section 112 performance standards must meet.
Applying the concept of ``best controlled'' or ``best performing'' to a
unit that is malfunctioning presents significant difficulties, as
malfunctions are sudden and unexpected events.
Further, accounting for malfunctions would be difficult, if not
impossible, given the myriad different types of malfunctions that can
occur across all sources in the category, and given the difficulties
associated with predicting or accounting for the frequency, degree and
duration of various malfunctions that might occur. As such, the
performance of units that are malfunctioning is not ``reasonably''
foreseeable. See, e.g., Sierra Club v. EPA, 167 F. 3d 658, 662 (D.C.
Cir. 1999) (The EPA typically has wide latitude in determining the
extent of data-gathering necessary to solve a problem. We generally
defer to an agency's decision to proceed on the basis of imperfect
scientific information, rather than to ``invest the resources to
conduct the perfect study''). See also, Weyerhaeuser v. Costle, 590
F.2d 1011, 1058 (D.C. Cir. 1978) (``In the nature of things, no general
limit, individual permit, or even any upset provision can anticipate
all upset situations. After a certain point, the transgression of
regulatory limits caused by `uncontrollable acts of third parties,'
such as strikes, sabotage, operator intoxication or insanity, and a
variety of other eventualities, must be a matter for the administrative
exercise of case-by-case enforcement discretion, not for specification
in advance by regulation.''). In addition, the goal of a best
controlled or best performing source is to operate in such a way as to
avoid malfunctions of the source, and accounting for malfunctions could
lead to standards that are significantly less stringent than levels
that are achieved by a well-performing non-malfunctioning source. The
EPA's approach to malfunctions is consistent with section 112 and is a
reasonable interpretation of the statute.
In the event that a source fails to comply with the applicable CAA
section 112 standards as a result of a malfunction event, the EPA would
determine an appropriate response based on, among other things, the
good faith efforts of the source to minimize emissions during
malfunction periods, including preventative and corrective actions, as
well as root cause analyses to ascertain and rectify excess emissions.
The EPA would also consider whether the source's failure to comply with
the CAA section 112 standard was, in fact, ``sudden, infrequent, not
reasonably preventable'' and was not instead ``caused in part by poor
maintenance or careless operation.'' 40 CFR 63.2 (definition of
malfunction).
Finally, the EPA recognizes that even equipment that is properly
designed and maintained can sometimes fail, and that such failure can
sometimes cause an exceedance of the relevant emission standard. (See,
e.g., State Implementation Plans: Policy Regarding Excessive Emissions
During Malfunctions, Startup, and Shutdown (Sept. 20, 1999); Policy on
Excess Emissions During Startup, Shutdown, Maintenance, and
Malfunctions (Feb. 15, 1983)). The EPA is, therefore, adding to the
final rule an affirmative defense to civil penalties for exceedances of
emission limits that are caused by malfunctions. See 40 CFR 63.782
(Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)) and 63.801 (Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations) (defining ``affirmative defense''
to mean, in the context of an enforcement proceeding, a response or
defense put forward by a defendant, regarding which the defendant has
the burden of proof, and the merits of which are independently and
objectively evaluated in a judicial or administrative proceeding). We
also have added other regulatory provisions to specify the elements
that are necessary to establish this affirmative defense. See 40 CFR
63.781 (Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating)) and 63.800
(Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations). The source must prove by a
preponderance of the evidence that it has met all of the elements set
forth in the affirmative defense. See also 40 CFR 22.24. The criteria
ensure that the affirmative defense is available only where the event
that causes an exceedance of the emission limit meets the narrow
definition of malfunction in 40 CFR 63.2 (sudden, infrequent, not
reasonably
[[Page 72055]]
preventable and not caused by poor maintenance and/or careless
operation). For example, to successfully assert the affirmative
defense, the source must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
excess emissions ``[w]ere caused by a sudden, infrequent, and
unavoidable failure of air pollution control and monitoring equipment,
process equipment, or a process to operate in a normal or usual manner.
* * *'' The criteria also are designed to ensure that steps are taken
to correct the malfunction, to minimize emissions in accordance with 40
CFR 63.783(b)(1) and 63.802(c) and to prevent future malfunctions. For
example, the source must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
``[r]epairs were made as expeditiously as possible when the applicable
emission limitations were being exceeded * * *'' and that ``[a]ll
possible steps were taken to minimize the impact of the excess
emissions on ambient air quality, the environment and human health * *
*'' In any judicial or administrative proceeding, the Administrator may
challenge the assertion of the affirmative defense, and, if the
respondent has not met its burden of proving compliance with all of the
requirements in the affirmative defense, appropriate penalties may be
assessed in accordance with section 113 of the CAA (see also 40 CFR
22.27).
The EPA included an affirmative defense in the final rule in an
attempt to balance a tension, inherent in many types of air regulation,
to ensure adequate compliance while simultaneously recognizing that
despite the most diligent of efforts, emission limits may be exceeded
under circumstances beyond the control of the source. The EPA must
establish emission standards that ``limit the quantity, rate, or
concentration of emissions of air pollutants on a continuous basis.''
42 U.S.C. 7602(k)(defining ``emission limitation and emission
standard''). See generally Sierra Club v. EPA, 551 F.3d 1019, 1021
(D.C. Cir. 2008). Thus, the EPA is required to ensure that section 112
emissions limitations are continuous. The affirmative defense for
malfunction events meets this requirement by ensuring that even where
there is a malfunction, the emission limitation is still enforceable
through injunctive relief. While ``continuous'' limitations, on the one
hand, are required, there is also case law indicating that in many
situations, it is appropriate for the EPA to account for the practical
realities of technology. For example, in Essex Chemical v. Ruckelshaus,
486 F.2d 427, 433 (D.C. Cir. 1973), the DC Circuit acknowledged that in
setting standards under CAA section 111 ``variant provisions'' such as
provisions allowing for upsets during startup, shutdown and equipment
malfunction ``appear necessary to preserve the reasonableness of the
standards as a whole and that the record does not support the `never to
be exceeded' standard currently in force.'' See also, Portland Cement
Association v. Ruckelshaus, 486 F.2d 375 (D.C. Cir. 1973). Though
intervening case law such as Sierra Club v. EPA and the CAA 1977
amendments undermine the relevance of these cases today, they support
the EPA's view that a system that incorporates some level of
flexibility is reasonable. The affirmative defense simply provides for
a defense to civil penalties for excess emissions that are proven to be
beyond the control of the source. By incorporating an affirmative
defense, the EPA has formalized its approach to upset events. In a
Clean Water Act setting, the Ninth Circuit required this type of
formalized approach when regulating ``upsets beyond the control of the
permit holder.'' Marathon Oil Co. v. EPA, 564 F.2d 1253, 1272-73 (9th
Cir. 1977). But see, Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Costle, 590 F.2d 1011, 1057-58
(D.C. Cir. 1978) (holding that an informal approach is adequate). The
affirmative defense provisions give the EPA the flexibility to both
ensure that its emission limitations are ``continuous'' as required by
42 U.S.C. 7602(k), and account for unplanned upsets and thus support
the reasonableness of the standard as a whole.
D. What are the effective and compliance dates of the standards?
The revisions to the MACT standards being promulgated in this
action are effective on November 21, 2011. For the two MACT standards
addressed in this action, the compliance date for the revised SSM-
related requirements is November 21, 2011. For the Wood Furniture
Manufacturing Operations NESHAP, the compliance date for the 1 percent
formaldehyde coating and contact adhesive limit and the alternative 400
pound per 12-month formaldehyde use limit as well as the prohibition on
the use of conventional spray guns is 3 years from the effective date
of the standards, November 21, 2014. Beyond the revised SSM provisions,
there are no changes to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface
Coating) NESHAP.
IV. Summary of Significant Changes Since Proposal
A. What changes did we make to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) NESHAP since proposal?
Following the proposed notice of the RTR for Shipbuilding and Ship
Repair (Surface Coating), the EPA did not receive any new data
demonstrating any cost effective technology updates or data that would
affect our analyses of risks. Accordingly, we have made no changes to
the proposed rule language for the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
(Surface Coating) NESHAP. However, we corrected an inadvertent error
made in the preamble to the proposed rule. In describing the
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) source category, we
incorrectly stated that there were approximately 85 facilities subject
to the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) MACT, and that 71
of these 85 facilities, or approximately 84 percent of the source
category, were modeled for the risk analysis. At proposal, we actually
estimated that there were 90 facilities subject to the MACT, and of
those 90 facilities, we modeled approximately 94 percent, or 85
facilities, in the risk analysis. This correction to the preamble text
does not affect the estimated risks or any conclusions of the risk
review. This correction only affects the inadvertent error made in the
preamble text for the proposed rule.
B. What changes did we make to the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
Operations NESHAP since proposal?
1. Formaldehyde Limit
The potential risk reductions associated with advancement in
coating and adhesive formulations, described below, led us to propose a
formaldehyde limit of 400 pounds per rolling 12-month period, in part
because we believed that this limit could be achieved cost-effectively.
We stated in the proposal that there are many coatings and adhesives
available that contain no or low quantities of formaldehyde, and we
expected any facilities above the 400 pounds per 12 month limit to be
able to reduce their emissions below the 400 pound level by using
coatings and adhesives with no or low formaldehyde. We proposed the
formaldehyde usage limit under the authority of CAA section 112(f) and
solicited comment on whether the proposed limit on formaldehyde use
should be issued under CAA section 112(d)(6).
Comments received after proposal led the EPA to conduct further
analyses of
[[Page 72056]]
the compliance costs associated with the proposed 400 pound usage
limit. Data received from one facility, which already uses no- and low-
formaldehyde content coatings and contact adhesives, indicated that
reduction in formaldehyde use to 400 pounds per 12-month period would
not be possible by simply using no- and low-formaldehyde content
coatings and contact adhesives due to the size of its operations and
the amount of coatings and contact adhesives used. To comply with the
proposed 400 pound limit, a spray line reconfiguration (adding five
drying/curing ovens) would be needed. The cost-effectiveness of
formaldehyde reduction for the spray line reconfiguration was estimated
to be $658,000/ton of formaldehyde reduced annually. We believe other
large operation facilities would face similar circumstances. The EPA
does not have specific information on compliance costs for facilities
other than Kitchen Kompact, but even if we assume all other wood
furniture facilities with formaldehyde emissions above 400 pounds per
12-month period in the 2005 NEI database would reduce their
formaldehyde emissions to 400 pound per 12-month period and would incur
zero costs in doing so, the cost-effectiveness would be $43,000/ton of
formaldehyde reduced. We conclude this is not cost effective.\6\
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\6\ For more information regarding cost estimates for compliance
with the proposed 400 pound per year formaldehyde limit, refer to
Estimated Cost Impact for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Industry to
Comply with Proposed Formaldehyde Limit on Coating Operations Wood
Furniture Manufacturing RTR, dated August 4, 2011.
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Since the MACT was promulgated, manufacturers of coatings and
contact adhesives have been able to replace formaldehyde with less
toxic chemicals, resulting in products that are known in the industry
as ``low-formaldehyde'' or ``no-formaldehyde.'' This development is
particularly evident in the reformulation of conversion varnishes used
in kitchen cabinet manufacturing (see Conversation with Valspar
Regarding Formaldehyde Replacement Chemicals in Coatings, dated August
4, 2011, in the docket for this action).The EPA's proposed 400 pound
limit was based on the availability of low-formaldehyde coatings and
contact adhesives and their use as the current state of technology.
Although there is no formal industry definition of the term ``low-
formaldehyde,'' the EPA found that a formaldehyde content equal to or
less than 1 percent by weight currently is consistent with the industry
trend of continually reducing low formaldehyde formulations. We are
aware of a range of values used in the industry to indicate ``low-
formaldehyde'' (from 0.1 percent to 1.0 percent). Based on information
available to the EPA, we determined that a formaldehyde content level
of 1 percent is the lowest concentration that is clearly cost effective
for the entire source category. We are, therefore, finalizing a limit
of 1 percent formaldehyde by weight based on the availability of
coatings and technical specifications necessary to maintain product
quality and cost-effectiveness.\7\ A content less than 1 percent would
not allow facilities the flexibility to use coatings and adhesives that
are suitable for a range of different products, from cabinets to home
furnishings, without compromising their quality, cost or production.\8\
Also, in many cases, the 1 percent formaldehyde content limit will
allow flexibility in different types of line configurations.\9\
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\7\ Discussion with a coatings manufacturer revealed that the
label of ``Low-Formaldehyde'' is subjective and it trends towards
lower and lower concentrations of formaldehyde. For more details,
see Telephone Call with Valspar Regulatory Affairs Manager--Wood
Coatings Wood Furniture Manufacturing RTR dated June 29, 2011 in the
docket for this action. Also as noted previously, Valspar does not
carry any products that exceed 1 percent in formaldehyde
concentration.
\8\ It is necessary for some facilities to minimize levels of
formaldehyde in the coating formulation to promote cross-linking
nucleation. This process directly affects the quality and durability
of the wood furniture. See notes from the Marsh Furniture Site Visit
in the docket for this action for reference.
\9\ For additional information, please see memo to the docket,
EPA Meeting with Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA)
and Select Representatives, dated August 17, 2011.
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The proposed formaldehyde limit (400 pounds per rolling 12-month
period) under CAA section 112(f) was based on these grounds--that wood
furniture manufacturers can and are reducing their formaldehyde
emissions through the use of newer low-formaldehyde coating and contact
adhesive formulations (see 75 FR 80246). The limit of 1 percent
formaldehyde in coatings and contact adhesives in this final rulemaking
is an outgrowth of what the expected means of compliance was during the
proposal for the proposed 400 pound limit. The EPA has confirmed that
most facilities are using low- and no-formaldehyde coatings and contact
adhesives (i.e., coatings and adhesives that have a formaldehyde
concentration not exceeding 1 percent by weight).\10\ Facilities can
thus achieve formaldehyde emissions reductions that are greater than
those required under the existing MACT standard. The original Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations NESHAP achieved an 89 percent
reduction in HAP. The industry, for the most part, has gone beyond the
original NESHAP for formaldehyde emissions by continuing to use lower
concentrations of formaldehyde in the coatings and contact adhesives.
By codifying these practices, the EPA is setting a more stringent
standard than was adopted in 1995 and will prevent backsliding into
techniques and formulations used in the past.
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\10\ The confirmation of most facilities was obtained in the
following memos in the docket for this action: Telephone Call with
Valspar Regulatory Affairs Manager--Wood Coatings on the
Availability and Use of Low- and No-Formaldehyde Coatings, dated
June 24, 2011. Also, one of the major manufacturers of wood
furniture coatings, Valspar, does not carry any products that have
greater than 1 percent formaldehyde leading to the conclusion that
coatings greater than 1 percent formaldehyde are mostly unnecessary
in the industry. https://www.valsparwood.com/valsparwood/msds/msds.jsp.
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CAA section 112(d)(6) requires us to revise emissions standards
taking into account developments in practices, processes and control
technologies. Thus, to codify current industry practice since the MACT
was promulgated and to prevent potential increases in formaldehyde
emissions in the future from coating and contact adhesive use in the
wood furniture manufacturing industry, we are finalizing, under section
112(d)(6) of the CAA, formaldehyde emissions limits through two
compliance options. One option is for new and existing sources to use
only those coatings and contact adhesives with a formaldehyde content
of 1 percent by weight or less. As these low-formaldehyde coatings are
readily available in the marketplace and are comparable in cost to
other coating and contact adhesive formulations, we expect no
additional costs associated with the use of low-formaldehyde coatings
and contact adhesives.
Moreover, we are retaining the proposed standard--a limit on the
use of formaldehyde of 400 pounds per rolling 12-month period--as an
alternative emission limit to the 1 percent formaldehyde formulation
limit. While the EPA recognizes it is not cost effective for at least
one facility to achieve a limit on the use of formaldehyde of 400
pounds per 12 month period, we acknowledge that most wood furniture
manufacturing facilities' formaldehyde use is already below this
limit.\11\ It is likely that a small subset of low-emitting niche
facilities use higher concentration formaldehyde coatings that may
prefer
[[Page 72057]]
to comply with the alternate formaldehyde use limit.\12\ These niche
facilities use greater concentrations of formaldehyde to provide
products to small specialized markets. The EPA is promulgating this 1
percent formulation formaldehyde limit to ensure that we are not
limiting the production of facilities while still encouraging
facilities to limit formaldehyde in their coatings and contact
adhesives. In support of our proposed CAA section 112(f)(2) residual
risk determination, we conducted a risk assessment for the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations source category that provided
estimates of the Maximum Individual Risk (MIR) posed by the allowable
and actual HAP emissions from each source in the category, the
distribution of cancer risks within the exposed populations, cancer
incidence, hazard index for chronic exposures to HAP with noncancer
health effects, and hazard quotients (HQ) for acute exposures to HAP
with noncancer health effects. We found that risks remaining after
compliance with the MACT standard are acceptable.
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\11\ For more information, see Updated Formaldehyde Emissions
from Select Wood Furniture Manufacturers, dated August 3, 2011 and
Impacts of Implementing a Limit on Formaldehyde Usage in the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing Operations Source Category, dated October
19, 2011 in the docket for this rule.
\12\ A representative of KCMA stated that there are facilities
that use coatings and contact adhesives with higher concentrations
of formaldehyde. For more information see, Conversation with a
Representative of Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA)
Regarding Add-On Control Devices and High Formaldehyde Concentration
in Coatings, dated June 23, 2011 in the docket for this action.
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In making our proposed ample margin of safety determination under
CAA section 112(f)(2), we subsequently evaluated the risk reductions
and costs associated with various emissions control options to
determine whether we should impose additional standards to reduce risks
further. We proposed a standard that would limit the use of
formaldehyde to 400 pounds per rolling 12 month period because we
projected that such a limit would lead to reductions in cancer risks
and the potential for acute noncancer health effects. Specifically, we
estimated that the limit would reduce formaldehyde emissions by an
estimated 9.46 tpy from the baseline level of 20.125 tpy. We also
estimated the maximum individual incremental lifetime cancer risk would
be reduced to approximately 10-in-1 million from a baseline of 20-in-1
million, the estimated cancer incidence due to emissions from the
source category would be reduced by about 15 percent nationwide, and
the estimated maximum acute HQ would be reduced from 7 to 3, based on
the Reference Exposure Levels (REL) for formaldehyde, and from 0.35 to
0.15, based on the acute exposure guideline level (AEGL-1) for
formaldehyde. We believed that there would be either no or minimal
additional costs associated with this option, as the cost of low-
formaldehyde coatings and adhesives are approximately equal to other
coating and adhesive products containing larger quantities of
formaldehyde. Also, we believed there were minimal costs associated
with the recordkeeping and reporting requirements for compliance with
the rule.
Our estimates of the source category maximum cancer risks have
changed since proposal due to information received during the comment
period. One facility that was included in the risk analysis at proposal
has been determined to not be part of the Wood Furniture Manufacturing
source category. The facility is a manufacturer of wood and melamine
bowls and food service supplies and is not a wood furniture
manufacturer. At proposal, the MIR estimated for the bowl manufacturing
facility was 20 in-1-million due to formaldehyde emissions, based on
actual emissions. This facility MIR was the highest in the source
category. With the elimination of the bowl manufacturing facility from
the category, the source category MIR is 10 in-1-million due to
emissions of ethylbenzene and formaldehyde, based on actual emissions.
The bowl manufacturing facility also was one of two facilities for
which we estimated an acute HQ of 7 for formaldehyde. The maximum acute
formaldehyde HQ of 7 for the other facility in the source category is
unchanged.
Since proposal we also have further evaluated acute exposures
resulting from emissions from facilities in the source category. To
better characterize the potential health risks associated with
estimated worst-case acute exposures to HAP, and in response to a key
recommendation from the Science Advisory Board's (SAB) peer review of
the EPA's RTR risk assessment methodologies,\13\ we routinely have
examined a wider range of available acute health metrics than we do for
our chronic risk assessments. This is in response to the
acknowledgement that there are generally more data gaps and
inconsistencies in acute reference values than there are in chronic
reference values. By definition, acute California-Reference Exposure
Levels (CA-REL) represent a health-protective level of exposure, with
no risk anticipated at or below those levels, even for repeated
exposures; however, the health risk from higher-level exposures is
unknown. Therefore, when a CA-REL is exceeded and an AEGL-1 or
emergency response planning guidelines (ERPG-1) level is available
(i.e., levels at which mild effects are anticipated in the general
public for a single exposure), we have used them as a second
comparative measure. Historically, comparisons of the estimated maximum
off-site 1-hour exposure levels have not been typically made to
occupational levels for the purpose of characterizing public health
risks in RTR assessments. For most chemicals, the 15 minute
occupational ceiling values are set at levels higher than a 1 hour
AEGL-1, making comparisons to them irrelevant unless the AEGL-1 or
ERPG-1 levels are exceeded. This is not the case when comparing the
available acute inhalation health effect reference values for
formaldehyde.\14\
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\13\ The SAB peer review of RTR Risk Assessment Methodologies is
available at: https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
4AB3966E263D943A8525771F00668381/$File/the EPA-SAB-10-007-
unsigned.pdf.
\14\ U.S. the EPA. (2009) Chapter 2.9, Chemical Specific
Reference Values for Formaldehyde in Graphical Arrays of Chemical-
Specific Health Effect Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures
(Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,
DC, the EPA/600/R-09/061, and available online at https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=211003.
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The worst-case maximum estimated 1-hour exposure to formaldehyde
outside the facility fence line for this source category is 0.47 mg/
m\3\. This estimated worst-case exposure exceeds the 1-hour REL by a
factor of 8 (HQREL = 8) and is below the 1-hour AEGL-1
(HQAEGL-1 = 0.4). Although this exposure estimate does not
exceed the AEGL-1, it exceeds the workplace ceiling level guideline for
the value developed by the NIOSH \15\ ``for any 15 minute period in a
work day'' (NIOSH REL-ceiling value of 0.12 mg/m\3\; HQNIOSH
= 4). Additionally, the estimated maximum acute exposure exceeds the
Air Quality Guideline value that was developed by the World Health
Organization \16\ for 30-minute exposures (0.1 mg/m\3\;
HQWHO = 5). The estimated HQ equals 1 when the ACGIH TLV-
Ceiling value (0.37 mg/m\3\), a value defined as ``not to be exceeded
at any time,'' is compared to the worst-case acute exposure screening
level.\17\ As we proposed, the EPA concludes that the
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risk posed by the source category is acceptable. Our estimate of
maximum individual cancer risk for this source category has decreased
since proposal. This decrease is due to a miscategorization of a
facility within the source category. While our screening for acute
impacts has identified the potential for acute formaldehyde exposures
to exceed some public health and occupational exposure guidelines at
some wood furniture facilities, after considering the limited extent to
potential exposures, the fact that the maximum estimate of acute risk
has not changed, the fact that one of these facilities no longer uses
formaldehyde, and the conservative nature of this screening process,
these additional estimates do not change our overall judgment of risk
acceptability. As explained in the proposal, in accordance with the
approach established in the Benzene NESHAP, the EPA weighs all health
risk measures and information considered in the risk acceptability
determination, along with the costs and economic impacts of emissions
controls, technological feasibility, uncertainties, and other relevant
factors, in making our ample margin of safety determination and
deciding whether standards are necessary to reduce risks further.
Considering all of this information, in particular our revised
estimates of the maximum cancer risks associated with the Wood
Furniture Manufacturing source category and our revised estimate of the
costs of additional controls that would reduce risk further, the EPA
has determined that additional standards under CAA section 112(f)(2)
are not necessary to provide an ample margin of safety to protect
public health. We further note that we are finalizing standards under
our CAA section 112(d)(6) authority that, while not expected to result
in further reduction in current emissions or risk levels, are expected
to reduce the emissions that would have been allowed under the 1995
MACT standard.
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\15\ National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH). Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Formaldehyde;
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0293.pdf
\16\ WHO (2000). Chapter 5.8 Formaldehyde, in Air Quality
Guidelines for Europe, second edition. World Health Organization
Regional Publications, European Series, No. 91. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Available on-line at https://www.euro.who.int/_data/assets/pdf_file/0005/74732/E71922.pdf.
\17\ EPA considers this HQ of 1 not to represent an exceedance
of the ACGIH value.
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2. Advances in Spray Technology
The EPA proposed to