Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 33 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Part III - Air
Chapter 3 - Regulatory Permits
Section III-325 - Regulatory Permit for Cooling Towers

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code III-325

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Applicability

1. This regulatory permit authorizes the construction and use of cooling towers, subject to the requirements established herein, upon notification by the department that the application (i.e., notification form) submitted in accordance with Subsection G of this Section has been determined to be complete.

2. This regulatory permit shall not apply to cooling towers:
a. deemed insignificant in accordance with item A.12 of the insignificant activities list in LAC 33:III.501.B.5.Table 1;

b. subject to federal regulations not identified in Subsection D of this Section.

3. This regulatory permit shall not be used to authorize a cooling tower that, when considering potential emissions from it and potential emissions from the remainder of the stationary source, would result in the creation of a major source of criteria pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, or toxic air pollutants.

B. Definitions

Cooling Tower-an open water recirculating device that uses fans or natural draft to draw or force ambient air through the device to cool warm water by direct contact.

C. Emission Limitations

1. Emission limitations for the cooling tower shall be established by the application (i.e., notification form) submitted in accordance with Subsection G of this Section.
a. The limitations shall be enforceable by the department.

b. If actual emissions exceed these limitations for any reason other than as described in LAC 33:III.501.C.12, the permittee shall notify the Office of Environmental Compliance in accordance with Louisiana General Condition XI of LAC 33:III.537.A. For Part 70 sources, the reports required by Paragraph C.2 of this Section shall satisfy this requirement.

2. The permittee shall address each cooling tower located at a Part 70 source in the submittals required by Part 70 General Conditions K, M, and R of LAC 33:III.535.A. Deviations from the terms and conditions of this regulatory permit, including the standards identified in Subsection D of this Section, shall not be considered violations of the stationary sources Part 70 permit.

D. Cooling Tower Standards. The permittee shall comply with the provisions of 40 CFR 63, subparts F, U, CC, XX, JJJ, OOO, PPP, FFFF, HHHHH, VVVVVV, or HHHHHHH, as applicable.

E. Total dissolved solids (TDS). The permittee shall determine and record the concentration of TDS in the cooling water at least once per quarter using Standard Method 2540C or EPA Method 160.1. Alternate methods may be used with the prior approval of the department. The permittee shall average all recorded TDS concentrations and utilize the drift rate provided by the manufacturer and the design recirculation rate of the cooling water pump(s) to determine compliance with the particulate matter emission limitations for the cooling tower.

F. Emissions Inventory. Each stationary source subject to LAC 33:III.919 shall include emissions from each cooling tower authorized by this regulatory permit in its annual emissions inventory.

G. Notification Requirements

1. Written notification describing the cooling tower shall be submitted to the Office of Environmental Services using the appropriate form provided by the department.

2. A separate notification shall be submitted for each cooling tower.

H. Fees. Fees for this regulatory permit shall be the applicable major or minor modification fee for the stationary source as determined in accordance with LAC 33:III.211.B. Applicable surcharges as described in LAC 33:III.211.A shall also be assessed.

I. Cooling towers authorized by this regulatory permit shall be included in the next application to renew or modify the stationary sources existing permit.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2054.

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