Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1)
General requirements.
(a) All sources and emissions units are
required to meet the emission standards of this chapter. Where an emission
standard listed in another chapter is applicable to a specific emissions unit,
such standard takes precedence over a general emission standard listed in this
chapter.
(b) When two or more
emissions units are connected to a common stack and the operator elects not to
provide the means or facilities to sample emissions from the individual
emissions units, and the relative contributions of the individual emissions
units to the common discharge are not readily distinguishable, then the
emissions of the common stack must meet the most restrictive standard of any of
the connected emissions units.
(c)
All emissions units are required to use reasonably available control technology
(RACT) which may be determined for some sources or source categories to be more
stringent than the applicable emission limitations of any chapter of Title 173
WAC. Where current controls are determined to be less than RACT, the permitting
authority shall, as provided in
RCW
70.94.154, define RACT for each source or
source category and issue a rule or regulatory order requiring the installation
of RACT.
(2)
Visible emissions. No person shall cause or allow the emission for
more than three minutes, in any one hour, of an air contaminant from any
emissions unit which at the emission point, or within a reasonable distance of
the emission point, exceeds twenty percent opacity as determined by ecology
method 9A. The following are exceptions to this standard:
(a) Soot blowing or grate cleaning alternate
visible emission standard.
(i) This provision
is in effect until the effective date of EPA's removal of the September 20,
1993, version of WAC
173-400-107 from
the SIP. The opacity emission standard in subsection (2) of this section shall
apply except when the emissions occur due to soot blowing/grate cleaning and
the operator can demonstrate that the emissions will not exceed twenty percent
opacity for more than fifteen minutes in any eight consecutive hours. The
intent of this provision is to allow the soot blowing and grate cleaning
necessary to the operation of boiler facilities. This practice, except for
testing and trouble shooting, is to be scheduled for the same approximate times
each day and the permitting authority must be advised of the
schedule.
(ii) This provision takes
effect on the effective date of EPA's removal of the September 20, 1993,
version of WAC
173-400-107 from
the SIP. For emissions that occur due to soot blowing or grate cleaning of a
hog fuel or wood-fired boiler: Visible emissions (as determined by ecology
method 9A) shall not exceed twenty percent opacity; except that opacity shall
not exceed forty percent for up to a fifteen minute period in any eight
consecutive hours. For this provision to apply, the owner or operator must:
(A) Schedule the soot blowing and/or grate
cleaning for the same approximate time(s) each day;
(B) Notify the permitting authority in
writing of the schedule before using the forty percent standard; and
(C) Maintain contemporaneous records
sufficient to demonstrate compliance. Records must include the date, start
time, and stop time of each episode, and the results of opacity readings
conducted during this time.
(b) When the owner or operator of a source
supplies valid data to show that the presence of uncombined water is the only
reason for the opacity to exceed twenty percent or an alternative opacity
standard established in this section.
(c) When two or more emission units are
connected to a common stack, the permitting authority may allow or require the
use of an alternate time period if it is more representative of normal
operations.
(d) When an alternative
opacity limit has been established per
RCW
70.94.331(2)(c), WAC
173-400-081(4)
or 173-400-082.
(e) Alternative
visible emission standard for a hog fuel or wood-fired boiler in operation
before January 24, 2018. This provision takes effect on the effective date of
EPA's removal of the September 20, 1993, version of WAC
173-400-107 from
the SIP. For emissions that occur due to planned startup or shutdown of a hog
fuel or wood-fired boiler with dry particulate matter controls, an owner or
operator may use the alternative standard in this subsection when all of the
following requirements are met.
Note: |
This subsection does not apply to a combustion unit
with wet particulate matter controls. |
(i) A planned
startup or shutdown means that the owner or operator notifies the permitting
authority:
(A) At least twenty-four hours
prior to the planned boiler startup or shutdown; or
(B) Within two hours after restarting the
boiler for a startup within twenty-four hours after the end of an unplanned
shutdown (i.e., malfunction or upset).
Note: |
A shutdown due to a malfunction is part of the
malfunction. |
(ii) Startup begins when fuel is ignited in
the boiler fire box.
(iii) Startup
ends:
(A) When the boiler starts supplying
useful thermal energy; or
(B) Four
hours after the boiler starts supplying useful thermal energy if the facility
follows the work practices in (e)(vi)(B) of this subsection.
(iv) Shutdown begins when the
boiler no longer supplies useful thermal energy, or when no fuel is being fed
to the boiler or process heater, whichever is earlier.
(v) Shutdown ends when the boiler or process
heater no longer supplies useful thermal energy and no fuel is being combusted
in the boiler.
(vi) The facility
complies with one of the following requirements:
(A) Visible emissions during startup or
shutdown shall not exceed forty percent opacity for more than three minutes in
any hour, as determined by ecology method 9A; or
(B) During startup or shutdown, the owner or
operator shall:
(I) Operate all continuous
monitoring systems;
(II) In the
boiler, use only clean fuel identified in 5.b. in Table 3 in 40 C.F.R. Part 63,
Subpart DDDDD;
(III) Engage all
applicable control devices so as to comply with the twenty percent opacity
standard within four hours of the start of supplying useful thermal
energy;
(IV) Engage and operate
particulate matter control within one hour of first feeding fuels that are not
clean fuels; and
(V) Develop and
implement a written startup and shutdown plan. The plan must minimize the
startup period according to the manufacturer's recommended procedure. In the
absence of manufacturer's recommendation, the owner or operator shall use the
recommended startup procedure for a unit of a similar design. The plan must be
maintained on-site and available upon request for public inspection.
(vii) The facility
maintains records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with (e)(i) through (v)
of this subsection. The records must include the following:
(A) The date and time of notification of the
permitting authority;
(B) The date
and time when startup and shutdown began;
(C) The date and time when startup and
shutdown ended;
(D) The compliance
option in (e)(vi) of this subsection that was chosen (either (A) or (B)) and
documentation of how the conditions of that option were met.
(f) Furnace refractory
alternative visible emission standard. This provision takes effect on the
effective date of EPA's removal of the September 20, 1993, version of WAC
173-400-107 from
the SIP. For emissions that occur during curing of furnace refractory in a lime
kiln or boiler, visible emissions (as determined by ecology method 9A) shall
not exceed forty percent opacity for more than three minutes in any hour,
except when (b) of this subsection applies. For this provision to apply, the
owner or operator must meet all of the following requirements:
(i) The total duration of refractory curing
shall not exceed thirty-six hours; and
(ii) Use only clean fuel identified in 5.b.
in Table 3 in 40 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart DDDDD; and
(iii) The owner or operator provides a copy
of the manufacturer's instructions on curing refractory to the permitting
authority; and
(iv) The
manufacturer's instructions on curing refractory must be followed, including
all instructions on temperature increase rates and holding temperatures and
time; and
(v) The emission controls
must be engaged as soon as possible during the curing process; and
(vi) The permitting authority must be
notified at least one working day prior to the start of the refractory curing
process.
(g) Visible
emissions reader certification testing. Visible emissions from the "smoke
generator" used during testing and certifying visible emission readers are
exempt from the twenty percent opacity limit. Testing must follow testing and
certification requirements in 40 C.F.R. Part 60, Appendix A, Test Method 9 (in
effect on the date in WAC
173-400-025
) and Source Test Methods 9A and 9B in Source Test Manual - Procedures
for Compliance Testing, state of Washington, department of ecology, as
of September 20, 2004, on file at ecology.
(h) Military training exercises. Visible
emissions during military obscurant training exercises are exempt from the
twenty percent opacity limit when the following requirements are met:
(i) No visible emissions shall cross the
boundary of the military training site/reservation.
(ii) The operation shall have in place
methods, which have been reviewed and approved by the permitting authority, to
detect changes in weather that would cause the obscurant to cross the site
boundary either during the course of the exercise or prior to the start of the
exercise. The approved methods shall include provisions that result in
cancellation of the training exercise, cease the use of obscurants during the
exercise until weather conditions would allow such training to occur without
causing obscurant to leave the site boundary of the military
site/reservation.
(i)
Firefighter training. Visible emissions from fixed and mobile firefighter
training facilities occurring during the training of firefighters are exempt
from the twenty percent opacity limit. Compliance with chapter 173-425 WAC is
required.
(3)
Fallout. No person shall cause or allow the emission of
particulate matter from any source to be deposited beyond the property under
direct control of the owner or operator of the source in sufficient quantity to
interfere unreasonably with the use and enjoyment of the property upon which
the material is deposited.
(4)
Fugitive emissions. The owner or operator of any emissions unit
engaging in materials handling, construction, demolition or other operation
which is a source of fugitive emission:
(a)
If located in an attainment area and not impacting any nonattainment area,
shall take reasonable precautions to prevent the release of air contaminants
from the operation.
(b) If the
emissions unit has been identified as a significant contributor to the
nonattainment status of a designated nonattainment area, the owner or operator
shall be required to use reasonable and available control methods, which shall
include any necessary changes in technology, process, or other control
strategies to control emissions of the air contaminants for which nonattainment
has been designated.
(5)
Odors. Any person who shall cause or allow the generation of any
odor from any source or activity which may unreasonably interfere with any
other property owner's use and enjoyment of her or his property must use
recognized good practice and procedures to reduce these odors to a reasonable
minimum.
(6)
Emissions
detrimental to persons or property. No person shall cause or allow the
emission of any air contaminant from any source if it is detrimental to the
health, safety, or welfare of any person, or causes damage to property or
business.
(7)
Sulfur
dioxide. No person shall cause or allow the emission of a gas containing
sulfur dioxide from any emissions unit in excess of one thousand ppm of sulfur
dioxide on a dry basis, corrected to seven percent oxygen for combustion
sources, and based on the average of any period of sixty consecutive
minutes.
(8)
Concealment and
masking. No person shall cause or allow the installation or use of any
means which conceals or masks an emission of an air contaminant which would
otherwise violate any provisions of this chapter.
(9)
Fugitive dust.
(a) The owner or operator of a source or
activity that generates fugitive dust must take reasonable precautions to
prevent that fugitive dust from becoming airborne and must maintain and operate
the source to minimize emissions.
(b) The owner or operator of any existing
source or activity that generates fugitive dust that has been identified as a
significant contributor to a PM-10 or PM-2.5 nonattainment area is required to
use reasonably available control technology to control emissions. Significance
will be determined by the criteria found in WAC
173-400-113(4).
Statutory Authority:
Chapter
70.94 RCW. 11-06-060
(Order 09-01), § 173-400-040, filed 3/1/11, effective 4/1/11. Statutory
Authority:
RCW
70.94.152. 05-03-033 (Order 03-07), §
173-400-040, filed 1/10/05, effective 2/10/05. Statutory Authority:
Chapter
70.94 RCW,
RCW
70.94.141, [70.94.]152,[70.94.]331 ,
[70.94.]510 and 43.21A.080. 01-17-062 (Order 99-06), § 173-400-040, filed
8/15/01, effective 9/15/01. Statutory Authority: [RCW
70.94.331,
70.94.510 and
chapter
70.94 RCW.] 00-23-130
(Order 98-27), § 173-400-040, filed 11/22/00, effective 12/23/00.
Statutory Authority:
Chapter
70.94 RCW. 93-18-007
(Order 93-03), § 173-400-040, filed 8/20/93, effective 9/20/93; 91-05-064
(Order 90-06), § 173-400-040, filed 2/19/91, effective 3/22/91. Statutory
Authority:
Chapters
43.21A and
70.94 RCW. 83-09-036 (Order DE
83-13), § 173-400-040, filed 4/15/83. Statutory Authority:
RCW
70.94.331. 80-11-059 (Order DE 80-14), §
173-400-040, filed 8/20/80. Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.21A.080 and
70.94.331. 79-06-012 (Order DE
78-21), § 173-400-040, filed 5/8/79; Order DE 76-38, § 173-400-040,
filed 12/21/76. Formerly WAC 18-04-040.