The EPA has proposed a national emission standard for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for organic liquids distribution (OLD) (non-gasoline) operations, which are carried out at storage terminals, refineries, crude oil pipeline stations, and various manufacturing facilities. These proposed standards would implement section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by requiring all organic liquids distribution operations at plant sites that are major sources to meet hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emission standards reflecting the application of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT).
The EPA estimates that approximately 70,200 megagrams per year (Mg/yr) (77,300 tons per year (tpy)) of HAP are emitted from facilities in this source category. Although a large number of organic HAP are emitted nationwide from these operations, benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, vinyl chloride, and xylenes are among the most prevalent. These HAP have been shown to have a variety of carcinogenic and noncancer adverse health effects.
The EPA estimates that these proposed standards would result in the reduction of HAP emissions from major sources in the organic liquids distribution source category by 28 percent. The emissions reductions achieved by these proposed standards, when combined with the emissions reductions achieved by other similar standards, would provide protection to the public and achieve a primary goal of the CAA.
Organic liquids distribution activities are carried out at many different types of facilities. Most of these facilities can be grouped under three general categories: Stand-alone (usually for-hire) storage terminals dedicated to distribution activities; organic liquids distribution operations collocated with a petroleum refinery, chemical manufacturing, or other manufacturing plant site; and crude oil pipeline pumping or breakout stations (containing crude oil tankage). The estimates that in 1997, the baseline year for the proposed standards, there were approximately the following numbers of major source organic liquids distribution facilities: 480 collocated organic liquids distribution operations, 135 stand-alone terminals, and 35 crude oil pipeline stations, for a total of about 650 existing major source organic liquids distribution plant sites.
Submit comments on or before June 3, 2002 (docket No. A-98-13) to: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (6102), Attention Docket Number A-98-13, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. In person or by courier, deliver comments (in duplicate if possible) to: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (6102), Attention Docket Number A-98-13, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington DC 20460. The EPA requests that a separate copy also be sent to Ms. Martha Smith, Waste and Chemical Processes Group, Emission Standards Division (MD-13), U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; phone (919) 541-2421, e-mail smith.martha@epa.go.
If anyone contacts the EPA requesting to speak at a public hearing by April 22, 2002, a public hearing will be held on May 2, 2002, at 10 a.m. in the EPA’s Office of Administration Auditorium, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, or at an alternate site nearby.
The proposed NESHAP can be downloaded from RCP’s website at http://www.dotpipeline.org/downloads/apr2002/40 CFR 63 National Emission Standards Organic.pdf