South Coast Air Quality Management District

Best Available Control Technology Guidelines Report

SYNOPSIS: 

This report provides new listings added to Part B – LAER/BACT Determinations for Major Polluting Facilities, of the BACT Guidelines in the last six months.

COMMITTEE: 

Stationary Source, December 7, 2001

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Receive and file updates to BACT Guidelines Part B.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

AQMD's New Source Review (NSR) regulations require applicants to use Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for new sources, relocated sources, and for modifications that increase emissions. Regulation XIII – New Source Review also requires the Executive Officer to periodically publish BACT Guidelines for commonly permitted equipment. On December 11, 1998, the Governing Board approved a new format, process, and procedures for updating the AQMD’s BACT Guidelines. On October 20, 2000, the Board approved an amendment to the NSR regulations to bifurcate the BACT requirements into federal LAER/BACT for major polluting facilities and minor source BACT (MSBACT) for non-major polluting facilities. As a result of that amendment, Part B of the BACT Guidelines now assists staff and the public to determine LAER/BACT for major polluting facilities.

On December 15, 2000, the Board changed the reporting frequency for updates to the BACT Guidelines from quarterly to semi-annually. This is the second semi-annual progress report for the year 2001 and covers the six months since the previous (June 15, 2001) progress report.

New Listings Part B - LAER/BACT Determinations for Major Polluting Facilities of the BACT Guidelines

Part B of the BACT Guidelines consists of three sections: Section 1 contains listings that are based on South Coast AQMD permits, Section 2 contains listings that are based on permits granted by other air districts, and Section 3 contains listings based on other technology demonstrations.

Five (5) new BACT determinations were listed under Section 1, and seven (7) existing Section 1 listings were updated with source test data that further substantiate their control levels. Three (3) new BACT determinations were listed under Section 2.

This work has been in coordination with the BACT Scientific Review Committee (SRC). The SRC is a technical group whose membership includes industry, environmental groups, CARB, and U.S. EPA. The purpose of the new listings is to provide information to permit applicants and permitting staff regarding recent LAER/BACT determinations for major polluting facilities.

Section 1 – New AQMD BACT Determinations

Attached are new BACT determinations for the following categories of equipment: (1) Flexographic Printing Line, (2) Landfill Gas Gathering System and (3) Gas Turbine.

The flexographic printing line uses low-VOC water-base inks, and a zero-VOC cleanup solvent. Use of the zero-VOC cleanup solvent is widely practiced by this company and should be widely applicable to flexographic printing lines.

The landfill gas gathering system includes a flare that emits low levels of CO and particulates from this category of equipment.

There are two listings for gas turbines used in simple-cycle gas turbine power plants. These listings illustrate extremely low levels of NOx, CO, VOC and ammonia emissions now achievable on simple-cycle gas turbines using selective catalytic reduction and oxidation catalyst in combination.

The third gas turbine listing is for a gas turbine used in a combined-cycle gas turbine power plant (gas turbine plus steam-electric system). This listing refers to the Mountainview power plant being constructed in San Bernardino county, which will have extremely low levels of NOx, CO, VOC and ammonia emissions, now achievable on combined-cycle gas turbines using dry low-NOx burners, selective catalytic reduction and oxidation catalyst in combination.

Section 1 – Updated AQMD BACT Determinations

Seven listings of small boilers were updated with the addition of source test data that further substantiate excellent levels of NOx and CO control now available for this class of boilers through the use of ultra-low-NOx burners.

Section 2 – New Non-AQMD LAER/BACT Determinations

Three listings of gas turbines recently permitted in air districts outside the South Coast AQMD are attached. All three of these listings represent gas turbines used in combined-cycle gas turbine power plants. These listings show permit levels of NOx, CO, VOC and ammonia emissions that are comparable to those in the Mountainview permit. Staff will continue to update these listings with source test data or other compliance information, when available.

Conclusion

Staff sincerely extends its appreciation to SRC members and others who assisted in updating the BACT Guidelines. In particular, the commitment of past and present continuing SRC members in the development and review of the attached information is much appreciated. The information in this package is available at the AQMD website at http://www.aqmd.gov/bact.

Attachments

Part B - BACT Listings

/ / /