EPA is announcing its intention to extend the reporting deadline for companies reporting 2010 GHG data, with plans for reporting to begin in late summer. The agency will provide more detail on these intended changes in the coming weeks and will ensure that this reporting extension is in effect before the original reporting deadline of March 31, 2011. This extension will allow EPA to further test the system that reporters will use to submit data, and give industry the opportunity to test the tool, provide feedback and have sufficient time to become familiar with it prior to reporting. More Information »
EPA Proposed Transport Rule
On July 6, 2010 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the Transport Rule that would require 31 states and the District of Columbia to significantly improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and fine particle pollution in other states.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to address the problem of interstate transport of air pollution. Specifically, this proposal would require significant reductions in sulfur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions that cross state lines. Emissions reductions will begin to take effect in 2012. According to EPA, by 2014, the rule and other state and EPA actions would reduce power plant SO2 emissions by 71 percent over 2005 levels. Power plant NOx emissions would drop by 52 percent.
When final, this proposed rule would replace EPA’s 2005 Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). A 2008 court decision kept the requirements of CAIR in place but directed EPA to issue a new rule to implement the Clean Air Act requirements concerning the transport of air pollution across state boundaries. This action responds to the court’s concerns.
The Agency will take public comment on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. EPA also plans to hold three public hearings on the proposed Transport Rule. The Agency will provide details on the timing and location for those hearings shortly in a separate Federal Register Notice.
The CAIR requirements for pollution reductions remain in effect and the CAIR regional control programs are operating while EPA is finalizing this Transport Rule.
To download a copy of the proposed rule, go to www.epa.gov/airtransport
For more information, contact Tim Smith of EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards at 919-541-4718 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Note: above information is from the EPA Factsheet TR7-6-10
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule Update
The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule was recently promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Parts 86, 87, 89 et al. Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases; Final Rule October 30, 2009). The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule can be broken down into three distinct parts: GHG Monitoring Applicability Determination; GHG Monitoring Plan; and GHG Monitoring, Calculation and Reporting.
GHG MONITORING APPLICABILITY DETERMINATION
· 40 CFR 98 requires that all sources at a facility that meet certain criteria be included in the facility GHG inventory.
· Once applicability is determined, there are options for monitoring the sources not currently configured into the CiSCO DAHS (fuel flow signal, monthly fuel input, annual fuel input).
CiSCO can provide a selection table that can be used to develop an inventory of affected sources for inclusion into the CeDAR GHG software tool.
Sites will be required to submit a GHG Monitoring Plan to the EPA and record total facility GHG emissions starting in 2010. Since CiSCO is familiar with your facility and CEMS equipment, we are uniquely positioned to assist you in creating a GHG Monitoring Plan for your site. Although the EPA has not finalized the reporting requirements or procedures, CiSCO can provide the required monitoring plan for your site, which will include the following information.
GHG MONITORING PLAN (as per 40 CFR 98.3(g)(5))
· Identification of persons responsible for collecting emissions data.
· Explanation of the processes and methods used to collect the necessary data for the GHG emissions calculation.
· Description of the procedures that are used for QA, maintenance, and repair of all CEMS, flow meters, and other instrumentation used to provide data for the GHG emissions reported under 40 CFR 98.
CiSCO’s GHG software reporting module is being developed to report GHG emissions in the format designated by EPA (when that becomes available), but the module currently provides paper reporting for GHG emissions on a daily, monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
All sources monitored by an existing CiSCO CEMS and reporting emissions under 40 CFR 75 already meet the monitoring requirements of the GHG rule. Annual data from 40 CFR 75 sources is combined with data for other affected sources to determine the total facility GHG emissions. CiSCO’s GHG reporting module can be added to your existing CeDAR software to track GHG emissions for both existing CEMS sources and other affected plant sources.
Please email CiSCO at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to obtain specific pricing and initiate the GHG Monitoring Applicability Assessment, GHG Monitoring Plan Creation and GHG Reporting upgrades. CiSCO can then work with you to determine the best way to get the CO2 contribution from any additional sources included in the GHG inventory.
As always, CiSCO is prepared to help you comply with ever-changing regulatory requirements. We continually monitor developments at EPA and will implement electronic reporting software upgrades as soon as the electronic reporting structure is defined. In the meantime, the monitoring, calculation and paper reporting can be added to your system.
The following websites can be accessed for additional information on the GHG rule.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads09/Webinar_General_Overview.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html