MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Pom Pom Ganguli welcomed the SRC members and the audience to the fifth SRC meeting of 2000. The topics listed below were discussed during the meeting.

• Minutes from the April SRC meeting
• New BACT, Part B listings
• Other Business

A correction was made that even though several air districts in California do not have minor source BACT Guidelines, they do consider economic, energy and environmental impacts in making BACT determinations for units at low emission threshold levels, and require LAER for units at high emission threshold levels. (Bob Giorgis)

District staff received permission from vendors to release their quotes for the costs of control equipment. However, the vendors requested the District to withhold names for the quotes. Cost information can be obtained by contacting District staff. (Marty Kay)

District staff provided a list of 22 small boilers (£ 20 MMBtu/hr) permitted at NOx levels between 5 ppmv and 12 ppmv. Eight of these boilers (bolded on the list) are listed on the AQMD website. There are about 6 different vendors that can provide units meeting the 12 ppmv limit; two vendors claim to meet 9 ppmv and 5 ppmv limits. The list also provides information on large boilers permitted at 7 or 9 ppmv limit.

Since a representative number of small boilers permitted at 12 ppmv are already listed on the web, the District will stop listing every single boiler permitted at this level. The same policy applies to other equipment such as spray booths and internal combustion engines. The District will continue updating the BACT Guidelines on the web to 1) reflect up-to-date operating history of the small units that have been listed; 2) list additional large boilers equipped with ultra low NOx technology; and 3) provide information on new emission levels and emerging technologies. (Marty Kay and Pom Pom Ganguli)

For clarification, staff has added to the BACT listing of a CO2 plant located at BOC Group Inc. (A/N 350893) an explanation that the treated CO2 stream at this facility is coming from a hydrogen plant of a nearby refinery. (Marty Kay)

New Section I listings that were submitted to the SRC for review include the following:

• Superior Boiler Works, fire tube, 6.3 MMBtu/hr boiler equipped with American Combustion Technology burner, permitted at 12 ppmv NOx;
• Superior Mohawk, fire tube, 16.8 MMBtu/hr boiler equipped with Industrial Combustion burner, permitted at 12 ppmv NOx;
• Trane, 5 MMBtu/hr absorption chiller equipped with Weishaupt burner permitted at 20 ppmv NOx;
• Miura, water tube, 8.18 MMBtu/hr boiler equipped with low NOx burner permitted at 15 ppmv NOx. This boiler was tested at low and high fire;
• Cleaver Brooks, water tube, 6 MMBtu/hr boiler equipped with Alzeta burner permitted at 12 ppmv NOx;
• Tulsa Heaters Inc., coker charge heater, 50 MMBtu/hr boiler equipped with John Zink burner and SCR, and permitted at 7 ppmv NOx, 5 ppmv NH3 slip, and 10 ppmv CO. This unit is undergoing Public Review because of the 5 ppmv NH3 slip limit. So far, staff received one written comment. A 30-day comment period will close on June 16. (Knut Beruldsen)

New Section II listing that was submitted to the committee for review contains information for a permit issued by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to Sithe Mystic Development LLC for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) combustion turbine generators. Permit limits are 2 ppmv NOx, 2 ppmv CO, 1 ppmv VOC (unfired), 1.7 ppmvd VOC (duct fired), and 2 ppmv NH3. (Knut Beruldsen)

The following issues were addressed and discussed:

• Higher NOx limit during duct firing

• NH3 Slip Limit

• VOC Limits

New Section III listing that was submitted to the committee for review contains information on a Kewanee, fire tube, 4.2 MMBtu/hr steam generator equipped with SCONOX and permitted at 2 ppmv NOx. The cost provided by the supplier for SCONOX is about twice the cost for the Kewanee boiler. This is the first installation of SCONOX technology on a small size boiler. When this technology is proven to be achieved-in-practice, this listing will be moved to Section I. (Knut Beruldsen)

In addition, staff received one written comment from Hal Taback regarding the 50 MMBtu/hr Tulsa Heaters Inc. coker charge heater. Hal suggested that staff revisit the 5 ppmv limit for NH3 slip and consider adjusting the limit after 3 years of operation. Staff will revisit the NH3 slip limit and consider the applicability of technology transfer in context of the Massachusetts gas turbines recently permitted at 2 ppmv. Permit to construct for this heater will be issued after 30-day public review period closes, and the listing will be posted on the web shortly after that. (Pom Pom Ganguli)

So far, staff received only one comment letter from the Gas Co regarding the process of developing the 12 ppmv limit for boilers. Staff received no other comments at this time. The comment period is still open. (Pom Pom Ganguli)

Staff will revise Part A of the BACT Guidelines to make clear that Part A will address LAER for major sources; and Parts C and D will address BACT for minor sources. (Pom Pom Ganguli)

The following updated information on AIP was provided to the committee and the audience:

• SRC Subcommittee for AIP Criteria

• CAPCOA/CARB/EPA Draft Guidance on AIP Criteria:

• EPA Guidance on AIP Criteria:

• Home Rule Advisory Group:

There was no further discussion and the meeting was closed. The next meeting is scheduled for June 22, 2000, in Conference Room GB. Note that meeting information is available on the AQMD web page.