This notice is to inform you that the South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) is proposing to require, as best available control technology (BACT), a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) to control non-methane, non-ethane hydrocarbon (NMNEHC) emissions from a new carbon dioxide (CO2) Plant. The CO2 Plant will be located at the Chevron Refinery, 324 W. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245. However, the equipment will be owned and operated by The BOC Group, Inc.
The District is the air pollution control agency for Orange County, Riverside County (excluding the easternmost portion located in the Mojave Desert APCD) and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. Anyone wishing to install or modify equipment that could control or be a source of air pollution within this region must first obtain a permit from the District.
Pursuant to District Regulation XIII - "New Source Review", the Executive Officer shall deny the Permit to Construct for any new or modified sources which result in an emission increase of any nonattainment air contaminant, any ozone depleting compound or ammonia, unless BACT is employed.
If uncontrolled, the new CO2 Plant vent will emit 39 lbs/day of NMMEHC and 10 lbs/day of carbon monoxide (CO). The RTO control device will be required to reduce NMNEHC emissions by at least 95% and CO to no more than 10 ppm.. RTOs and other types of thermal oxidizers are achieved in practice for many types of NMNEHC emission sources and can be applied by technology transfer to this source as well. (Because the CO2 Plant uses a waste stream from a hydrogen plant at Chevron Refinery as its feed material, the CO2 Plant will reduce NMNEHC emissions by about 270 lbs/day from the Chevron Refinery.)
Under the BACT Guidelines approved by the Governing Board on December 11, 1998, the District must distribute a public notice with a 30-day public comment period when a new, more stringent BACT is required in a permit. This document serves as a notice of the District’s intent to require control technology that would reduce NMNEHC emissions by 95% as BACT for a new CO2 Plant vent.
Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed BACT determination for the CO2 Plant should submit the comments in writing within 30 days of the distribution date shown below. Submit written comments to Martin Kay, Planning, Rule Development & Area Sources, South Coast Air Quality Management District, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765-4182 or by email to mkay@aqmd.gov. If you have any questions about the project, call Pablo Pua at 909-396-2597. If you are concerned primarily about zoning decisions and the process by which the facility has been sited in this location, you should contact your local city or county planning department.
DISTRIBUTION DATE: July 13, 2000