US EPA Proposes New Rule for VOC Equipment Leaks  – November 7, 2006

US EPA has proposed a rule today that would amend provisions of 40 CFR 60 Subparts VV and GGG (affecting by reference Subparts DDD and KKK) pertaining to equipment leaks from VOC sources.  There are several monitoring and compliance changes proposed; however, the most significant change pertains to the leak definition for pumps and valves.  It is proposed to change the leak definition for pumps in light liquid service from 10,000 ppm to 2,000 ppm (5,000 ppm for polymerizing monomers) and the leak definition for valves in either gas/vapor or light liquid service from 10,000 ppm to 500 ppm.  The proposed changes align the leak definitions and standards to be similar to those cited in other regulations and are intended to achieve the emission reduction objectives of the original rule.

For more information see the following link: FR Volume 71 #215.

Wal-Mart Targets Chemicals With Environmental Initiative – November 2, 2006

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced on October 30, 2006 that they will begin using an environmental initiative titled Preferred Chemical Principles.  Wal-Mart stated: "When we suspect that an ingredient in a product or the product itself is capable of causing harm to human health and the environment, we will act to find better alternatives.”  Wal-Mart will encourage their suppliers to stop using two pesticides (propoxur and permethrin) and one industrial chemical (nonylphenol ethoxylates).  An additional 17 chemicals will be targeted over the next two years.

For more information see the following link: http://www.walmartfacts.com/articles/4556.aspx

Proposed PSD and NSR Amendments – September 14, 2006

Today US EPA published proposed amendments to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and New Source Review (NSR) regulations in the Federal Register.  The changes are intended to address three issues:

·         Debottlenecking – USEPA proposes to use a legal causation criteria to determine which unit’s emissions are to be included as emissions increases “caused” by a project.  Increased emissions from non-changing units that previously had emission limits in federally enforceable permits would not be included in the calculation of the quantity of emissions increased.

·         Aggregating Emissions to Determine Applicability – USEPA proposes to codify the current policy guidance for determining whether projects are related to one another, technically dependent or economically dependent, when making the applicability determination for PSD and NSR regulations.

·         Project Netting – USEPA is proposing to allow “Project netting” to be used in Step 1 of the applicability determination, when determining whether a significant emissions increase has occurred.  The proposed criteria determines that a significant emissions increase will occur if “the sum of the difference between the projected actual emissions and the baseline actual emissions for each emissions unit…. equals or exceeds the significant amount for that pollutant.”

USEPA is soliciting comments on the proposed changes through November 13, 2006.

If you want to read the Federal Register Notice, click the following link to see the Federal Register Volume 71 Number 178 Thursday, September 14, 2006.

Proposed facility-wide limits for Halogenated Solvent Cleaning – August 17, 2006

To read the FR proposal follow this link: Federal Register Volume 71 Number 159 Thursday, August 17, 2006

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