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Risk and Technology Review

Announcing Rules Proposed in January 2012:

On January 27, 2012, the Administrator signed a Notice of Supplemental Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the following categories: Hard and Decorative Chromium Electroplating and Chromium Anodizing Tanks; and the Steel Pickling--HCl Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants. The comment period will end 45 days after publication in the FR. Further information and documentation such as the Risk Assessment Report, other technical documents, and comments will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0600. The proposal was published in the FR on February 8, 2012 (77 FR 6628). The FR is provided below.

On January 30, 2012, the Administrator signed a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the following category: Secondary Aluminum Production, Subpart RRR. A data file and instructions for this category are posted below, as discussed in the NPRM, for review and comment. The data file contains estimates of emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) reported in information collection request (ICR) data. The comment period ends 45 days after publication in the Federal Register (FR). All comments and updates will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0544. Risk results are presented in the Risk Assessment Report which is available in the docket. The proposal was published in the FR on February 14, 2012 (77 FR 8576). The FR is provided below.

Announcing Rules Promulgated in December 2011:

On December 16, 2011, the Administrator signed a Notice of Final Rule Making for the following category: Secondary Lead Smelting. The final rule for Secondary Lead Smelting was published in the Federal Register on January 5, 2012 (77 FR 555). The proposed rulemaking for Secondary Lead Smelting (76 FR 29032) was published on May 19, 2011. All comments and supporting technical documents for this source category are contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0344.

Announcing Rules Proposed in December 2011:

On December 15, 2011, the Administrator signed a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the following category: Pulp and Paper Production MACT I and III, Subpart S. Subpart S includes pulp production and paper making operations. A data file and instructions for this category are posted below, as discussed in the NPRM, for review and comment. The data file contains emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), criteria air pollutants (CAPs), total reduced sulfur compounds (TRS), and non-regulated pollutants reported in information collection request (ICR) data. Only HAPs are modeled as part of the RTR. The comment period ends 60 days after publication in the Federal Register (FR). All comments and updates will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0544. Risk results are presented in the Risk Assessment Report which is also available in the docket. The proposal was published in the FR on December 27, 2011 (76 FR 81328), The FR Notice is provided below.

Announcing Rules Proposed in November 2011:

On November 30, 2011, the Administrator signed a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the following categories: pesticide active ingredient production, polyether polyols production, and polymers and resins IV. The NPRM was published in the FR on January 9, 2012 (77 FR 1268). Three data files (and instructions) for these categories are posted below, as discussed in the NPRM, for review and comment. Polymers and resins IV includes the following source categories: Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Production (MACT Code 1302), Methyl Methacrylate-Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Production (MACT Code 1317), Methyl Methacrylate-Butadiene-Styrene Terpolymers Production (MACT Code 1318), Nitrile Resins Production (MACT Code 1342), Polyethylene Terephthalate Production (MACT Code 1328), Polystyrene Production (MACT Code 1331), and Styrene Acrylonitrile Production( MACT Code 1338). No modeling data were available for Methyl Methacrylate-Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Production and Nitrile Resins Production. The comment periods for all categories end 60 days after publication in the Federal Register (FR). All comments and updates for the three categories will be contained in Docket No. EPA HQ OAR 2011-0435. Risk results are presented in the Risk Assessment Reports which are also available in the dockets for each of the categories. The FR notice is provided below.

On November 4, 2011, the Administrator signed Notices of Proposed Rule Making (NPRMs) for the following categories: Ferroalloy Production, Mineral Wool Production, Primary Aluminum Reduction and Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing. These proposals were published in the FR on various dates in November 2011 or early December 2011, as shown below. Data files (and instructions) for these categories are posted below, as discussed in the NPRMs, for review and comment. The comment periods for ferroalloy production and primary aluminum reduction end 45 days after publication in the Federal Register (FR). The comment periods for mineral wool production and wool fiberglass manufacturing end 60 days after their publication in the FR. All comments and updates for Ferroalloy Production will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAQ-2010-0895. All comments and updates for Mineral Wool Production will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-1041. All comments and updates for Primary Aluminum Reduction will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR- 2011-0797. All comments and updates for Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing will be contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-1042. Risk results are presented in the Risk Assessment Reports which are also available in the dockets for each of the categories. The FR Notices are provided below.

Announcing Rules Promulgated in November 2011:

On November 4, 2011, the Administrator signed Notices of Final Rule Making for the following categories: Primary Lead Processing; Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations; and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating). The final rule for Primary Lead Processing was published in the Federal Register on November 15, 2011 (76 FR 70834). The final rules for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) were published November 21, 2011. The proposed rulemaking for Primary Lead Processing (75 FR 80220) was published on February 17, 2011. All comments and supporting technical documents for this source category are contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0305. The proposed rulemakings for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating) were published on December 21, 2010 (75 FR 80220). All comments and supporting documents for these two source categories are contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0786.

General Project Information

The Risk and Technology Review (RTR) is a combined effort to evaluate both risk and technology as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA) after the application of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards. Section 112(f) of the CAA requires EPA to complete a Report to Congress that includes a discussion of methods the EPA would use to evaluate the risks remaining after the application of MACT standards. These are known as residual risks. EPA published the Residual Risk Report to Congress in March 1999. Section 112(f)(2) directs EPA to conduct risk assessments on each source category subject to MACT standards, and to determine if additional standards are needed to reduce residual risks. Section 112(d)(6) of the CAA requires EPA to review and revise the MACT standards, as necessary, taking into account developments in practices, processes and control technologies. The methodology for conducting these reviews is described in: Risk and Technology Review (RTR) Risk Assessment Methodologies: For Review by the EPA’s Science Advisory Board with Case Studies – MACT I Petroleum Refining Sources and Portland Cement Manufacturing (EPA-452/R-09-006). The Science Advisory Board (SAB) RTR Methods Review Panel held a meeting on July 28-29, 2009 to review this document, and a final report of their review is available at the SAB website .

The EPA is under a consent decree that establishes deadlines for completing the proposed and final actions for the source categories. The deadlines for the proposed and final rules for these source categories are shown in the following table.

View the 1/31/12 Webinar on the Pulp and Paper Risk and Technology Review Proposal

Other RTR Actions

EPA published the final rule for several low risk categories on December 16, 2008. EPA published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on March 29, 2007 (72 FR 29287) and received public comment on the emissions data for 12 MACT standards covering 22 source categories. EPA published an NPRM on October 10, 2008 for Group I Polymers and Resins (Epichlorohydrin Elastomers Production, HypalonTM Production, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Production, Polybutadiene Rubber Production, and Styrene Butadiene Rubber and Latex Production); Marine Vessel Loading Operations; Mineral Wool Production; Pharmaceuticals Production; and Printing and Publishing Industry (73 FR 60432).

On October 21, 2010, EPA published an NPRM for Hard and Decorative Chromium Electroplating and Chromium Anodizing Tanks; Group I Polymers and Resins; Marine Tank Vessel Loading Operations; Pharmaceuticals Production; The Printing and Publishing Industry; and Steel Pickling--HCl Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants at 75 FR 65068. Data files for each category are posted below, as discussed in the NPRM, for review and comment. The comment period ended on December 6, 2010. All comments and supporting technical documents for these source categories are contained in Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0600. On April 21, 2011, the EPA published the final rules for Group I Polymers and Resins, Marine Tank Vessel Loading Operations, Pharmaceuticals Production and Printing and Publishing Industry (77 FR 22566). With regard to the Chromium Electroplating and Anodizing and Steel Pickling source categories, the EPA signed a supplemental proposal on January 2, 2012, and the final rule is due by August 15, 2012.

Information about the RTR effort for Petroleum Refineries can be found at www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/petrefine/petrefpg.html.

Information about the RTR effort for Oil and Gas Production and Natural Gas Transmission can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/oilgas/oilgaspg.html and http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/.

MACT Codes and Corresponding Subparts

Date	RTR Federal Register Notices	File
3/23/12	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Secondary Aluminum Production; Residual Risk and Technology-Notice of extension of public comment period (77FR16987)
03/21/12	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions:Group IV Polymers and Resins; Pesticide Active Ingredient Production; and Polyether Polyols Production; Residual Risk and Technology--Reopening of public comment period (77FR16508)
02/14/12	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Secondary Aluminum Production; Residual Risk and Technology-Proposed Rule (77FR8576)
02/8/12	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Hard and Decorative Chromium Electroplating and Chromium Anodizing Tanks; and Steel Pickling-HCl Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants; Proposed Rule (77FR6628)
01/23/12	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Mineral Wool Production and Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing-Residual Risk and Technology Review Proposed Rule,Notice of extension of public comment period (77FR3223)
01/05/12	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Secondary Lead Smelting; Residual Risk and Technology Final Rule(77FR555)
01/09/12	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group IV Polymers and Resins; Pesticide Active Ingredient Production; and Polyether Polyols Production; Proposed Rule (77FR1267)
12/29/11	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Ferroalloys Production; Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.-Residual Risk and Technology review(76 FR 81903)
12/27/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From the Pulp and Paper Industry-/Residual Risk and Technology Proposed Rule(76FR81328)
1/19/12	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants: RTR Extension of Comment Period(77 FR 2677)
12/06/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants: Residual Risk and Technology Proposed Rule (76 FR 76259)
11/25/11	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Mineral Wool Production and Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing-Residual Risk and Technology Review Proposed Rule (76 FR72770)
11/23/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions for Ferroalloys Production: Proposed Rule (76FR72508)
11/21/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating); National Emission Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations; Final Rule (76FR72050)
11/15/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Primary Lead Smelting; Final Rule
08/26/11	Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews:Proposed rule; Announcement of public hearings (76 FR 53371)
08/23/11	Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Oil and Natural Gas Production and for Natural Gas Transmission and Storage; Proposed Rule (76 FR 52738)
05/19/11	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Secondary Lead Smelting; Proposed Rule (76 FR 29032)
04/21/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group I Polymers and Resins; Marine Tank Vessel Loading Operations; Pharmaceuticals Production; and the Printing and Publishing Industry; Final Rule (76FR22566)
02/17/11	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Primary Lead Smelting; Proposed Rule
12/21/10	National Emission Standards for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Surface Coating); National Emission Standards for Wood Furniture Manufacturing Operations
10/21/10	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Hard and Decorative Chromium Electroplating and Chromium Anodizing Tanks; Group I Polymers and Resins; Marine Tank Vessel Loading Operations; Pharmaceuticals Production; The Printing and Publishing Industry; and Steel Pickling--HCl Process Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants - Proposal and Supplemental Proposal
12/16/08	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group I Polymers and Resins (Polysulfide Rubber Production, Ethylene Propylene Rubber Production, Butyl Rubber Production, Neoprene Production); National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Epoxy Resins Production and Non-Nylon Polyamides Production; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories: Generic Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standards (Acetal Resins Production and Hydrogen Fluoride Production) (Risk and Technology Review)-Final Rule.
10/24/08	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group I Polymers and Resins (Epichlorohydrin Elastomers Production, HypalonTM Production, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Production, Polybutadiene Rubber Production, and Styrene Butadiene Rubber and Latex Production); National Emission Standards for Marine Vessel Loading Operations; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Mineral Wool Production; National Emission Standards for Pharmaceuticals Production; and National Emission Standards for the Printing and Publishing Industry-Correction for Public Comments.
10/10/08	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group I Polymers and Resins (Epichlorohydrin Elastomers Production, HypalonTM Production, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Production, Polybutadiene Rubber Production, and Styrene Butadiene Rubber and Latex Production); National Emission Standards for Marine Vessel Loading Operations; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Mineral Wool Production; National Emission Standards for Pharmaceuticals Production; and National Emission Standards for the Printing and Publishing Industry-Proposed for Public Comment.
12/12/07	National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group I Polymers and Resins (Polysulfide Rubber Production, Ethylene Propylene Rubber Production, Butyl Rubber Production, Neoprene Production); National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Epoxy Resins Production and Non-Nylon Polyamides Production; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories: Generic Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standards (Acetal Resins Production and Hydrogen Fluoride Production.
5/25/2007	Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM); extension of public comment period.
3/26/2007	Fact Sheet: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM):Risk and Technology Review, Phase II, Group 2
3/29/2007	Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM):Risk and Technology Review, Phase II, Group 2 (72FR14734)

RTR Source Categories and Project Lead Contact Information

RTR Review Files

To use the emission data files below you must download them to your computer and unzip them to view the data and provide comments. The file provided here provides detailed instructions for downloading and updating the emission data files posted below.

RTR	PROJECT LEAD	PHONE NUMBER	Emission Files
RTR review file for Secondary Aluminum Production	Rochelle Boyd	919-541-1390	Instructions
RTR review file for Pulp and Paper Production Proposal	Bill Schrock	919-541-5032	Instructions
RTR review file for Pesticide Active Ingredient Production Proposal	Andrea Siefers	919-541-1185	Instructions
RTR review file for Polyether Polyols Production Proposal	Andrea Siefers	919-541-1185	Instructions
RTR review file for Polymers and Resins IV Production Proposal	Nick Parsons	919-541-5372	Instructions
RTR review file for Ferroalloy Production Proposal	Conrad Chin	919-541-1512	Instructions
RTR review file for Mineral Wool Production Proposal	Susan Fairchild	919-541-5167	Instructions
RTR review file for Primary Aluminum Reduction Proposal	David Putney	919-541-2016	Instructions
RTR review file for Wool Fiberglass Production Proposal	Susan Fairchild	919-541-5167	Instructions
RTR review file for Natural Gas Transmission and Storage	Greg Nizich	919-541-3078	Instructions
RTR review file for Oil and Gas production	Greg Nizich	919-541-3078	Instructions

Future RTR Proposals

The state of TX provided a crosswalk to match the state EPN (Emission Point Number) IDs and the federal NEI IDs. The EPN IDs were submitted by TX facilities and the NEI IDs were submitted by the state of TX to EPA. The three zipped Excel files below contain the crosswalk data. They provide separate files for: Anderson - Hardin Counties, Harris County, and Harrison - Zavala Counties.

Anderson - Hardin Counties
Harris County
Harrison - Zavala Counties

4/19/07	WEBEX training demonstrating how to make data revisions by EPA's Anne Pope on April 19, 2007 (Windows Media Audio/Video format)
1/31/12	View the Webinar on the Pulp and Paper Risk and Technology Review Proposal

Section 112(f(2)

       
  (2) EMISSION STANDARDS.--  
       (A) If Congress does not act on any recommendation submit-
     ted under  paragraph (1), the Administrator  shall, within 8
     years after  promulgation of standards for  each category or
     subcate-gory of  sources pursuant to subsection (d), promul-
     gate   stand-ards  for  such   category  or  subcategory  if
     promulgation  of  such standards  is  required  in order  to
     provide  an ample margin of safety  to protect public health
     in  accordance with this  sec-tion (as in  effect before the
     date of enactment of  the Clean Air Act Amendments  of 1990)
     or  to  prevent, taking  into consid-eration  costs, energy,
     safety, and other relevant factors, an adverse environmental
     effect. Emission standards promulgated under this subsection
     shall provide  an ample margin  of safety to  protect public
     health in accordance
     with this section (as in effect before the date of enactment
     of  the  Clean  Air  Act  Amendments  of  1990), unless  the
     Administrator determines that  a more stringent standard  is
     necessary  to  prevent,  taking  into  consideration  costs,
     energy,  safety,  and  other  relevant  factors, an  adverse
     environmental  effect. If standards  promulgated pursuant to
     subsection (d)  and applicable to a  category or subcategory
     of sources  emitting a pollutant (or  pollutants) classified
     as a  known, probable  or possible  human carcinogen  do not
     reduce lifetime  excess cancer risks to  the individual most
     exposed to  emissions  from  a  source in  the  category  or
     subcategory   to  less   than  one   in  one   million,  the
     Administrator   shall   promulgate   standards  under   this
     subsection for such source category. 
       (B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) or in  any other provision
     of this section shall be construed as affecting, or applying
     to the Administrator's interpretation of this section, as in
     effect before the  date of  enactment of the  Clean Air  Act
     Amendments  of 1990 and set forth in the Federal Register of
     September 14, 1989 (54 Federal Register 38044). 
       (C) The  Administrator shall  determine whether or  not to
     promulgate such standards and,  if the Administrator decides
     to promulgate such standards, shall promulgate the standards
     8 years after promulgation of the standards under subsection
     (d) for  each source  category or subcategory  concerned. In
     the case of categories  or subcategories for which standards
     under subsection (d) are required to be promulgated within 2
     years  after  the date  of enactment  of  the Clean  Air Act
     Amendments  of 1990,  the Administrator  shall have  9 years
     after promulgation of the  standards under subsection (d) to
     make the determination under  the preceding sentence and, if
     required, to promulgate the standards under this paragraph....

112(d)(6)
	 
	 (6) Review  and revision.- The Administrator  shall review, and
revise as necessary (taking into account developments in practic-
es,  processes,  and  control technologies),  emission  standards
promulgated under this section no less often than every 8 years.    
            

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