Texas, Collin County (part) Lead Attainment Plan Summary

Texas Collin County (part) Lead Maintenance Plan Summary

Purpose of Plan: To maintain lead emissions in Collin County at nationally accepted levels.

Area Covered: A portion of Collin County, Texas owned by Gould National Battery, Inc.

Type of Pollutant: Lead.

Background:
In Collin County TX, the Gould National Battery, Inc. (GNB) smelter produces lead from lead-bearing scrap.  The lead emissions in Collin County have been monitored continuously since 1981, with violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) recorded in 1985, 1989, and 1990, resulting in the EPA classification of GNB’s grounds as a nonattainment area, effective January 6, 1992.

Under the Clean Air Act, each state is required to submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) to the EPA for its approval, detailing how the state will bring nonattainment areas into attainment or maintain air quality in areas meeting the NAAQS.  On July 6, 1993, Texas submitted an implementation plan for the nonattainment portion of Collin County as a proposed revision to the SIP.  

The EPA was satisfied that the Texas SIP revisions regarding Collin County were complete and approved the plan on November 29, 1994.  This approval became effective January 30, 1995.

On August 31, 1999, the Governor of Texas submitted to the EPA a request that Collin County be redesignated from a nonattainment to an attainment area.  As part of this request, a maintenance plan was submitted demonstrating how the state would continue to keep lead emissions at acceptable levels.  This maintenance plan must be revised eight years after redesignation to attainment.

The EPA approved the Governor’s request and redesignated the Collin County area to attainment status on October 13, 1999, effective December 13, 1999.

Pollution Data:
As part of the proposed SIP revisions, Texas submitted an emissions inventory for base year 1992, indicating that GNB produced 4.27 tons of lead emissions per year.  Texas also submitted documentation verifying that GNB has implemented lead emission control measures including additional vent hoods, ductwork, an additional baghouse, and enclosing certain process and storage areas, and indicated that with these control measures, Collin County met NAAQS for lead.

In addition, Texas submitted a demonstration that the NAAQS for lead - 1.5 micrograms/cubic meter averaged over a calendar quarter - in Collin County had been met since 1990 and future emissions would not exceed 0.5 micrograms/cubic meter each quarter.

Pollution Control Measures:
 

Contingency Measures:
If, despite the current control measures, lead emissions in Collin County increase beyond acceptable standards, the GNB facility will install a new wheel-washing facility, a scale and automatic tuyere device at the blast furnace, and any other measure that GNB determines will reduce lead emissions.

Federal Register Actions:
 

EPA Region 6 Contacts:
     Bill Deese or Joanne Sum-Ping at 214-665-7253 or deese.william@epa.gov

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This SIP Citation Was Last Modified on: 08/14/2003