Nonmetallic Mineral Processing: New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

Rule Summary

New source performance standards (NSPS) implement Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(b) and are issued for categories of sources which EPA has listed because they cause, or contribute significantly to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. The primary purpose of the NSPS is to attain and maintain ambient air quality by ensuring that the best demonstrated emission control technologies are installed as industrial infrastructure is modernized. Since 1970, the NSPS have been successful in achieving long-term emissions reductions in numerous industries by assuring cost-effective controls are installed on new, reconstructed, or modified sources.

This NSPS applies to new, modified, and reconstructed affected facilities at plants that process any of the following 18 nonmetallic minerals:

crushed and broken stone,
sand and gravel,
clay,
rock salt,
gypsum,
sodium compounds,
pumice,
gilsonite,
talc and pyrophyllite,
boron,
barite,
fluorospar,
feldspar,
diatomite,
perlite,
vermiculite,
mica, and
kyanite.

The affected facilities are each crusher, grinding mill, screening operation, bucket elevator, belt conveyor, bagging operation, storage bin, and enclosed truck or railcar loading station. The pollutant regulated by this NSPS is particulate matter. These facilities provide materials for a wide variety of industries, including the chemical and construction industries.