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Petroleum Refinery Sector Rule (Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards)

Petroleum Refinery Sector Rule (Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards)
Basic Information
Federal Register Citations
  • 88 FR 25574
  • 81 FR 76550
  • 81 FR 71661
  • 81 FR 45232
  • 81 FR 6814
  • 80 FR 75178
  • 79 FR 36880
Code of Federal Regulations Citations
  • 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart J
  • 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart Ja
  • 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart CC
  • 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart UUU
Docket Numbers
  • EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0682
  • EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0787

On this page:

  • Rule Summary
  • Rule History
  • Additional Resources
  • Compliance

Rule Summary

​In December 2015, the EPA issued a final rule that will further control toxic air emissions from petroleum refineries and provide important information about refinery emissions to the public and neighboring communities. This rule will virtually eliminate smoking flare emissions and upset emission events, and will require refineries to monitor emissions at key emission sources within their facilities and around their fencelines. When fully implemented in 2018, this rule will result in a reduction of 5,200 tons per year of toxic air pollutants, and 50,000 tons per year of volatile organic compounds (VOC).

February 4, 2020 - This action sets forth EPA’s  decision on aspects of the Agency’s reconsideration of the December 1, 2015, final rule: Petroleum Refinery Sector Residual Risk and Technology Review (RTR) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). This action also finalizes amendments to clarify a compliance issue raised by stakeholders subject to the rule, to correct referencing errors, and to correct publication errors associated with amendments to the final rule that was published on November 26, 2018. 

Rule History

4/27/2023 - Petroleum Refinery and Chemical Sector Proposed Amendments 

10/26/2020 - Denial of Petition for Reconsideration

2/4/2020 - Final Rule

11/26/2018 - Final Amendments

7/10/2018 - Petroleum Refinery Sector Amendments - Proposed Compliance Extension

3/19/2018 - Proposed Amendments

11/3/2016 - Notice of Public Hearing and Comment Extension for the Proposed Reconsideration

10/18/2016 - Proposed Reconsideration 

07/13/2016 - Final Amendments

02/09/2016 - Proposed Amendments

12/01/2015 - Final Rule

06/30/2014 - Proposed Rule

Additional Resources

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet - Petroleum Refinery and Chemical Sector Proposed Amendments (pdf) (156.07 KB)

Fact Sheet - Petroleum Refinery Sector Final Rule

Fact Sheet - Petroleum Refinery Sector Final Amendments

Fact Sheet - EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants and New Source Performance Standards for the Petroleum Refinery Sector: Compliance Extension July 2018

Fact Sheet - Petroleum Refinery Sector Proposed Amendments March 2018

Fact Sheet - Petroleum Refinery Sector Amendments July 2016

Fact Sheets - Final Petroleum Refinery Sector Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

Hoja informativa: Normas finales de desempeño para fuentes nuevas y revisión de tecnología y riesgos del sector de refinería de petróleo-descripción general

Revisión de tecnología y riesgos: refinerías de petróleo - Hoja informativa para las comunidades

Normas finales de desempeño para fuentes nuevas y revisión de tecnología y riesgos del sector de refinería de petróleo-resumen de cambios

Webinar Slides

Slides for Petroleum Refinery Fenceline Monitoring Data (June 2016)

Webinar Slides for Community Groups - Final Petroleum Refinery Sector Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards

Webinar Slides for State/Local and Tribal Air Agencies - Final Petroleum Refinery Sector Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards

Additional Documents

The Fenceline Monitoring Data Report (xlsx) should be submitted using EPA's Compliance and Emission Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI).

Final Residual Risk Assessment Report (PDF) (814pp, 15 MB)

Economic Impact Analysis (PDF) (103pp, 861k)

Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors for Populations Living Near Petroleum Refineries – Actual Emissions (PDF) (20pp, 118k)

Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors for Populations Living Near Petroleum Refineries – Post Control Scenario (PDF) (20pp, 118k)

Refinery Information Collection Request Data

Technical Information

Background Information for Final Rule - September 2015

Review & Peer Review of “Parameters for Properly Designed and Operated Flares” Documents

Flare Database (xlsx) (4.03 MB, 2012)  (Excel) Free Microsoft Office Viewers

Emission Estimation – Document and spreadsheet with emission estimation protocols for petroleum refineries

Emission Factor Consent Decree

Related Rules

Petroleum Refineries:  National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (Subpart CC)

Petroleum Refineries (Catalytic Cracking, Catalytic Reforming and Sulfur Recovery Units):  National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (Subpart UUU)

Petroleum Refineries:  New Source Performance Standards (Subparts J & Ja)

Compliance

Petroleum Refinery Regulations for Flaring Events

December 2015 Refinery Sector Rule: Response Letters with Q&A

Applicability Determination Index (ADI).  The ADI is maintained by EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) and provides a data base of memoranda dealing with applicability issues.  The database is searchable by Subpart.

Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 1, 2023
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