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New Source Performance Standards

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New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) are pollution control standards issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The term is used in the Clean Air Act Extension of 1970 (CAA) to refer to air pollution emission standards, and in the Clean Water Act (CWA) referring to standards for water pollution discharges of industrial wastewater to surface waters.

Introduction

Some pollution control laws are organized with varying degrees of stringency. The different standards may be based on several factors, including whether the pollution source is an existing facility at the time the standard is published, or is constructed after publication. The standards for new sources may be more stringent than that for existing facilities, on the principle that a new plant can be designed with the latest and most advanced control technologies.[1]: 82–83 

Clean Air Act

The Clean Air Act NSPS dictate the level of pollution that a new stationary source may produce. These standards are authorized by Section 111 of the CAA[2] and the regulations are published in 40 CFR Part 60.[3] NSPS have been established for a number of individual industrial or source categories. Examples:

  • Air emissions from chemical manufacturing wastewater[4]
  • Boilers[5]
  • Landfills[6]
  • Petroleum refineries[7]
  • Stationary gas turbines.[8]

Basic process for establishing standards

  1. Identify type of emitting facility.
  2. For each type of facility, identify the type of pollutant control technology that is appropriate.
  3. From a study of all the plants and all the information available about the plants and their technologies, establish an allowed concentration of the criteria pollutants that is the upper limit of what can be emitted.[1]: 84–85 

Clean Water Act

Under the Clean Water Act, NSPS set the level of allowable wastewater discharges from new industrial facilities. EPA issues NSPS for categories of industrial dischargers, typically in conjunction with the issuance of effluent guidelines for existing sources. In developing NSPS, the CWA requires that EPA determine the "best available demonstrated control technology" (BADCT) for the particular industrial category. BADCT may be more stringent than the best available technology economically achievable standard used for existing dischargers. This consideration may include setting a "no discharge of pollutants standard" (also called a "zero discharge" standard) if practicable.[9][10]

NSPS regulations are published at 40 CFR Subchapter N (Parts 405-499). NSPS issued by EPA include the following categories:

  • Coal Mining[11]
  • Dairy Products[12]
  • Inorganic Chemicals Manufacturing (including a zero discharge requirement for several subcategories)[13]
  • Iron and Steel Manufacturing[14]
  • Oil and Gas Extraction[15]
  • Petroleum Refining[16]
  • Pulp, Paper and Paperboard[17]
  • Sugar Processing (including a zero discharge requirement for one subcategory)[18]
  • Textile Mills.[19]

EPA has published a general definition of "new source" in the federal wastewater permit regulations.[20] More specialized definitions of "new source" are included in some of the individual category regulations, e.g., the definition for the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard category.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Carruth, Russellyn S.; Goldstein, Bernard D. (2013). "Defining New Sources". Environmental Health Law: An Introduction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. ISBN 9781118420874.
  2. ^ United States. Clean Air Act, section 111, 42 U.S.C. § 7411.
  3. ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources." Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 60.
  4. ^ "Rule and Implementation Information for Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources–Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry Wastewater". Air Toxics. EPA. 2016-02-23. 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart YYY.
  5. ^ "Rule and Implementation Information for New Source Performance Standards for Boilers (Steam Generating Units)". Air Toxics. EPA. 2016-02-23. 40 CFR Part 60, Subparts D-Dc.
  6. ^ "Rule and Implementation Information for Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills". Air Toxics. EPA. 2016-02-23. 40 CFR Part 60, Subparts Cc and WWW.
  7. ^ "Rule Information for Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources–Petroleum Refineries". Air Toxics. EPA. 2016-02-23. 40 CFR Part 60, Subparts J & Ja.
  8. ^ "Rule and Implementation Information–New Source Performance Standards for Stationary Gas Turbines". Air Toxics. EPA. 2016-02-23. 40 CFR part 60, Subpart GG.
  9. ^ U.S. Clean Water Act, section 306(a), 33 U.S.C. § 1316(a).
  10. ^ "Learn About Effluent Guidelines". EPA. 2016-01-29.
  11. ^ EPA, Coal Mining Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 434.
  12. ^ EPA, Dairy Products Processing Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 405.
  13. ^ EPA, Inorganic Chemicals Manufacturing Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 415.
  14. ^ EPA, Iron and Steel Manufacturing Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 420.
  15. ^ EPA, Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 435.
  16. ^ EPA, Petroleum Refining Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 419.
  17. ^ EPA, Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 430.
  18. ^ EPA, Sugar Porcessing Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 409.
  19. ^ EPA, Textile Mills Point Source Category Effluent Guidelines and Standards. 40 CFR 410.
  20. ^ "EPA Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System." Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 122.2.
  21. ^ EPA, Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Point Source Category. Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 430.01.
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