The EPA has proposed an amendment to the air toxics standards general provisions section to encourage industrial facilities to reduce air toxic emissions and change their designation as a major source.

The proposed amendment would allow a major source to become an area source at any time by limiting its potential to emit toxic air pollutants to below the major source thresholds. The limit would be enforced through a permit. Once a major source becomes an area source, it would be subject to an area source standard if there is one for that industry.

The United States has made significant progress in reducing air toxics from industry, fuels and vehicles, and indoor sources. Since the Clean Air Act was amended in 1990, the EPA has issued 96 standards for 174 different types of industrial sources of air toxics, including chemical plants, oil refineries, aerospace manufacturers and steel mills. The agency also has issued regulations for 21 categories of smaller sources, such as dry cleaners, commercial sterilizers, secondary lead smelters and chromium electroplating facilities. According to the agency, these standards are projected to reduce annual emissions of air toxics by about 1.7 million tons from 1990 levels when fully implemented.

Read the proposal at www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3pfpr.html.