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The EPA in a Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, Federal
Register notice, announced it is amending the requirements for
particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) under the Prevention of Significant
Deterioration (PSD) program by adding maximum allowable increases in ambient
pollutant concentrations, i.e. "increments," and two screening tools,
known as the significant impact levels (SILs) and a significant monitoring
concentration (SMC) for PM2.5.
The EPA in a Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, Federal Register notice, announced it is amending the requirements for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program by adding maximum allowable increases in ambient pollutant concentrations, i.e. "increments," and two screening tools, known as the significant impact levels (SILs) and a significant monitoring concentration (SMC) for PM2.5.
The SILs for PM2.5 are also being added to two other New Source Review (NSR) rules that regulate the construction and modification of any major stationary source locating in an attainment or unclassifiable area, where the source's emissions may cause or contribute to a violation of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).
The rule establishes SILs for PM2.5 for evaluating the impact a proposed new source or modification may have on the NAAQS and PSD increments for PM2.5. The SILs for PM2.5 were developed by scaling the existing PM10 SILs using a PM2.5-to-PM10 NAAQS ratio. The final SILs were identified as Option 3 in the 2007 notice of rulemaking, and are as follows:
The EPA in a Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, Federal Register notice, announced it is amending the requirements for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program by adding maximum allowable increases in ambient pollutant concentrations, i.e. "increments," and two screening tools, known as the significant impact levels (SILs) and a significant monitoring concentration (SMC) for PM2.5.
The SILs for PM2.5 are also being added to two other New Source Review (NSR) rules that regulate the construction and modification of any major stationary source locating in an attainment or unclassifiable area, where the source's emissions may cause or contribute to a violation of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).
Increments:
The final PM2.5 increments, identified as Option 1 in the 2007 notice of proposed rulemaking for this action, are as follows:
| Averaging Period | NAAQS (μg/m3) | Increments | ||
| Class I | Class II | Class III | ||
| Annual | 15 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 24-hour | 35 | 2 | 9 | 18 |
Option 3 SILs:
No, we didn't miss Option 2. Option 2 didn't make it.The rule establishes SILs for PM2.5 for evaluating the impact a proposed new source or modification may have on the NAAQS and PSD increments for PM2.5. The SILs for PM2.5 were developed by scaling the existing PM10 SILs using a PM2.5-to-PM10 NAAQS ratio. The final SILs were identified as Option 3 in the 2007 notice of rulemaking, and are as follows:
| Averaging Period | SILs(μg/m3) | ||
| Class I | Class II | Class III | |
| Annual | 0.06 | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| 24-hour | 0.07 | 0.3 | 1.2 |
These values will be added to the state implementation plan provisions for PSD as an optional screening tool, and the federal PSD program, as well as under the preconstruction review permit requirements.
The final rule establishes the SMC for PM2.5 as 4 μg/m3 of PM2.5 (24-hour average). This value has been developed pursuant to proposed Option 1. However, it should be noted that the value being established in this final rule is lower than the proposed value of 10 μg/m3 that was originally developed under Option 1.
A more detailed discussion of the proposed SMC is presented in section VII of the below-linked Federal Register notice, and describes the agency's rationale for altering the proposed SMC.
This final rule is effective on Dec. 20, 2010, but the regulation becomes applicable on Oct. 20, 2011. The final rule does not revoke the annual increments for particulate matter less than 10 micrometers (PM10) as proposed under Option 1 in the 2007 NPRM. Thus, the agency is retaining the 24-hour and annual PM10 increments in addition to adding PM2.5 increments.
SOURCE: Federal Register
The final rule establishes the SMC for PM2.5 as 4 μg/m3 of PM2.5 (24-hour average). This value has been developed pursuant to proposed Option 1. However, it should be noted that the value being established in this final rule is lower than the proposed value of 10 μg/m3 that was originally developed under Option 1.
A more detailed discussion of the proposed SMC is presented in section VII of the below-linked Federal Register notice, and describes the agency's rationale for altering the proposed SMC.
This final rule is effective on Dec. 20, 2010, but the regulation becomes applicable on Oct. 20, 2011. The final rule does not revoke the annual increments for particulate matter less than 10 micrometers (PM10) as proposed under Option 1 in the 2007 NPRM. Thus, the agency is retaining the 24-hour and annual PM10 increments in addition to adding PM2.5 increments.
SOURCE: Federal Register
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