National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Category: Gasoline Distribution (Stage I)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 63

[AD-FRL-5054-2]

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for

Source Category: Gasoline Distribution (Stage I)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Announcement of the availability of supplemental information,

and reopening of public comment period on the supplemental information.

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SUMMARY: On February 8, 1994 (59 FR 5868), the EPA proposed standards

(the proposal or proposed standards) to limit emissions of hazardous

air pollutants (HAP's) from existing and new bulk gasoline terminals

and pipeline breakout stations under section 112 of the Clean Air Act

as amended in 1990 (Act). The public comment period on the proposed

rule ended April 11, 1994. This action announces the availability of

supplemental information and the reopening of the comment period for

comment on only the supplemental information. This supplemental

information was provided during the comment period on the proposal and

pertains to the level of control and test procedures for tank truck

leakage. The EPA plans to consider comments received on this action,

along with the comments received on the proposal, and take final action

on the rule on November 23, 1994 as required under consent decree. Due

to this short schedule, only a 30-day comment period is being provided

and no public hearing will be held.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 19, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments. Comments should be submitted (in duplicate, if

possible) to: Air Docket Section (6102), ATTN: Docket No. A-92-38, Room

M1500, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20460, and Mr. Stephen Shedd, address shown in FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

Docket. Docket No. A-92-38, containing supporting information used

in developing the proposed standards, public comments received on the

proposal, and the test procedures and methods discussed in today's

notice, is available for public inspection and copying between 8:30

a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the EPA's Air Docket

Section, Waterside Mall, Room 1500, 1st Floor, 401 M Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20460. A reasonable fee may be charged for copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning today's

notice, contact Mr. Stephen Shedd at (919) 541-5397, Chemicals and

Petroleum Branch, Emission Standards Division (MD-13), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

27711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 8, 1994 (59 FR 5868), the EPA

proposed standards to limit emissions of hazardous air pollutants

(HAP's) from existing and new bulk gasoline terminals and pipeline

breakout stations under section 112 of the Act. Two comment letters

presented information on California standards for tank truck leaks at

existing facilities that are more stringent than those standards

proposed by the EPA. The EPA proposed that tank trucks and railcars

annually pass a pressure and vacuum test before loading gasoline at

existing and new major source facilities. The California standards have

a more stringent requirement for the annual test, an additional annual

test for internal vapor valves, and a year-round leak rate requirement

and test procedures. Additionally, the EPA proposed for new facilities

the use of a loading rack vacuum assist system, in addition to the

proposed annual pressure and vacuum test, to further control leakage

from tank trucks and railcars. The EPA did not analyze nor fully

discuss these California standards during development of the proposal

or at proposal. The purpose of this notice is to announce and discuss

the consideration of these additional standards. Below is a discussion

of the California standard for tank truck leakage and the EPA's

consideration of that information. As noted in the ADDRESSES section of

today's notice, the docket (Docket No. A-92-38) contains the California

test procedures and methods discussed below.

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) and the California air

pollution control districts have been implementing tank truck leakage

standards since the late 1970's. Currently all tank trucks transporting

gasoline in California, including tank trucks from neighboring States

that operate in California, must meet the California standards. In

summary they include three major standards, an annual certification and

a year-round standard for the tank and its vapor piping and hoses and a

year-round pressure standard for the tank truck's internal vapor valve.

The annual certification standards include initially pressurizing and

later evacuating the tank and associated vapor piping and hoses, to 18

inches of water and to 6 inches of water, respectively. In 5 minutes

the allowable pressure change can be no more than the values shown in

Table 1. The EPA's Control Techniques Guideline (CTG) document and New

Source Performance Standards (NSPS) (40 CFR part 60, subpart XX)

contain annual pressure and vacuum test levels of initial pressures and

test duration which are the same as California's. However, a less

stringent pressure change of 3 inches of water column is allowed for

all tank trucks under the NSPS, CTG, and proposal.

Table 1. Allowable Tank Pressure Change

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allowable pressure change

per tank or compartment

tested (inches of water,

gauge, per 5 minutes)

Tank or compartment capacity (gallons) --------------------------

Year-round

Annual (not to be

certification exceeded

anytime)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

2,500 & Up................................... 1 2.5

2,499-1,500.................................. 1.5 3.0

1,499-1,000.................................. 2.0 3.5

999-less..................................... 2.5 4.0

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 1 presents a year-round allowable pressure change standard

that is 1.5 inches of water column higher than annual certification

allowable pressure change. This year-round standard is periodically

demonstrated by a combustible gas detector method or the annual

certification test procedure (using the allowable year-round pressure

change value) by owners and operators and used by the California ARB

and districts for audits and compliance, respectively. Combustible gas

detectors are easy to use and transport and can be used in the field

while trucks are loading gasoline. The annual certification pressure/

vacuum test procedure requires the tank to be taken out of gasoline

service and requires more test equipment than the combustible gas

detector method. Therefore, the combustible gas detector method

provides an easy-to-use field compliance procedure. Tank trucks with a

leak found above 100 percent of the lower explosive limit (LEL) on a

combustible gas detector are required to be taken out of service until

they pass the allowable year-round pressure change using the annual

certification test method. If the truck fails both tests, the truck

owner is fined and the tank is not allowed to return to service until

it meets the annual certification standard. Those tanks found to have

leaks above 100 percent of the LEL and found to meet the year-round

allowable pressure change with the annual certification test procedure

are not penalized if maintenance is not performed before the pressure

test. A similar combustible gas detector procedure was presented in the

EPA's CTG, but is not contained in the NSPS or this proposed NESHAP.

However, some other States and oil companies are using this detector

procedure as a compliance method, in addition to the annual pressure

and vacuum tests. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)

developed a field pressure test procedure that measures the pressure

change without taking the tank out of service. Nitrogen gas is used to

pressurize the tank's vapor head space. This field pressure test method

was determined by the California ARB in 1986 to be equivalent to the

combustible gas detector method. Since 1986, the BAAQMD has implemented

a comprehensive outreach program with the field pressure test.

Operators are instructed in the field test procedure, and participate

in an ongoing inspection and maintenance program. Participation is

voluntary, and the incentive is to reduce the penalties for violations

by having documentation showing a history of regular tests and

maintenance on the tank truck.

The third California standard for tank trucks is the annually

tested certification pressure test on the tank truck's internal vapor

valve. This valve provides a seal between the truck's tank and its

vapor piping and connected hose. For this test, the tank and associated

vapor piping and hose are pressurized to 18 inches of water column, and

the valve is then closed. Then, while leaving the tank under pressure,

the pressure in the tank truck's vapor collection piping and vapor hose

is released to atmospheric pressure and then capped. After 5 minutes, a

pressure increase of no more than 5 inches of water column is allowed

to occur downstream of the valve in the tank truck's vapor piping and

hose. Any pressure increase indicates that the valve is leaking. This

leakage would eventually be released to the atmosphere when the vapor

hose and piping are not connected to a vapor collection system. This

standard for internal vapor valves is not contained in the CTG, the

NSPS, or the proposed standard.

The California ARB is currently revising its tank truck standards

to change the level of the annual test and is updating its test

procedures and methods. The BAAQMD tested 200 tank trucks and found

that 86 percent of the trucks could pass a 0.25-inch standard and 91

percent could pass a 0.5-inch standard. The California ARB proposed

that the allowable annual certification's allowable pressure change be

reduced by 50 percent (1-inch drop is proposed to be reduced to a 0.5-

inch, etc.). Besides general updating and clarifications of the test

procedures and methods, the California ARB is adding the field pressure

test used by BAAQMD in the ARB certification procedures.

Under section 112 of the Act, the minimum baseline (floor) at which

standards may be set, for existing sources, is the ``average emission

limitation achieved by the best performing 12 percent of the existing

sources''(section 112(d)(3) of the Act). The existing California

standards are used statewide and on tank trucks from surrounding areas.

California is estimated to account for nearly 12 percent of the

national gasoline consumption. Since trucks in California and

surrounding areas transport about 12 percent of the national gasoline,

it is logical to assume that this represents about 12 percent of the

affected gasoline tank truck population. The EPA looks at emission

limitations achieved by each of the best performing 12 percent of

existing sources, and average those limitations (59 FR 29196).

``Average'' is interpreted to mean a measure of central tendency such

as the arithmetic mean or median. In the case of the California

standards, nearly or about 12 percent of tank trucks at least meet or

exceed the California standards, therefore these standards are at least

the arithmetic average, and certainly the 94 percentile or median.

Additionally, the existing California standards achieve the lowest

emission limitation (in this case by achieving the lowest leakage

rates) and are the best performing of existing sources. Thus, the EPA

now considers the existing California standards as the existing source

floor since they represent the average emission limitation achieved by

the best performing 12 percent of the existing sources.

The EPA proposal contains a requirement to operate a vacuum assist

system at new source facilities. The agency proposed this requirement

for new sources based on the system providing ``emission control that

is achieved in practice by the best controlled similar source''

(section 112(d)(3) of the Act). Many commenters questioned the amount

of emission control that would be achieved by the vacuum assist system.

In the EPA's consideration of the vacuum assist system as the floor for

new sources, the EPA will also consider the existing California

standards discussed earlier.

Through consideration of comments received on today's notice along

with those on the proposed rule, the EPA will determine the control

levels to be applied to tank truck leakage. Today's opening of the

comment period is only for taking comment on the supplemental material

contained in this notice on tank truck vapor leakage controls.

Specifically, the EPA is requesting comments and data on the

consideration of the existing California standards as the floor level

of control for new and existing facilities as required under section

112 of the Act. The EPA is also requesting comment on whether the level

of control for tank trucks at new and existing facilities should be

based on the existing or the proposed California standards. Comments

are also requested on the use and accuracy of the test procedures and

methods referred to earlier and provided in the docket, including both

the existing and updated or revised procedures and methods.

Dated: August 4, 1994.

Mary D. Nichols,

Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 94-20441 Filed 8-18-94; 8:45 am]

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