EPA asking for input on new requirements for commercial & industrial boilers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after several false starts and much litigation, has issued its draft Maximum Achievable Control Technology rules (Boiler MACT) for controls on existing commercial and industrial boilers. These large boilers are common in commercial operations such as hospitals and universities as well and industrial heating, drying, processing, and other applications.

The data used to generate the rule has come under fire as not representing real-world applications. The new rules were developed by the EPA by evaluating the controls needed to reduce emissions to levels found in the most strictly controlled, lowest emitting boilers in the country using the cleanest fuels obtainable, then requiring existing large boilers to meet such limits. The resultant rule is viewed as being extremely expensive to implement, thus creating new incentives to move manufacturing where possible.

AOI is working with sister organizations to develop comments, although individual facility comments would also very be very beneficial. If your facility would like a draft letter to use for developing comments on the rule, contact John Ledger at AOI.

Oregon facilities subject to the new rules should already have been contacted by the Oregon DEQ. The deadline for comments is August 3, 2010.