83 FR 23459 - Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petitions for Objection to State Operating Permit for Pasadena Refining System, Pasadena Refinery, Harris County, Texas

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 98 (May 21, 2018)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an Order dated May 1, 2018, granting in part and denying in part a Petition dated November 8, 2016 from the Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, and Air Alliance Houston. The Petition requested that the EPA object to a Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to Pasadena Refining System (Pasadena) for its Pasadena Refinery located in Harris County, Texas.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 23459]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10761]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9977-98--Region 6]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petitions for Objection 
to State Operating Permit for Pasadena Refining System, Pasadena 
Refinery, Harris County, Texas

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final Order on Petition for objection to Clean Air 
Act title V operating permit.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed 
an Order dated May 1, 2018, granting in part and denying in part a 
Petition dated November 8, 2016 from the Environmental Integrity 
Project, Sierra Club, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, 
and Air Alliance Houston. The Petition requested that the EPA object to 
a Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Texas 
Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to Pasadena Refining System 
(Pasadena) for its Pasadena Refinery located in Harris County, Texas.

ADDRESSES: The EPA requests that you contact the individual listed in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view copies of the final 
Order, the Petition, and other supporting information. You may review 
copies of the final Order, the Petition, and other supporting 
information at the EPA Region 6 Office, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 
75202-2733. You may view the hard copies Monday through Friday, from 9 
a.m. to 3 p.m., excluding federal holidays. If you wish to examine 
these documents, you should make an appointment at least 24 hours 
before the visiting day. Additionally, the final Order and Petition are 
available electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aimee Wilson, EPA Region 6, (214) 665-
7596, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review and object to, as appropriate, operating permits proposed by 
state permitting authorities under title V of the CAA. Section 
505(b)(2) of the CAA authorizes any person to petition the EPA 
Administrator to object to a title V operating permit within 60 days 
after the expiration of the EPA's 45-day review period if the EPA has 
not objected on its own initiative. Petitions must be based only on 
objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable specificity 
during the public comment period provided by the state, unless the 
petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise these issues 
during the comment period or unless the grounds for the issue arose 
after this period.
    The EPA received the Petition from the Environmental Integrity 
Project, Sierra Club, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, 
and Air Alliance Houston dated November 8, 2016, requesting that the 
EPA object to the issuance of operating permit no. O3711, issued by 
TCEQ to Pasadena Refinery in Harris County, Texas. The Petition claims 
that: (1) The proposed permits' incorporation by reference of minor NSR 
authorizations fails to assure compliance with applicable requirements, 
(2) the proposed permits' incorporation by reference of Permit by Rule 
(PBR) and Standard Exemption authorizations fails to assure compliance 
with applicable requirements, (3) the proposed permits' incorporation 
by reference of minor NSR permits and PBRs that apply to the same 
emission unit makes it impossible to determine the emission limits that 
apply to such units, (4) the proposed permit fails to require 
monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements that assure 
compliance with applicable limits (PBRs and Standard Exemptions), (5) 
the proposed permit fails to establish monitoring, recordkeeping, and 
reporting requirements that assure compliance with emission limits for 
multiple emission units (Claims C, D, E, F, and G), (6) the proposed 
permit fails to require monitoring that assures compliance with the 
emission limits for Pasadena Refining's flares, (7) the proposed permit 
fails to require monitoring that assures compliance with the 90% 
removal efficiency requirement for the acid relief neutralization 
system, and (8) the proposed permit fails to specify and assure 
compliance with planned maintenance, startup, and shutdown emission 
limits and operating requirements for boiler #6.
    On May 1, 2018, the EPA Administrator issued an Order granting in 
part and denying in part the Petition. The Order explains the basis for 
EPA's decision.
    Sections 307(b) and 505(b)(2) of the CAA provide that a petitioner 
may request judicial review of those portions of an order that deny 
issues in a petition. Any petition for review shall be filed in the 
United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit no later 
than July 20, 2018.

    Dated: May 14, 2018.
Anne L. Idsal,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2018-10761 Filed 5-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P