Document

Approval, Disapproval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Arizona; Regional Haze State and Federal Implementation Plans

EPA is proposing to approve partially and disapprove partially a revision to Arizona's State Implementation Plan (SIP) to implement the regional haze program for the first plann...

Environmental Protection Agency
  1. 40 CFR Part 51
  2. [EPA-R09-OAR-2012-0021, FRL-9700-1]

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA is proposing to approve partially and disapprove partially a revision to Arizona's State Implementation Plan (SIP) to implement the regional haze program for the first planning period through July 31, 2018. This proposed action addresses only the portion of the SIP related to Arizona's determination of Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) to control emissions from eight units at three electric generating stations: Apache Generating Station, Cholla Power Plant and Coronado Generating Station. EPA proposes to approve the State's determination that these sources are subject to BART, and to approve the emissions limits for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM10) at all the units. EPA proposes to disapprove the BART emissions limits for nitrogen oxides (NOX) at most of the units. EPA also proposes to promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) containing new emissions limits for NOX as well as BART compliance requirements for the three facilities. We encourage the State to submit a revised SIP to replace all portions of our FIP, and we stand ready to work with the State to develop a revised plan. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires states to prevent any future and remedy any existing man-made impairment of visibility in 156 national parks and wilderness areas designated as Class I areas. Arizona has a wealth of such areas. The three power plants affect visibility at 18 national parks and wilderness areas, including the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde and the Petrified Forest. The State and EPA must work together to ensure that plans are in place to make progress toward natural visibility conditions at these national treasures.

DATES:

Written comments must be received by the designated contact at the address below on or before August 31, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on where and how to learn more about this proposal, attend a public hearing, or submit comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Webb, U.S. EPA, Region 9, Planning Office, Air Division, Air-2, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Thomas Webb can be reached at telephone number (415) 947-4139 and via electronic mail at .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. General Information

A. Definitions

B. Docket

C. Instructions for Submitting Comments to EPA

D. Submitting Confidential Business Information

E. Tips for Preparing Your Comments

F. Public Hearings

II. Overview of Proposed Actions

III. Regional Haze Background

A. Description of Regional Haze

B. History of Regional Haze Regulations

C. Roles of Agencies in Addressing Regional Haze

IV. Requirements for Regional Haze Implementation Plans

A. Regional Haze Rule

B. The Deciview

C. Best Available Retrofit Technology

D. The Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission and Section 309

V. SIP and FIP Background

A. History of State Submittals and EPA Actions

B. EPA's Authority To Promulgate a FIP

VI. EPA's Evaluation of Arizona's BART Analyses and Determinations

A. Arizona's Identification of BART Sources

B. Arizona's BART Control Analysis

1. Cost of Compliance

2. Energy and Non-Air Quality Environmental Impacts

3. Existing Pollution Control Technology

4. Remaining Useful Life of the Source

5. Degree of Visibility Improvement

C. Arizona's BART Determinations

1. Apache Unit 1

a. BART for NOX

b. BART for PM10

c. BART for SO2

2. Apache Units 2 and 3

a. BART for NOX

b. BART for PM10

c. BART for SO2

3. Cholla Units 2, 3 and 4

a. BART for NOX

b. BART for PM10

c. BART for SO2

4. Coronado Units 1 and 2

a. BART for NOX

b. BART for PM10

c. BART for SO2

D. Enforceability of BART Limits

VII. EPA's Proposed FIP Actions

A. EPA's BART Analyses and Determinations

1. Costs of Compliance

2. Energy and Non-Air Environmental Impacts

3. Pollution Control Equipment in Use at the Source

4. Remaining Useful Life of the Source

5. Degree of Improvement in Visibility

a. Modeling Protocol

b. Baseline Emissions

c. Emission Reductions for Alternative Controls

d. Visibility Impacts

B. EPA's FIP BART Determinations

1. Apache Units 2 and 3

a. Costs of Compliance

b. Visibility Improvement

c. EPA's BART Determinations

2. Cholla Units 2, 3 and 4

a. Costs of Compliance

b. Visibility Improvement

c. EPA's BART Determinations

3. Coronado Units 1 and 2

a. Costs of Compliance

b. Visibility Improvement

c. EPA's BART Determinations

C. Enforceability Requirements

VIII. Summary of EPA's Proposed Action

IX. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. General Information

A. Definitions

For the purpose of this document, we are giving meaning to certain words or initials as follows:

(1) The words or initials Act or CAA mean or refer to the Clean Air Act, unless the context indicates otherwise.

(2) The initials ADEQ mean or refer to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

(3) The initials AEPCO mean or refer to Arizona Electric Power Cooperative.

(4) The initials AFUDC mean or refer to allowance for funds used during construction.

(5) The initials APS mean or refer Arizona Public Service Company.

(6) The words Arizona and State mean the State of Arizona.

(7) The initials BART mean or refer to Best Available Retrofit Technology.

(8) The term Class I area refers to a mandatory Class I Federal area.[1]

(9) The initials CBI mean or refer to Confidential Business Information.

(10) The initials CEMS mean or refer to continuous emission monitoring system.

(11) The initials COFA mean or refer to close-coupled overfire air.

(12) The initials CY mean or refer to Calendar Year

(13) The initials EGU mean or refer to Electric Generating Unit.

(14) The initials ESPs mean or refer to electrostatic precipitators.

(15) The words EPA, we,us or our mean or refer to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. ( printed page 42835)

(16) The initials FGD mean or refer to flue gas desulfurization.

(17) The initials FGR mean or refer to flue gas recirculation.

(18) The initials FIP mean or refer to Federal Implementation Plan.

(19) The initials FLMs mean or refer to Federal Land Managers.

(20) The initials IMPROVE mean or refer to Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments monitoring network.

(21) The initials IPM mean or refer to Integrated Planning Model.

(22) The initials LNB mean or refer to low-NOX burners.

(23) The initials LTS mean or refer to Long-Term Strategy.

(24) The initials MW mean or refer to megawatts.

(25) The initials NEI mean or refer to National Emission Inventory.

(26) The initials NH3 mean or refer to ammonia.

(27) The initials NOX mean or refer to nitrogen oxides.

(28) The initials NP mean or refer to National Park.

(29) The initials OC mean or refer to organic carbon.

(30) The initials OFA mean or refer to over fire air.

(31) The initials PM mean or refer to particulate matter.

(32) The initials PM2.5 mean or refer to fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers.

(33) The initials PM10 mean or refer to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 micrometers (coarse particulate matter).

(34) The initials PNG mean or refer to pipeline natural gas.

(35) The initials ppm mean or refer to parts per million.

(36) The initials PSD mean or refer to Prevention of Significant Deterioration.

(37) The initials RAVI mean or refer to Reasonably Attributable Visibility Impairment.

(38) The initials RMC mean or refer to Regional Modeling Center.

(39) The initials RP mean or refer to Reasonable Progress.

(40) The initials RPG or RPGs mean or refer to Reasonable Progress Goal(s).

(41) The initials RPOs mean or refer to regional planning organizations.

(42) The initials SCR mean or refer to Selective Catalytic Reduction.

(43) The initials SIP mean or refer to State Implementation Plan.

(44) The initials SNCR mean or refer to Selective Non-catalytic Reduction.

(45) The initials SO2 mean or refer to sulfur dioxide.

(46) The initials SOFA mean or refer to separated over fire air.

(47) The initials SRP mean or refer to Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District.

(48) The initials tpy mean tons per year.

(49) The initials TSD mean or refer to Technical Support Document.

(50) The initials VOC mean or refer to volatile organic compounds.

(51) The initials WA mean or refer to Wilderness Area.

(52) The initials WEP mean or refer to Weighted Emissions Potential.

(53) The initials WFGD mean or refer to wet flue gas desulfurization.

(54) The initials WRAP mean or refer to the Western Regional Air Partnership.

B. Docket

The proposed action relies on documents, information and data that are listed in the index on www.regulations.gov under docket number EPA-R09-OAR-2012-0021. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available (e.g., Confidential Business Information (CBI)). Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically at www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Planning Office of the Air Division, AIR-2, EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. EPA requests that you contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view the hard copy of the docket. You may view the hard copy of the docket Monday through Friday, 9-5:00 PDT, excluding Federal holidays.

C. Instructions for Submitting Comments to EPA

Written comments must be received at the address below on or before August 31, 2012. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R09-OAR-2011-0021, by one of the following methods:

EPA's policy is to include all comments received in the public docket without change. We may make comments available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be CBI or other information for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or that is otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or email. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA, without going through www.regulations.gov, we will include your email address as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should not include special characters or any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.

D. Submitting Confidential Business Information

Do not submit CBI to EPA through www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim as CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, you must submit a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI for inclusion in the public docket. We will not disclose information so marked except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

E. Tips for Preparing Your Comments

When submitting comments, remember to:

F. Public Hearings

EPA will hold a public hearing at the date, time and location stated below to accept oral and written comments into the record.

Date: July 31, 2012.

Open House: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Public Hearing: 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Location: Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Courthouse (atrium and juror room), 401 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003-2118.

To provide opportunities for questions and discussion, EPA will hold an open house prior to the public hearing. During the open house, EPA staff will be available informally to answer questions on our proposed rule. Any comments made to EPA staff during the open house must still be provided formally in writing or orally during a public hearing in order to be considered in the record.

The public hearing will provide the public with an opportunity to present views or information concerning the proposed Regional Haze FIP for Arizona. EPA may ask clarifying questions during the oral presentations, but will not respond to the presentations at that time. Simultaneous translation in Spanish will be available during the public hearing. We will consider written statements and supporting information submitted during the comment period with the same weight as any oral comments and supporting information presented at the public hearing. Please consult section I.C, I.D. and I.E of this preamble for guidance on how to submit written comments to EPA. We will include verbatim transcripts of the hearing in the docket for this action. The EPA Region 9 Web site for the rulemaking, which includes the proposal and information about the public hearing, is at www.epa.gov/​region9/​air/​actions.

II. Overview of Proposed Actions

EPA proposes to partially approve and partially disapprove a portion of Arizona's SIP for Regional Haze submitted to EPA Region 9 on February 28, 2011, to meet the requirements of Section 308 of the Regional Haze Rule. EPA is proposing to take action only on the BART requirements for the three electric generating stations and units listed in Table 1. At this time, EPA is not proposing to take action on the State's other BART determinations or any other parts of the SIP regarding the remaining requirements of the Regional Haze Rule. EPA takes very seriously a decision to disapprove a state plan, as we believe that it is preferable, and preferred in the provisions of the Clean Air Act, that these requirements be implemented through state plans. A state plan need not contain exactly the same provisions that EPA might require, but EPA must be able to find that the state plan is consistent with the requirements of the Act. Further, EPA's oversight role requires that it assure fair implementation of Clean Air Act requirements by states across the country, even while acknowledging that individual decisions from source to source or state to state may not have identical outcomes. In this instance, we believe that Arizona's SIP generally meets those requirements with respect to its SO2 and PM10 limits, but as we describe in more detail below, the SIP does not include several specifically required elements. The NOX BART determinations for the coal-fired units are neither consistent with the requirements of the Act nor with BART decisions that other states have made. As a result, EPA believes this proposed disapproval is the only path that is consistent with the Act at this time. Specifically, we propose the following:

Table 1—Scope of Proposed Action

Source name Owner Units Pollutants
Apache Generating Station AEPCO Steam Units 1, 2 and 3 NOX, SO2, PM10
Cholla Power Plant APS Steam Units 2, 3 and 4 NOX, SO2, PM10
Coronado Generating Station SRP Units 1 and 2 NOX, SO2, PM10
( printed page 42837)

III. Regional Haze Background

A. Description of Regional Haze

Regional haze is visibility impairment that is produced by a multitude of sources and activities that are located across a broad geographic area and emit fine particulates (e.g., sulfates, nitrates, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and soil dust), and their precursors (e.g., sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and in some cases, ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC)). Fine particle precursors react in the atmosphere to form PM2.5, which impairs visibility by scattering and absorbing light. Visibility impairment reduces the clarity, color, and visible distance that one can see. PM2.5 can also cause serious health effects and mortality in humans and contributes to environmental effects such as acid deposition and eutrophication.

Data from the existing visibility monitoring network, the “Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments” (IMPROVE) monitoring network, show that visibility impairment caused by air pollution occurs virtually all the time at most national parks (NPs) and wilderness areas (WAs). The average visual range [3] in many Class I areas (i.e., NPs and memorial parks, WAs, and international parks meeting certain size criteria) in the western United States is 100-150 kilometers, or about one-half to two-thirds of the visual range that would exist without anthropogenic air pollution. In most of the eastern Class I areas of the United States, the average visual range is less than 30 kilometers, or about one-fifth of the visual range that would exist under estimated natural conditions (64 FR 35715, July 1, 1999).

B. History of Regional Haze Regulations

In section 169A of the 1977 Amendments to the CAA, Congress created a program for protecting visibility in the nation's national parks and wilderness areas. This section of the CAA establishes as a national goal the “prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I Federal areas [4] which impairment results from manmade air pollution.” EPA promulgated regulations on December 2, 1980, to address visibility impairment in Class I areas that is “reasonably attributable” to a single source or small group of sources, i.e., “reasonably attributable visibility impairment.” (45 FR 80084, December 2, 1980). These regulations represented the first phase in addressing visibility impairment. EPA deferred action on regional haze that emanates from a variety of sources until monitoring, modeling and scientific knowledge about the relationships between pollutants and visibility impairment were improved.

As part of the 1990 Amendments to the CAA, Congress added section 169B to focus attention on regional haze issues. EPA promulgated a rule to address regional haze on July 1, 1999 (64 FR 35714, July 1, 1999) codified at 40 CFR part 51, subpart P (Regional Haze Rule). The primary regulatory requirements that address regional haze are found at 40 CFR 51.308 and 51.309 and are summarized below. Under 40 CFR 51.308(b), all states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands are required to submit an initial state implementation plan (SIP) addressing regional haze visibility impairment no later than December 17, 2007.[5]

C. Roles of Agencies in Addressing Regional Haze

Successful implementation of the regional haze program will require long-term regional coordination among states, tribal governments and various federal agencies. As noted above, pollution affecting the air quality in Class I areas can be transported over long distances, even hundreds of kilometers. Therefore, to effectively address the problem of visibility impairment in Class I areas, states, or the EPA when implementing a FIP, need to develop strategies in coordination with one another, taking into account the effect of emissions from one jurisdiction on the air quality in another.

Because the pollutants that lead to regional haze can originate from sources located across broad geographic areas, EPA has encouraged the states and tribes across the United States to address visibility impairment from a regional perspective. Five regional planning organizations (RPOs) were developed to address regional haze and related issues. The RPOs first evaluated technical information to better understand how their states and tribes impact Class I areas across the country, and then pursued the development of regional strategies to reduce emissions of particulate matter and other pollutants leading to regional haze.

The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) RPO is a collaborative effort of state governments, tribal governments, and various federal agencies established to initiate and coordinate activities associated with the management of regional haze, visibility and other air quality issues in the western United States. WRAP member State governments include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Tribal members include Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Cortina Indian Rancheria, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Nation of the Grand Canyon, Native Village of Shungnak, Nez Perce Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of San Felipe, and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall.

IV. Requirements for Regional Haze Implementation Plans

A. Regional Haze Rule

The Regional Haze Rule (RHR) sets out specific requirements for states' initial regional haze implementation plans.[6] In particular, each state's plan must establish a long-term strategy that ensures reasonable progress toward achieving natural visibility conditions in each Class I area affected by the emissions from sources within the state. In addition, for each Class I area within the state's boundaries, the plan must establish a reasonable progress goal (RPG) for the first planning period that ends on July 31, 2018. The long-term strategy must include enforceable emission limits and other measures as necessary to achieve the RPG. Regional haze plans must also give specific ( printed page 42838) attention to certain stationary sources that were in existence on August 7, 1977, but were not in operation before August 7, 1962. These sources, where appropriate, are required to install BART controls to eliminate or reduce visibility impairment. Although such BART determinations can be a part of a reasonable progress strategy, BART is also an independent requirement that can be assessed separately from the other requirements of the RHR. Because this proposal only pertains to BART at three specific sources, we do not discuss other requirements of the RHR below.

B. The Deciview

The RHR establishes the deciview (dv) as the principal metric for measuring visibility. This visibility metric expresses uniform changes in haziness in terms of common increments across the entire range of visibility conditions, from pristine to extremely hazy conditions. Visibility expressed in deciviews is determined by using air quality measurements to estimate light extinction and then transforming the value of light extinction to deciviews using a logarithmic function. The deciview is a more useful measure for tracking progress in improving visibility than light extinction because each deciview change is an equal incremental change in visibility as perceived by the human eye.[7]

C. Best Available Retrofit Technology

Section 169A of the CAA directs states to evaluate the use of retrofit controls at certain larger, often uncontrolled, older stationary sources in order to address visibility impacts from these sources. Specifically, section 169A(b)(2)(A) of the CAA requires states to revise their SIPs to contain such measures as may be necessary to make reasonable progress towards the natural visibility goal, including a requirement that certain categories of existing major stationary sources [8] built between 1962 and 1977 procure, install, and operate the “Best Available Retrofit Technology” as determined by the state. Under the RHR, states are directed to conduct BART determinations for such “BART-eligible” sources that may be anticipated to cause or contribute to any visibility impairment in a Class I area. Rather than requiring source-specific BART controls, states also have the flexibility to adopt an emissions trading program or other alternative program as long as the alternative provides greater reasonable progress towards improving visibility than BART.

EPA published the Guidelines for BART Determinations under the Regional Haze Rule at Appendix Y to 40 CFR part 51 (hereinafter referred to as the “BART Guidelines”) on July 6, 2005. The Guidelines are to assist states in determining which of their sources should be subject to the BART requirements and in determining appropriate emission limits for each such “subject-to-BART” source. In making BART determinations for fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants with a total generating capacity in excess of 750 megawatts, states must use the approach set forth in the BART Guidelines. States are encouraged, but not required, to follow the BART Guidelines in making BART determinations for other types of sources. States must address all visibility-impairing pollutants emitted by a source in the BART determination process. The most significant visibility impairing pollutants are SO2, NOX and PM. EPA has indicated that states should use their best judgment in determining whether VOC or NH3 compounds impair visibility in Class I areas.

Under the BART Guidelines, states may select an exemption threshold value for their BART modeling, below which a BART-eligible source would not be expected to cause or contribute to visibility impairment in any Class I area. The state must document this exemption threshold value in the SIP and must state the basis for its selection of that value. Any source with emissions that model above the threshold value would be subject to a BART determination review. The BART Guidelines acknowledge varying circumstances affecting different Class I areas. In setting their exemption threshold values, states should consider the number of emission sources affecting the Class I areas at issue and the magnitude of the individual sources' impacts. An exemption threshold set by the state should not be higher than 0.5 deciview.

In their SIPs, states must identify potential BART sources, described in the RHR as “BART-eligible sources,” and document their BART control determination analyses. In making BART determinations, section 169A(g)(2) of the CAA requires that states consider the following factors: (1) The costs of compliance; (2) the energy and non-air quality environmental impacts of compliance; (3) any existing pollution control technology in use at the source; (4) the remaining useful life of the source; and (5) the degree of improvement in visibility which may reasonably be anticipated to result from the use of such technology. States are free to determine the weight and significance assigned to each factor, but must consider all five factors and provide a reasoned explanation for adopting the technology selected as BART, based on the five factors.

A regional haze SIP must include source-specific BART emission limits and compliance schedules for each source subject to BART, unless the SIP includes an alternative program that provides greater reasonable progress towards improving visibility than BART and meets the other requirements of 40 CFR 51.308(e)(2). Once a state has made its BART determination, the BART controls must be installed and in operation as expeditiously as practicable, but no later than five years after the date EPA approves the regional haze SIP.[9] The Regional Haze SIP must also contain a requirement for each BART source to maintain the relevant control equipment, as well as procedures to ensure control equipment is properly operated and maintained.[10] In addition to what is required by the RHR, general SIP requirements mandate that the SIP must also include all regulatory requirements related to monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting for the BART emissions limitations.[11]

D. The Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission and Section 309

In addition to the general requirements of the regional haze program, the RHR also includes 40 CFR 51.309, which contains the strategies developed by the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission (GCVTC), established under Section 169B(f) of CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7492(f). Certain western States and Tribes were eligible to submit implementation plans under section 309 as an alternative method of achieving reasonable progress for Class I areas that were covered by the GCVTC's analysis—i.e., the 16 Class I areas on the Colorado Plateau. In order for States and Tribes to be able to utilize this section, however, the rule provided that EPA must receive an “Annex” to ( printed page 42839) the GCVTC's final recommendations. The purpose of the Annex was to provide the specific provisions needed to translate the GCVTC's general recommendations for stationary source SO2 reductions into an enforceable regulatory program. The rule provided that such an Annex, meeting certain requirements, be submitted to EPA no later than October 1, 2000, see 40 CFR 51.309(d)(4) and 51.309(f). The Annex was submitted in 2000, and EPA revised 40 CFR 51.309 in 2003. See 68 FR 33764, June 5, 2003.

V. SIP and FIP Background

A. History of State Submittals and EPA Actions

Since four of its twelve mandatory Class I Federal areas are on the Colorado Plateau, Arizona had the option of submitting a Regional Haze SIP under section 309 of the Regional Haze Rule. A SIP that is approved by EPA as meeting all of the requirements of section 309 is “deemed to comply with the requirements for reasonable progress with respect to the 16 Class I areas [on the Colorado Plateau] for the period from approval of the plan through 2018.” 40 CFR 51.309(a). When these regulations were first promulgated, 309 submissions were due no later than December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) submitted to EPA on December 23, 2003, a 309 SIP for Arizona's four Class I Areas on the Colorado Plateau. ADEQ submitted a revision to its 309 SIP, consisting of rules on emissions trading and smoke management, and a correction to the state's regional haze statutes, on December 31, 2004. EPA approved the smoke management rules submitted as part of the 2004 revisions, see71 FR 28270 and 72 FR 25973, but did not propose or take final action on any other portion of the 309 SIP.

In response to an adverse court decision,[12] EPA revised 40 CFR 51.309 on October 13, 2006, making a number of substantive changes and requiring states to submit revised 309 SIPs by December 17, 2007. See 71 FR 60612. Subsequently, ADEQ sent a letter to EPA dated December 14, 2008, acknowledging that it had not submitted a SIP revision to address the requirements of 309(d)(4) related to stationary sources and 309(g), which governs reasonable progress requirements for Arizona's eight mandatory Class I areas outside of the Colorado Plateau.[13]

EPA made a finding on January 15, 2009, that 37 states, including Arizona, had failed to make all or part of the required SIP submissions to address regional haze. See 74 FR 2392. Specifically, EPA found that Arizona failed to submit the plan elements required by 40 CFR 309(d)(4) and (g). EPA sent a letter to ADEQ on January 14, 2009, notifying the state of this failure to submit a complete SIP. ADEQ later decided to submit a SIP under section 308, instead of section 309.

ADEQ adopted and transmitted its Regional Haze SIP under Section 308 of the Regional Haze Rule (“Arizona Regional Haze SIP”) to EPA Region 9 in a letter dated February 28, 2011. The plan was determined complete by operation of law on August 28, 2011.[14] The SIP was properly noticed by the State and available for public comment for 30 days prior to a public hearing held in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 2, 2010. Arizona included in its SIP responses to written comments from EPA Region 9, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other stakeholders including regulated industries and environmental organizations. The Arizona Regional Haze SIP is available to review in the docket for the proposed rule.

B. EPA's Authority To Promulgate a FIP

Under CAA section 110(c), EPA is required to promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan within two years of the effective date of a finding that a state has failed to make a required SIP submission. The FIP requirement is void if a state submits a regional haze SIP, and EPA approves that SIP within the two-year period. See 74 FR 2392, January 15, 2009. Specifically, CAA section 110(c) provides:

(1) The Administrator shall promulgate a Federal implementation plan at any time within 2 years after the Administrator—

(A) finds that a State has failed to make a required submission or finds that the plan or plan revision submitted by the State does not satisfy the minimum criteria established under [CAA section 110(k)(1)(A)], or

(B) disapproves a State implementation plan submission in whole or in part, unless the State corrects the deficiency, and the Administrator approves the plan or plan revision, before the Administrator promulgates such Federal implementation plan.

Section 302(y) defines the term “Federal implementation plan” in pertinent part, as:

[A] plan (or portion thereof) promulgated by the Administrator to fill all or a portion of a gap or otherwise correct all or a portion of an inadequacy in a State implementation plan, and which includes enforceable emission limitations or other control measures, means or techniques (including economic incentives, such as marketable permits or auctions or emissions allowances).

Thus, because we determined that Arizona failed to timely submit a Regional Haze SIP, we are required to promulgate a Regional Haze FIP for Arizona, unless we first approve a SIP that corrects the non-submittal deficiencies identified in our finding of January 15, 2009. For the reasons explained below, we are proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove the Arizona Regional Haze SIP. Therefore, we are proposing a FIP to address those portions of the SIP that we are proposing to disapprove. If Arizona submits a SIP revision that addresses the deficiencies in sufficient time for EPA to review the submission, then we would prefer to act on that submittal, if such action is consistent with our obligations under the CAA and applicable court orders.

VI. EPA's Evaluation of Arizona's BART Analyses and Determinations

A. Arizona's Identification of BART Sources

ADEQ's Analysis: In the first step of the BART process, ADEQ identified all the BART-eligible sources within the jurisdiction of the State and local agencies, and applied the three eligibility criteria in the RHR (40 CFR 51.301) to these facilities. The criteria are: (1) One or more emission units at the facility are classified in one of the 26 industrial source categories listed in the BART Guidelines; (2) the emission unit(s) did not operate before August 7, 1962, but was in existence on August 7, 1977; and (3) the total potential to emit of any visibility impairing pollutant from the subject emission units is greater or equal to 250 tons per year. ADEQ determined that Apache, Cholla and Coronado have emissions units that meet these criteria.

In a second step, ADEQ identified those BART-eligible sources that may reasonably be anticipated to cause or contribute to visibility impairment at any Class I area. The BART Guidelines allow states to consider exempting some BART-eligible sources from BART review in the event that they may not ( printed page 42840) reasonably be anticipated to cause or contribute to any visibility impairment in a Class I area. For states using modeling to determine the applicability of BART to single sources, the BART Guidelines note that the first step is to set a contribution threshold to assess whether the impact of a single source is sufficient to cause or contribute to visibility impairment at a Class I area. Further, the BART Guidelines state that, “[a] single source that is responsible for a 1.0 deciview change or more should be considered to `cause' visibility impairment.” [15] The BART Guidelines also state that “the appropriate threshold for determining whether a source contributes to visibility impairment' may reasonably differ across states,” but, “[a]s a general matter, any threshold that you use for determining whether a source `contributes' to visibility impairment should not be higher than 0.5 deciviews.” For determining whether a source is subject to BART, ADEQ used a contribution threshold of 0.50 dv.

The WRAP's Regional Modeling Center (RMC) developed a modeling protocol, entitled “CALMET/CALPUFF Protocol for BART Exemption Screening Analysis for Class I Areas in the Western United States.” [16] The protocol specified the use of CALPUFF version 6.112 and CALMET version 6.211, which were the accepted model versions at the time.[17] The WRAP RMC used this protocol to perform CALPUFF modeling for each of the western states. ADEQ then relied on the RMC's modeling to assess the potential of BART-eligible sources to cause or contribute to Class I visibility impairment. The visibility impacts of AEPCO Apache Generating Station, APS Cholla Power Plant, and SRP Coronado Generating Station are each well above the 0.5 dv “contribution” threshold as well as the 1.0 dv “causation” threshold.[18] As a result, ADEQ determined that emissions units at the Apache, Cholla, and Coronado facilities are subject to BART as listed in Table 2.

Table 2—Sources Subject to BART

Facility BART emission units Source category Pollutants evaluated WRAP modeled impact a
AEPCO Apache Generating Station Units 1, 2, and 3 Fossil-fuel fired steam electric plants of more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input NOX, SO2, PM10 1.95 dv
APS Cholla Power Plant Units 2, 3, and 4 NOX, SO2, PM10 2.88 dv
SRP Coronado Generating Station Units 1 and 2 NOX, SO2, PM10 3.32 dv
a  Average of the 98th percentile across 2001, 2002 and 2003 for the most affected Class I Area.

EPA's Evaluation: We are proposing to approve ADEQ's determination that Apache, Cholla, and Coronado are eligible for and subject to a BART control analysis. Each of the three facilities addressed in this notice (Apache, Cholla and Coronado) agreed with ADEQ's determination that they are subject to BART. While we do not agree with all aspects of the process by which ADEQ identified its eligible-for-BART and subject-to-BART sources, we do agree with ADEQ that the three facilities in this notice are eligible for and subject to BART. Since our action today focuses on only the three facilities, we will address ADEQ's other subject-to-BART determinations in a separate action at a later date.

B. Arizona's BART Control Analysis

The third step of the BART evaluation is to perform a five-factor BART analysis as the basis for making a BART control determination. In performing this analysis, 40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(ii)(A) requires that states consider the following factors on a pollutant-by-pollutant basis: (1) The costs of compliance of each technically feasible control technology, (2) the energy and non-air quality environmental impacts of compliance of the control technologies, (3) any existing pollution control technology in use at the source, (4) the remaining useful life of the source, and (5) the degree of improvement in visibility which may reasonably be anticipated to result from the use of such technology. These factors are frequently referred to as the “five-factor analysis” for the RHR BART determination.

The BART Guidelines recommend that a BART analysis include the following five steps. The Guidelines provide detailed instructions on how to perform each of these steps.[19]

Footnotes

1.  Although states and tribes may designate as Class I additional areas which they consider to have visibility as an important value, the requirements of the visibility program set forth in section 169A of the CAA apply only to “mandatory Class I Federal areas.”

Back to Citation

2.  For each BART source, the SIP must include a requirement to install and operate control equipment as expeditiously as practicable (40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(iv)); a requirement to maintain control equipment (40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(v)); and procedures to ensure control equipment is properly operated and maintained, including requirements for monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting (40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(v)).

Back to Citation

3.  Visual range is the greatest distance, in kilometers or miles, at which a dark object can be viewed against the sky.

Back to Citation

4.  Areas designated as mandatory Class I Federal areas consist of national parks exceeding 6000 acres, wilderness areas and national memorial parks exceeding 5000 acres, and all international parks that were in existence on August 7, 1977. 42 U.S.C. 7472(a). In accordance with section 169A of the CAA, EPA, in consultation with the Department of Interior, promulgated a list of 156 areas where visibility is identified as an important value (44 FR 69122, November 30, 1979). The extent of a mandatory Class I area includes subsequent changes in boundaries, such as park expansions. 42 U.S.C. 7472(a). Although states and tribes may designate as Class I additional areas which they consider to have visibility as an important value, the requirements of the visibility program set forth in section 169A of the CAA apply only to “mandatory Class I Federal areas.” Each mandatory Class I Federal area is the responsibility of a “Federal Land Manager.” 42 U.S.C. 7602(i). When we use the term “Class I area” in this action, we mean a “mandatory Class I Federal area.”

Back to Citation

5.  EPA's regional haze regulations require subsequent updates to the regional haze SIPs. 40 CFR 51.308(g)-(i).

Back to Citation

6.  Pursuant to 40 CFR 51.301, “implementation plan” is defined as “any State Implementation Plan, Federal Implementation Plan, or Tribal Implementation Plan.” Therefore, although the requirements of the RHR are generally described in relation to SIPs, they are also relevant where EPA is promulgating a regional haze plan.

Back to Citation

7.  The preamble to the RHR provides additional details about the deciview (64 FR 35714, 35725 July 1, 1999).

Back to Citation

8.  The set of “major stationary sources” potentially subject to BART is listed in CAA section 169A(g)(7).

Back to Citation

9.  CAA section 169(g)(4); 40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(iv).

Back to Citation

10.  40 CFR 51.308(e)(1)(v). See also CAA section 302(k) (defining “emission limitation” as “a requirement established by the State or the Administrator which limits the quantity, rate, or concentration of emissions of air pollutants on a continuous basis, including any requirement relating to the operation or maintenance of a source to assure continuous emission reduction * * *”) (emphasis added).

Back to Citation

11.   See CAA section 110(a)(2) (requirements for SIPs).

Back to Citation

12.   Center for Energy and Economic Development v. EPA, 398 F.3d 653 (D.C. Circuit 2005).

Back to Citation

13.  Letter from Stephen A. Owens, ADEQ, to Wayne Nastri, EPA (December 14, 2008).

Back to Citation

14.  See CAA section 110(k)(1)(B).

Back to Citation

15.  70 FR 39104, 39161, July 6, 2005.

Back to Citation

16.  See Docket Item B-15.

Back to Citation

17.  EPA subsequently required the uses of CALPUFF and CALMET version 5.8 for new modeling applications. However, EPA is accepting BART modeling performed according to a previously approved protocol, as was the case for the WRAP protocol.

Back to Citation

18.  See Docket Item No. B-12. Visibility impacts as listed in “Summary of WRAP RMC BART Modeling for Arizona” Draft No. 5, May 7, 2005. Initial draft released on April 4, 2005.

Back to Citation

20.  Step 4 includes evaluating the cost of compliance, energy impacts, non-air quality environmental impacts, and remaining useful life.

Back to Citation

21.  Arizona Regional Haze SIP, pp. 138-143.

Back to Citation

22.  We note that, while ADEQ refers to its Step 5 as an evaluation of energy and non-air quality environmental impacts, this step also includes consideration of the costs of compliance and the remaining useful life of the source, consistent with the BART Guidelines, 40 CFR part 51, appendix Y, § IV.D.4.

Back to Citation

23.  We do not believe that ADEQ appropriately used “the most stringent emission control level that the technology is capable of achieving” for SCR per the BART Guidelines at 40 CFR part 51, appendix Y, § IV.D.3. This issue is addressed on a source-by-source basis under the cost and visibility factors of our evaluation in section VI.C.

Back to Citation

24.  Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, p. 63.

Back to Citation

25.  See, e.g. id. p. 53.

Back to Citation

26.  Note that the issue here is not whether an individual in a given time and place would perceive the deciview benefits occurring at different Class I areas and under possibly different meteorological conditions. Rather, the issue is accounting in some way for the full set of expected visibility benefits. A national program for addressing regional haze must inherently address the multiple areas that occur in a region.

Back to Citation

27.  Interagency Workgroup on Air Quality Modeling (IWAQM) Phase 2 Summary Report and Recommendations for Modeling Long Range Transport Impacts (EPA-454/R-98-019), EPA OAQPS, December 1998, www.epa.gov/​scram001/​7thconf/​calpuff/​phase2.pdf.

Back to Citation

28.  See Docket Item B-2. Page 2-1 of AEPCO Apache 1 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

29.  See Docket Item B-02. Appendix A (Economic Analysis) of AEPCO Apache 1 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

30.  See Docket Item B-02. Page 2-1 of AEPCO Apache 1 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

31.  See Docket Item B-01. Emission rate as specified in Table 10.2, Appendix D (Technical Support Document) of Arizona Regional Haze SIP.

Back to Citation

32.  See Docket Item B-02, Page 2-1 of AEPCO Apache 1 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

33.  See Docket Item B-01. Emission rate as specified in Table 10.5, Appendix D (Technical Support Document) of Arizona Regional Haze SIP.

Back to Citation

34.  See Docket Item B-02. Page 2-2 of AEPCO Apache 1 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

35.  See Docket Item B-01. Emission rate as specified in Table 10.7, Appendix D (Technical Support Document) of Arizona Regional Haze SIP.

Back to Citation

36.  See Docket Item C-16, Letter from Michelle Freeark (AEPCO) to Deborah Jordan (EPA), AEPCO's Comments on BART for Apache Generating Station, June 29, 2012.

Back to Citation

37.  See Docket Item B-03 and B-04, AEPCO Apache BART Analyses, page 2-2.

Back to Citation

38.  See Docket Item B-03 and B-04, AEPCO Apache BART Analyses. This information is also summarized in Docket Item B-01, Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, Tables 10.10 through 10.13.

Back to Citation

39.  As listed in Table 3-2, Docket Items B-03 and B-04, AEPCO Apache BART Analyses.

Back to Citation

40.  As listed in Table 2-1, Docket Items B-03 and B-04. Annual capacity factors used for each unit are 92% (Apache 2), and 87% (Apache 3).

Back to Citation

41.  Arizona SIP submittal, “Appendix D: Arizona BART—Supplemental Information”, p. 65.

Back to Citation

42.  Docket Item B-01, Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, Page 65.

Back to Citation

43.  See BART Guidelines, § IV.E.2.

Back to Citation

44.  We do note, however, that AEPCO does provide some additional analysis on this position in the Apache BART analyses it submitted to ADEQ. Aside from stating that it reviewed AEPCO's analysis, ADEQ did not specifically reference or include any aspects of AEPCO's analysis in the RH SIP. As a result, we are not assuming that ADEQ necessarily agrees with AEPCO's rationale, and have therefore not provided an evaluation of it.

Back to Citation

45.  See Appendix D, pages 65-69 for ADEQ's BART Analysis for PM10 at Apache Units 2 and 3. See AEPCO Apache Unit 2 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

46.  See AEPCO BART Analysis Technical Memorandum dated July 8, 2009, page 12.

Back to Citation

48.  EPA is proposing SCR as BART for all of the coal-fired units. See Section VII.

Back to Citation

50.  See Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, pages 69-71 for ADEQ's BART Analysis for SO2 at Apache Units 2 and 3.

Back to Citation

51.  See AEPCO Apache Unit 2 BART Analysis.

Back to Citation

52.  See BART Guidelines § IV.E.4.

Back to Citation

53.  See, e.g. Apache Unit 2 BART Analysis, Table 3-1.

Back to Citation

54.  A copy of the coal contract, including obligation amounts and coal quality, can be found in Docket Item B-09, “Additional APS Cholla BART response”, Appendix B.

Back to Citation

55.  See Docket Item B-06 through -08, APS Cholla BART Analyses, page 2-2.

Back to Citation

56.  See Docket Item B-06 through -08, APS Cholla BART Analyses. This information is also summarized in Docket Item B-01, Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, Tables 11.3 through 11.5.

Back to Citation

57.  As described in Table 3-2, Docket Items B-06 through -08, APS Cholla BART Analyses.

Back to Citation

58.  As listed in Table 2-1, Docket Items B-06 through -08. Annual capacity factors used for each unit are 91 percent (Cholla 2), 86 percent (Cholla 3), and 93 percent (Cholla 4).

Back to Citation

59.  Docket Item B-01, Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, Page 79.

Back to Citation

60.   Id.

Back to Citation

61.  See Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, pages 79-81 for ADEQ's BART Analysis for PM10 at Cholla Units 2, 3, and 4.

Back to Citation

62.  See Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, pp. 81-83, for ADEQ's BART Analysis for SO2 at Cholla Units 2, 3, and 4.

Back to Citation

63.  See Docket Item G-01, Consent Decree between United States and Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District.

Back to Citation

64.  See Docket Item B-10, SRP Coronado BART Analysis, page 3-1.

Back to Citation

65.  See Docket Item B-10, SRP Coronado BART Analysis, p. 4-5.

Back to Citation

66.  See Docket Item B-11, Additional SRP Coronado response.

Back to Citation

67.  Arizona RH SIP, Appendix D, p. 112.

Back to Citation

68.  Docket Item B-01, Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, Page 112.

Back to Citation

69.  Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, p. 112.

Back to Citation

70.  We do note, however, that SRP does provide some additional analysis on this position in the BART analysis it submitted to ADEQ and in the responses it provided to ADEQ's additional questions. Aside from stating that it reviewed SRP's analysis, ADEQ did not specifically reference or include any aspects of SRP's analysis in the RH SIP. As a result, we are not assuming that ADEQ necessarily agrees with SRP's rationale, and have therefore not provided an analysis of it.

Back to Citation

71.  See Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, p. 112 for ADEQ's BART Analysis for PM10 at Coronado Units 1 and 2; and BART Analysis for Coronado Generating Station Units 1 and 2 (February 2008) for SRP's analysis.

Back to Citation

72.  Docket Item G-01, Consent Decree between United States and Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, § V.

Back to Citation

75.  See Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix D, pp. 113-15 for ADEQ's BART Analysis for PM10 at Coronado Units 1 and 2; and Docket No. B.10, BART Analysis for Coronado Generating Station Units 1 and 2 (Feb. 2008) for SRP's analysis.

Back to Citation

77.  See, e.g. CAA section 110(a)(2) (F) and 40 CFR 51.212(c).

Back to Citation

78.  As described above, ADEQ did specify a test method for PM10 for each of the relevant sources (Method 201/202). However, we are proposing to also allow the use of test methods that do not capture condensable particulate matter, namely EPA Methods 1 through 4 and Method 5 or Method 5e.

Back to Citation

82.  See Docket Items G-04, “Emissions Control: Cost-Effective Layered Technology for Ultra-Low NOX Control” (2007), Docket Item G-05 “What's New in SCRs” (2006), and Docket Item G-06 “Nitrogen Oxides Emission Control Options for Coal-Fired Electric Utility Boilers” (2005).

Back to Citation

84.  Docket Items C-15 “Letter from Kelly Barr (SRP) to Deborah Jordan (EPA)” and C-16 “Letter from Michelle Freeark (AEPCO) to Deborah Jordan (EPA).”

Back to Citation

85.  “Impact of Ammonia in Fly Ash on its Beneficial Use,” Memorandum from Nancy Jones and Stephen Edgerton, EC/R Incorporated, to Anita Lee, U.S. EPA/Region 9, August 31, 2010. Also see the TSD for further discussion.

Back to Citation

86.  EPA relied on version 5.8 of CALPUFF because it is the EPA-approved version promulgated in the Guideline on Air Quality Models (40 CFR part 51, Appendix W, section 6.2.1.e; 68 FR 18440, April 15, 2003. It was also the approved version when EPA promulgated the BART Guidelines (70 FR 39122, July 6, 2005). EPA updated the specific version to be used for regulatory purposes on June 29, 2007, including minor revisions as of that date; the approved CALPUFF modeling system includes CALPUFF version 5.8, level 070623, and CALMET version 5.8 level 070623. At this time, any other version of the CALPUFF modeling system would be considered an “alternative model”, subject to the provisions of Guideline on Air Quality Models section 3.2.2(b), requiring a full theoretical and performance evaluation.

Back to Citation

87.   Technical Analysis for Arizona Regional Haze FIPs: Modeling Protocol for Subject-to-BART and BART Control Options Analyses, EP-D-07-102 WA5-12 Task 5, Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, March 14, 2012

Back to Citation

88.   CALMET/CALPUFF Protocol for BART Exemption Screening Analysis for Class I Areas in the Western United States, Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP); Gail Tonnesen, Zion Wang; Ralph Morris, Abby Hoats and Yiqin Jia, August 15, 2006. Available on UCR Regional Modeling Center web site, BART CALPUFF Modeling, pah.cert.ucr.edu/​aqm/​308/​bart.shtml.

Back to Citation

89.   Revised BART Analysis for the Navajo Generating Station Units 1-3, ENSR Corporation, Document No. 05830-012-300, January 2009, Salt River Project—Navajo Generating Station, Tempe, AZ.

Back to Citation

90.  “Particulate Matter Speciation”, National Park Service, 2006. www.nature.nps.gov/​air/​Permits/​ect/​index.cfm.

Back to Citation

91.   Estimating Total Sulfuric Acid Emissions from Stationary Power Plants, Version 2010a, 1020636, Technical Update, Electric Power Research Institute, April 2010.

Back to Citation

92.  Pitchford, Marc, 2006, “New IMPROVE algorithm for estimating light extinction approved for use”, The IMPROVE Newsletter, Volume 14, Number 4, Air Resource Specialists, Inc.; Web page: vista.cira.colostate.edu/​improve/​Publications/​news_​letters.htm.

Back to Citation

93.   Federal Land Managers' Air Quality Related Values Work Group (FLAG) Phase I Report—Revised (2010), U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, October 2010. Available on Web page www.nature.nps.gov/​air/​Permits/​flag/​.

Back to Citation

94.  BART Guidelines, 70 FR 39125, July 6, 2005. “Finally, these final BART guidelines use the natural visibility baseline for the 20 percent best visibility days for comparison to the `cause or contribute' applicability thresholds.”

95.  “Regional Haze Regulations and Guidelines for Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) Determinations”, memorandum from Joseph W. Paisie, EPA OAQPS, July 19, 2006, p.2.

Back to Citation

96.  Additional Regional Haze Questions”, September 27, 2006 Revision, EPA OAQPS.

Back to Citation

97.  BART Guidelines, 40 CFR part 51, appendix P, Section IV.D.4.d.

Back to Citation

98.  As listed in Table 2-1 in Docket Items B-03 and B-04, Apache BART Analyses.

Back to Citation

99.  We note that there are multiple reasons why our annual emission estimates (and estimates of emission removal) are lower than AEPCO's and ADEQ's estimates. We are not implying that the use of capacity factor is the sole, or even dominant, reason for this difference, simply that the use of lower capacity factors will result in lower annual emission estimates.

Back to Citation

100.  Apache Unit 4, which consists of four simple-cycle gas turbines, was not included in the modeling because its NOX emissions are less than 1 percent of the emissions of units 2 and 3, and are therefore expected to have a de minimis effect on modeled visibility impacts.

Back to Citation

101.  Arizona Regional Haze SIP, Appendix E, Public Process, NPS General BART Comments on ADEQ BART Analyses (November 29, 2010), p. 4.

Back to Citation

103.  See Docket Item H-1Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. Annual Report Electric for Year Ending December 31, 2011 submitted to Arizona Corporation Commission Utilities Division, available at www.azcc.gov/​Divisions/​Utilities/​Annual%20Reports/​2011/​Electric/​Arizona_​Electric_​Power_​Cooperative_​Inc.pdf.

Back to Citation

104.  Docket Item C-16, Letter from Michelle Freeark (AEPCO) to Deborah Jordan (EPA), AEPCO's Comments on BART for Apache Generating Station, June 29, 2012.

Back to Citation

105.  A copy of the coal contract, including obligation amounts and coal quality, can be found in Docket Item B-09, “Additional APS Cholla BART response”, Appendix B.

Back to Citation

106.  As listed in Table 2-1 in Docket Items B-06 through B-08, Cholla BART Analyses.

Back to Citation

107.  We note that there are multiple reasons why our annual emission estimates (and estimates of emission removal) are lower than APS' and ADEQ's estimates. We are not implying that the use of capacity factor is the sole, or even dominant, reason for this difference, simply that the use of lower capacity factors will result in lower annual emission estimates.

Back to Citation

108.  We recognize that there are more aggressive approaches we could adopt that could justify the use of higher capacity factors, which would thereby lower the cost per ton of pollutant reduced. For example, instead of using historical data to develop a capacity factor value for each unit, we could use a single capacity factor value for each unit, one that represented a reasonable depiction of anticipated annual baseload operations. Alternately, we could also use the capacity factor estimates from APS' Cholla BART analyses, as based on a 2001-06 time frame, or develop new capacity factors based on a longer 2001 to 2011 time frame.

Back to Citation

109.  See Docket Item G-01, “Consent Decree Between U.S. and SRP (final as entered).” See also ADEQ Title V Permit Renewal Number 52639, SRP—Coronado Generating Station, section II.E.1.a.iii (December 06, 2011).

Back to Citation

110.  See 40 CFR part 51, appendix Y, Section IV.D.4.d.

Back to Citation

111.  A discussion of our rationale for considering SCR at an emission rate of 0.05 lb/MMBtu can be found in Section VII.A.2 (Control Effectiveness) of this notice.

Back to Citation

112.  See Docket Item B-10, SRP Coronado BART Analysis, page 4-5

Back to Citation

113.  We note that there are multiple reasons why our annual emission estimates (and estimates of emission removal) are lower than AEPCO's and ADEQ's estimates. We are not implying that the use of capacity factor is the sole, or even dominant, reason for this difference, simply that the use of lower capacity factors will result in lower annual emission estimates.

Back to Citation

114.  We recognize that there are more aggressive approaches we could adopt that could justify the use of higher capacity factors, which would thereby lower the cost per ton of pollutant reduced. For example, instead of using historical data to develop a capacity factor value for each unit, we could use a single capacity factor value for each unit, one that represented a reasonable depiction of anticipated annual baseload operations. Alternately, we could also use a 100% capacity factor, or develop new capacity factors based on a longer 2001 to 2011 time frame.

Back to Citation

115.  Available on regulations.gov, docket no. EPA-R06-OAR-2010-0846, pp. 70-72. See also 76 FR at 52408-09.

Back to Citation

116.  J. Edward Cichanowicz, Implementation Schedule for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) Process Equipment (Oct. 10, 2010).

Back to Citation

117.  76 FR at 52408-09.

Back to Citation

118.  See Docket Item A-22 Final Guidance for EPA Rulewriters: Regulatory Flexibility Act as Amended by the Small Business and Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, November 2006 at 3.

Back to Citation

119.  See Docket Item H-1 Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. Annual Report Electric for Year Ending December 31, 2011 submitted to Arizona Corporation Commission Utilities Division, available at www.azcc.gov/​Divisions/​Utilities/​Annual%20Reports/​2011/​Electric/​Arizona_​Electric_​Power_​Cooperative_​Inc.pdf.

Back to Citation

[FR Doc. 2012-17659 Filed 7-19-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

77 FR 42834

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Approval, Disapproval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Arizona; Regional Haze State and Federal Implementation Plans,” thefederalregister.org (July 20, 2012), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2012-17659/approval-disapproval-and-promulgation-of-air-quality-implementation-plans-arizona-regional-haze-state-and-federal-implem.