Any eligible smelter may apply for an NSO to the appropriate EPA Regional Office or to the appropriate State or local air pollution control agency.
(a) When application is made to EPA, all parts of the application required to be submitted under this subpart shall be sent directly to the Director, Stationary Source Compliance Division (EN-341), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention: Confidential Information Unit. In addition, the smelter owner shall send a copy of the application, except that part required to be submitted under § 57.203(b) (eligibility), directly to the appropriate EPA Regional Office.
(b) When application is made to the appropriate State or local agency, the smelter owner shall submit one complete copy of all parts of the application required to be submitted under this subpart to that agency, in addition to the application requirements contained in paragraph (a) of this section. If the smelter owner is requesting an advance eligibility determination pursuant to § 57.203(b), such request must be made in writing and shall accompany the copy of the application being sent to the Director of the Stationary Source Compliance Division of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(c) If the smelter owner is requesting a waiver of the interim constant control requirement of § 57.301, such request must be sent directly to the Director, Stationary Source Compliance Division, at the time of application, in accordance with § 57.802.
(d) The NSO Process. (1) A smelter desiring an NSO shall apply for an NSO by submitting an application under subpart B including the financial information required in appendix A and including the information necessary to make the determinations required by this subparagraph and § 57.201(d)(2). The issuing agency shall analyze the financial information according to the financial eligibility test prescribed by subpart A and described in appendix A. The issuing Agency shall then determine whether the smelter is able to comply with its SIP on or before the date required in the SIP by installing adequately demonstrated technology which is reasonably available. See also § 57.102(a)(3). If the test demonstrates that adequately demonstrated technology is not reasonably available to the smelter to allow it to comply with the SIP by the required compliance date, the smelter is eligible for an NSO.
(2)(i) If the smelter is determined to be eligible for an NSO under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the issuing Agency shall apply the appendix A financial eligibility tests again before issuing an NSO in order to determine if the smelter can comply with its SIP requirements on or before January 1, 1988 by installing adequately demonstrated technology which is reasonably available.
(ii) If application of the tests shows that the smelter could comply by or before January 1, 1988, the issuing agency shall notify the smelter of this determination, and shall not issue an NSO to the smelter unless the NSO contains a SIP compliance schedule meeting the requirements of § 57.705. Such a compliance schedule must provide for compliance with the smelter's SO2 SIP as expeditiously as practicable and in no case later than January 1, 1988. A smelter must submit to the issuing agency information necessary to determine a compliance schedule meeting the requirements of § 57.705. This information shall be submitted by a smelter within thirty days after the smelter is notified by the issuing agency that a SIP compliance schedule is required. The Administrator may consider an NSO application to be withdrawn for SIP enforcement purposes if a smelter fails to submit such information within the time required under this paragraph.
(iii) If no adequately demonstrated technology is found to be reasonably available to enable a smelter to comply by January 1, 1988, it would be excused from the compliance schedule requirement in § 57.201(d)(2)(ii), but it would be subject to reevaluation of its ability to comply by that date at any time during the term of the NSO. (See § 57.201(d)(3)).
(3) At any time during the term of an NSO which does not contain a SIP compliance schedule, EPA or the issuing agency may reevaluate the availability of technology to the smelter. If EPA or the issuing agency determines that adequately demonstrated technology is reasonably available to permit the smelter to comply with its SIP by or before January 1, 1988, the NSO shall be amended within 3 months time after such determination. The amendment shall require compliance with all SIP requirements by or before January 1, 1988, and shall include a compliance schedule meeting the requirements of § 57.705. The determination that adequately demonstrated technology is reasonably available shall be made by reapplying the same appendix A financial eligibility tests required by subpart B, updated by economic data reflecting current operating conditions and currently demonstrated control technology. Any such determination and amendment shall be governed by the provisions of this part and section 119 of the Clean Air Act.
(4) Notice and opportunity for public hearing in accordance with section 119 of the Clean Air Act must be provided before issuance of any NSO.
(e) A smelter that does not have any constant SO2 controls or whose existing constant SO2 controls when in full operation and optimally maintained are not sufficient to treat all strong SO2 streams may apply for a waiver of the requirements of subpart C to install interim constant controls by submitting an application under subpart H. A waiver may be granted only with respect to the requirement to eliminate bypass of constant controls through the installation of new constant control equipment, not with respect to the requirements for optimum maintenance and operation of existing equipment. EPA shall then determine the smelter's ability to afford installation of the required additional interim constant SO2 control equipment at the smelter based on financial eligibility information analyzed according to the financial test prescribed in appendix A. A waiver of the requirement for additional interim constant controls will be granted if EPA determines in accordance with the procedures of subpart H that imposition of this requirement would necessitate closure of the smelter for at least one year.