Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Nov 21, 2024
§ 97.170 - General requirements.

The owners and operators, and to the extent applicable, the CAIR designated representative, of a CAIR NOX unit, shall comply with the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements as provided in this subpart and in subpart H of part 75 of this chapter. For purposes of complying with such requirements, the definitions in § 97.102 and in § 72.2 of this chapter shall apply, and the terms “affected unit,” “designated representative,” and “continuous emission monitoring system” or “CEMS”) in part 75 of this chapter shall be deemed to refer to the terms “CAIR NOX unit,“ “CAIR designated representative,” and “continuous emission monitoring system” (or “CEMS”) respectively, as defined in § 97.102. The owner or operator of a unit that is not a CAIR NOX unit but that is monitored under § 75.72(b)(2)(ii) of this chapter shall comply with the same monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements as a CAIR NOX unit.

(a) Requirements for installation, certification, and data accounting. The owner or operator of each CAIR NOX unit shall:

(1) Install all monitoring systems required under this subpart for monitoring NOX mass emissions and individual unit heat input (including all systems required to monitor NOX emission rate, NOX concentration, stack gas moisture content, stack gas flow rate, CO2 or O2 concentration, and fuel flow rate, as applicable, in accordance with (§§ 75.71 and 75.72 of this chapter);

(2) Successfully complete all certification tests required under § 97.171 and meet all other requirements of this subpart and part 75 of this chapter applicable to the monitoring systems under paragraph (a)(1) of this section; and

(3) Record, report, and quality-assure the data from the monitoring systems under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Compliance deadlines. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, the owner or operator shall meet the monitoring system certification and other requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section on or before the following dates. The owner or operator shall record, report, and quality-assure the data from the monitoring systems under paragraph (a)(1) of this section on and after the following dates.

(1) For the owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit that commences commercial operation before July 1, 2007, by January 1, 2008.

(2) For the owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit that commences commercial operation on or after July 1, 2007, by the later of the following dates:

(i) January 1, 2008; or

(ii) 90 unit operating days or 180 calendar days, whichever occurs first, after the date on which the unit commences commercial operation.

(3) For the owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit for which construction of a new stack or flue or installation of add-on NOX emission controls is completed after the applicable deadline under paragraph (b)(1), (2), (4), or (5) of this section, by 90 unit operating days or 180 calendar days, whichever occurs first, after the date on which emissions first exit to the atmosphere through the new stack or flue or add-on NOX emissions controls.

(4) Notwithstanding the dates in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, for the owner or operator of a unit for which a CAIR opt-in permit application is submitted and not withdrawn and a CAIR opt-in permit is not yet issued or denied under subpart II of this part, by the date specified in § 97.184(b).

(5) Notwithstanding the dates in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, for the owner or operator of a CAIR NOX opt-in unit under subpart II of this part, by the date on which the CAIR NOX opt-in unit enters the CAIR NOX Annual Trading Program as provided in § 97.184(g).

(c) Reporting data. The owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit that does not meet the applicable compliance date set forth in paragraph (b) of this section for any monitoring system under paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall, for each such monitoring system, determine, record, and report maximum potential (or, as appropriate, minimum potential) values for NOX concentration, NOX emission rate, stack gas flow rate, stack gas moisture content, fuel flow rate, and any other parameters required to determine NOX mass emissions and heat input in accordance with § 75.31(b)(2) or (c)(3) of this chapter, section 2.4 of appendix D to part 75 of this chapter, or section 2.5 of appendix E to part 75 of this chapter, as applicable.

(d) Prohibitions. (1) No owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall use any alternative monitoring system, alternative reference method, or any other alternative to any requirement of this subpart without having obtained prior written approval in accordance with § 97.175.

(2) No owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall operate the unit so as to discharge, or allow to be discharged, NOX emissions to the atmosphere without accounting for all such emissions in accordance with the applicable provisions of this subpart and part 75 of this chapter.

(3) No owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall disrupt the continuous emission monitoring system, any portion thereof, or any other approved emission monitoring method, and thereby avoid monitoring and recording NOX mass emissions discharged into the atmosphere or heat input, except for periods of recertification or periods when calibration, quality assurance testing, or maintenance is performed in accordance with the applicable provisions of this subpart and part 75 of this chapter.

(4) No owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall retire or permanently discontinue use of the continuous emission monitoring system, any component thereof, or any other approved monitoring system under this subpart, except under any one of the following circumstances:

(i) During the period that the unit is covered by an exemption under § 97.105 that is in effect;

(ii) The owner or operator is monitoring emissions from the unit with another certified monitoring system approved, in accordance with the applicable provisions of this subpart and part 75 of this chapter, by the Administrator for use at that unit that provides emission data for the same pollutant or parameter as the retired or discontinued monitoring system; or

(iii) The CAIR designated representative submits notification of the date of certification testing of a replacement monitoring system for the retired or discontinued monitoring system in accordance with § 97.171(d)(3)(i).

(e) Long-term cold storage. The owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit is subject to the applicable provisions of part 75 of this chapter concerning units in long-term cold storage.

§ 97.171 - Initial certification and recertification procedures.

(a) The owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall be exempt from the initial certification requirements of this section for a monitoring system under § 97.170(a)(1) if the following conditions are met:

(1) The monitoring system has been previously certified in accordance with part 75 of this chapter; and

(2) The applicable quality-assurance and quality-control requirements of § 75.21 of this chapter and appendix B, appendix D, and appendix E to part 75 of this chapter are fully met for the certified monitoring system described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) The recertification provisions of this section shall apply to a monitoring system under § 97.170(a)(1) exempt from initial certification requirements under paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) If the Administrator has previously approved a petition under § 75.17(a) or (b) of this chapter for apportioning the NOX emission rate measured in a common stack or a petition under § 75.66 of this chapter for an alternative to a requirement in § 75.12 or § 75.17 of this chapter, the CAIR designated representative shall resubmit the petition to the Administrator under § 97.175 to determine whether the approval applies under the CAIR NOX Annual Trading Program.

(d) Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, the owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall comply with the following initial certification and recertification procedures for a continuous monitoring system (i.e., a continuous emission monitoring system and an excepted monitoring system under appendices D and E to part 75 of this chapter) under § 97.170(a)(1). The owner or operator of a unit that qualifies to use the low mass emissions excepted monitoring methodology under § 75.19 of this chapter or that qualifies to use an alternative monitoring system under subpart E of part 75 of this chapter shall comply with the procedures in paragraph (e) or (f) of this section respectively.

(1) Requirements for initial certification. The owner or operator shall ensure that each continuous monitoring system under § 97.170(a)(1) (including the automated data acquisition and handling system) successfully completes all of the initial certification testing required under § 75.20 of this chapter by the applicable deadline in § 97.170(b). In addition, whenever the owner or operator installs a monitoring system to meet the requirements of this subpart in a location where no such monitoring system was previously installed, initial certification in accordance with § 75.20 of this chapter is required.

(2) Requirements for recertification. Whenever the owner or operator makes a replacement, modification, or change in any certified continuous emission monitoring system under § 97.170(a)(1) that may significantly affect the ability of the system to accurately measure or record NOX mass emissions or heat input rate or to meet the quality-assurance and quality-control requirements of § 75.21 of this chapter or appendix B to part 75 of this chapter, the owner or operator shall recertify the monitoring system in accordance with § 75.20(b) of this chapter. Furthermore, whenever the owner or operator makes a replacement, modification, or change to the flue gas handling system or the unit's operation that may significantly change the stack flow or concentration profile, the owner or operator shall recertify each continuous emission monitoring system whose accuracy is potentially affected by the change, in accordance with § 75.20(b) of this chapter. Examples of changes to a continuous emission monitoring system that require recertification include replacement of the analyzer, complete replacement of an existing continuous emission monitoring system, or change in location or orientation of the sampling probe or site. Any fuel flowmeter system, and any excepted NOX monitoring system under appendix E to part 75 of this chapter, under § 97.170(a)(1) are subject to the recertification requirements in § 75.20(g)(6) of this chapter.

(3) Approval process for initial certification and recertification. Paragraphs (d)(3)(i) through (iv) of this section apply to both initial certification and recertification of a continuous monitoring system under § 97.170(a)(1). For recertifications, replace the words “certification” and “initial certification” with the word “recertification”, replace the word “certified” with the word “recertified”, and follow the procedures in §§ 75.20(b)(5) and (g)(7) of this chapter in lieu of the procedures in paragraph (d)(3)(v) of this section.

(i) Notification of certification. The CAIR designated representative shall submit to the appropriate EPA Regional Office and the Administrator written notice of the dates of certification testing, in accordance with § 97.173.

(ii) Certification application. The CAIR designated representative shall submit to the Administrator a certification application for each monitoring system. A complete certification application shall include the information specified in § 75.63 of this chapter.

(iii) Provisional certification date. The provisional certification date for a monitoring system shall be determined in accordance with § 75.20(a)(3) of this chapter. A provisionally certified monitoring system may be used under the CAIR NOX Annual Trading Program for a period not to exceed 120 days after receipt by the Administrator of the complete certification application for the monitoring system under paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section. Data measured and recorded by the provisionally certified monitoring system, in accordance with the requirements of part 75 of this chapter, will be considered valid quality-assured data (retroactive to the date and time of provisional certification), provided that the Administrator does not invalidate the provisional certification by issuing a notice of disapproval within 120 days of the date of receipt of the complete certification application by the Administrator.

(iv) Certification application approval process. The Administrator will issue a written notice of approval or disapproval of the certification application to the owner or operator within 120 days of receipt of the complete certification application under paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section. In the event the Administrator does not issue such a notice within such 120-day period, each monitoring system that meets the applicable performance requirements of part 75 of this chapter and is included in the certification application will be deemed certified for use under the CAIR NOX Annual Trading Program.

(A) Approval notice. If the certification application is complete and shows that each monitoring system meets the applicable performance requirements of part 75 of this chapter, then the Administrator will issue a written notice of approval of the certification application within 120 days of receipt.

(B) Incomplete application notice. If the certification application is not complete, then the Administrator will issue a written notice of incompleteness that sets a reasonable date by which the CAIR designated representative must submit the additional information required to complete the certification application. If the CAIR designated representative does not comply with the notice of incompleteness by the specified date, then the Administrator may issue a notice of disapproval under paragraph (d)(3)(iv)(C) of this section. The 120-day review period shall not begin before receipt of a complete certification application.

(C) Disapproval notice. If the certification application shows that any monitoring system does not meet the performance requirements of part 75 of this chapter or if the certification application is incomplete and the requirement for disapproval under paragraph (d)(3)(iv)(B) of this section is met, then the Administrator will issue a written notice of disapproval of the certification application. Upon issuance of such notice of disapproval, the provisional certification is invalidated by the Administrator and the data measured and recorded by each uncertified monitoring system shall not be considered valid quality-assured data beginning with the date and hour of provisional certification (as defined under § 75.20(a)(3) of this chapter). The owner or operator shall follow the procedures for loss of certification in paragraph (d)(3)(v) of this section for each monitoring system that is disapproved for initial certification.

(D) Audit decertification. The Administrator may issue a notice of disapproval of the certification status of a monitor in accordance with § 97.172(b).

(v) Procedures for loss of certification. If the Administrator issues a notice of disapproval of a certification application under paragraph (d)(3)(iv)(C) of this section or a notice of disapproval of certification status under paragraph (d)(3)(iv)(D) of this section, then:

(A) The owner or operator shall substitute the following values, for each disapproved monitoring system, for each hour of unit operation during the period of invalid data specified under § 75.20(a)(4)(iii), § 75.20(g)(7), or § 75.21(e) of this chapter and continuing until the applicable date and hour specified under § 75.20(a)(5)(i) or (g)(7) of this chapter:

(1) For a disapproved NOX emission rate (i.e.,, NOX-diluent) system, the maximum potential NOX emission rate, as defined in § 72.2 of this chapter.

(2) For a disapproved NOX pollutant concentration monitor and disapproved flow monitor, respectively, the maximum potential concentration of NOX and the maximum potential flow rate, as defined in sections 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to part 75 of this chapter.

(3) For a disapproved moisture monitoring system and disapproved diluent gas monitoring system, respectively, the minimum potential moisture percentage and either the maximum potential CO2 concentration or the minimum potential O2 concentration (as applicable), as defined in sections 2.1.5, 2.1.3.1, and 2.1.3.2 of appendix A to part 75 of this chapter.

(4) For a disapproved fuel flowmeter system, the maximum potential fuel flow rate, as defined in section 2.4.2.1 of appendix D to part 75 of this chapter.

(5) For a disapproved excepted NOX monitoring system under appendix E to part 75 of this chapter, the fuel-specific maximum potential NOX emission rate, as defined in § 72.2 of this chapter.

(B) The CAIR designated representative shall submit a notification of certification retest dates and a new certification application in accordance with paragraphs (d)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(C) The owner or operator shall repeat all certification tests or other requirements that were failed by the monitoring system, as indicated in the Administrator's notice of disapproval, no later than 30 unit operating days after the date of issuance of the notice of disapproval.

(e) Initial certification and recertification procedures for units using the low mass emission excepted methodology under § 75.19 of this chapter. The owner or operator of a unit qualified to use the low mass emissions (LME) excepted methodology under § 75.19 of this chapter shall meet the applicable certification and recertification requirements in §§ 75.19(a)(2) and 75.20(h) of this chapter. If the owner or operator of such a unit elects to certify a fuel flowmeter system for heat input determination, the owner or operator shall also meet the certification and recertification requirements in § 75.20(g) of this chapter.

(f) Certification/recertification procedures for alternative monitoring systems. The CAIR designated representative of each unit for which the owner or operator intends to use an alternative monitoring system approved by the Administrator under subpart E of part 75 of this chapter shall comply with the applicable notification and application procedures of § 75.20(f) of this chapter.

§ 97.172 - Out of control periods.

(a) Whenever any monitoring system fails to meet the quality-assurance and quality-control requirements or data validation requirements of part 75 of this chapter, data shall be substituted using the applicable missing data procedures in subpart D or subpart H of, or appendix D or appendix E to, part 75 of this chapter.

(b) Audit decertification. Whenever both an audit of a monitoring system and a review of the initial certification or recertification application reveal that any monitoring system should not have been certified or recertified because it did not meet a particular performance specification or other requirement under § 97.171 or the applicable provisions of part 75 of this chapter, both at the time of the initial certification or recertification application submission and at the time of the audit, the Administrator will issue a notice of disapproval of the certification status of such monitoring system. For the purposes of this paragraph, an audit shall be either a field audit or an audit of any information submitted to the permitting authority or the Administrator. By issuing the notice of disapproval, the Administrator revokes prospectively the certification status of the monitoring system. The data measured and recorded by the monitoring system shall not be considered valid quality-assured data from the date of issuance of the notification of the revoked certification status until the date and time that the owner or operator completes subsequently approved initial certification or recertification tests for the monitoring system. The owner or operator shall follow the applicable initial certification or recertification procedures in § 97.171 for each disapproved monitoring system.

§ 97.173 - Notifications.

The CAIR designated representative for a CAIR NOX unit shall submit written notice to the Administrator in accordance with § 75.61 of this chapter.

§ 97.174 - Recordkeeping and reporting.

(a) General provisions. The CAIR designated representative shall comply with all recordkeeping and reporting requirements in this section, the applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements under § 75.73 of this chapter, and the requirements of § 97.110(e)(1).

(b) Monitoring plans. The owner or operator of a CAIR NOX unit shall comply with requirements of § 75.73(c) and (e) of this chapter and, for a unit for which a CAIR opt-in permit application is submitted and not withdrawn and a CAIR opt-in permit is not yet issued or denied under subpart II of this part, §§ 97.183 and 97.184(a).

(c) Certification applications. The CAIR designated representative shall submit an application to the Administrator within 45 days after completing all initial certification or recertification tests required under § 97.171, including the information required under § 75.63 of this chapter.

(d) Quarterly reports. The CAIR designated representative shall submit quarterly reports, as follows:

(1) The CAIR designated representative shall report the NOX mass emissions data and heat input data for the CAIR NOX unit, in an electronic quarterly report in a format prescribed by the Administrator, for each calendar quarter beginning with:

(i) For a unit that commences commercial operation before July 1, 2007, the calendar quarter covering January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008;

(ii) For a unit that commences commercial operation on or after July 1, 2007, the calendar quarter corresponding to the earlier of the date of provisional certification or the applicable deadline for initial certification under § 97.170(b), unless that quarter is the third or fourth quarter of 2007, in which case reporting shall commence in the quarter covering January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008;

(iii) Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, for a unit for which a CAIR opt-in permit application is submitted and not withdrawn and a CAIR opt-in permit is not yet issued or denied under subpart II of this part, the calendar quarter corresponding to the date specified in § 97.184(b); and

(iv) Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, for a CAIR NOX opt-in unit under subpart II of this part, the calendar quarter corresponding to the date on which the CAIR NOX opt-in unit enters the CAIR NOX Annual Trading Program as provided in § 97.184(g).

(2) The CAIR designated representative shall submit each quarterly report to the Administrator within 30 days following the end of the calendar quarter covered by the report. Quarterly reports shall be submitted in the manner specified in § 75.73(f) of this chapter.

(3) For CAIR NOX units that are also subject to an Acid Rain emissions limitation or the CAIR NOX Ozone Season Trading Program, CAIR SO2 Trading Program, or Hg Budget Trading Program, quarterly reports shall include the applicable data and information required by subparts F through I of part 75 of this chapter as applicable, in addition to the NOX mass emission data, heat input data, and other information required by this subpart.

(e) Compliance certification. The CAIR designated representative shall submit to the Administrator a compliance certification (in a format prescribed by the Administrator) in support of each quarterly report based on reasonable inquiry of those persons with primary responsibility for ensuring that all of the unit's emissions are correctly and fully monitored. The certification shall state that:

(1) The monitoring data submitted were recorded in accordance with the applicable requirements of this subpart and part 75 of this chapter, including the quality assurance procedures and specifications; and

(2) For a unit with add-on NOX emission controls and for all hours where NOX data are substituted in accordance with § 75.34(a)(1) of this chapter, the add-on emission controls were operating within the range of parameters listed in the quality assurance/quality control program under appendix B to part 75 of this chapter and the substitute data values do not systematically underestimate NOX emissions.

§ 97.175 - Petitions.

The CAIR designated representative of a CAIR NOX unit may submit a petition under § 75.66 of this chapter to the Administrator requesting approval to apply an alternative to any requirement of this subpart. Application of an alternative to any requirement of this subpart is in accordance with this subpart only to the extent that the petition is approved in writing by the Administrator, in consultation with the permitting authority.

source: 65 FR 2727, Jan. 18, 2000, unless otherwise noted. 71 FR 25396, 25422, and 25443, Apr. 28, 2006
cite as: 40 CFR 97.174