Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Nov 20, 2024
§ 75.31 - Initial missing data procedures.

(a) During the first 720 quality-assured monitor operating hours following initial certification of the required SO2, CO2, O2, or moisture monitoring system(s) at a particular unit or stack location (i.e., the date and time at which quality assured data begins to be recorded by CEMS(s) installed at that location), and during the first 2,160 quality assured monitor operating hours following initial certification of the required NOX-diluent, NOX concentration, or flow monitoring system(s) at the unit or stack location, the owner or operator shall provide substitute data required under this subpart according to the procedures in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. The owner or operator of a unit shall use these procedures for no longer than three years (26,280 clock hours) following initial certification.

(b) SO2, CO2, or O2 concentration data, and moisture data. For each hour of missing SO2 or CO2 emissions concentration data (including CO2 data converted from O2 data using the procedures in appendix F of this part), or missing O2 or CO2 diluent concentration data used to calculate heat input, or missing moisture data, the owner or operator shall calculate the substitute data as follows:

(1) Whenever prior quality-assured data exist, the owner or operator shall substitute, by means of the data acquisition and handling system, for each hour of missing data, the average of the hourly SO2, CO2, or O2 concentrations or moisture percentages recorded by a certified monitor for the unit operating hour immediately before and the unit operating hour immediately after the missing data period.

(2) Whenever no prior quality assured SO2, CO2, or O2 concentration data or moisture data exist, the owner or operator shall substitute, as applicable, for each hour of missing data, the maximum potential SO2 concentration or the maximum potential CO2 concentration or the minimum potential O2 concentration or (unless Equation 19-3, 19-4 or 19-8 in Method 19 in appendix A-7 to part 60 of this chapter is used to determine NOX emission rate) the minimum potential moisture percentage, as specified, respectively, in sections 2.1.1.1, 2.1.3.1, 2.1.3.2 and 2.1.5 of appendix A to this part. If Equation 19-3, 19-4 or 19-8 in Method 19 in appendix A-7 to part 60 of this chapter is used to determine NOX emission rate, substitute the maximum potential moisture percentage, as specified in section 2.1.6 of appendix A to this part.

(c) Volumetric flow and NOX emission rate or NOX concentration data (load ranges or operational bins used). The procedures in this paragraph apply to affected units for which load-based ranges or non-load-based operational bins, as defined, respectively, in sections 2 and 3 of appendix C to this part are used to provide substitute NOX and flow rate data. For each hour of missing volumetric flow rate data, NOX emission rate data, or NOX concentration data used to determine NOX mass emissions:

(1) Whenever prior quality-assured data exist in the load range (or operational bin) corresponding to the operating load (or operating conditions) at the time of the missing data period, the owner or operator shall substitute, by means of the automated data acquisition and handling system, for each hour of missing data, the arithmetic average of all of the prior quality-assured hourly flow rates, NOX emission rates, or NOX concentrations in the corresponding load range (or operational bin) as determined using the procedure in appendix C to this part. When non-load-based operational bins are used, if essential operating or parametric data are unavailable for any hour in the missing data period, such that the operational bin cannot be determined, the owner or operator shall, for that hour, substitute (as applicable) the maximum potential flow rate as specified in section 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to this part or the maximum potential NOX emission rate or the maximum potential NOX concentration as specified in section 2.1.2.1 of appendix A to this part.

(2) This paragraph (c)(2) does not apply to non-load-based units using operational bins. Whenever no prior quality-assured flow or NOX emission rate or NOX concentration data exist for the corresponding load range, the owner or operator shall substitute, for each hour of missing data, the average hourly flow rate or the average hourly NOX emission rate or NOX concentration at the next higher level load range for which quality-assured data are available.

(3) Whenever no prior quality-assured flow rate or NOX emission rate or NOX concentration data exist for the corresponding load range, or any higher load range (or for non-load-based units using operational bins, when no prior quality-assured data exist in the corresponding operational bin), the owner or operator shall, as applicable, substitute, for each hour of missing data, the maximum potential flow rate as specified in section 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to this part or shall substitute the maximum potential NOX emission rate or the maximum potential NOX concentration, as specified in section 2.1.2.1 of appendix A to this part. Alternatively, where a unit with add-on NOX emission controls can demonstrate that the controls are operating properly during the hour, as provided in § 75.34(d), the owner or operator may substitute, as applicable, the maximum controlled NOX emission rate (MCR) or the maximum expected NOX concentration (MEC).

(d) Non-load-based volumetric flow and NOX emission rate or NOX concentration data (operational bins not used). The procedures in this paragraph, (d), apply only to affected units that do not produce electrical output (in megawatts) or thermal output (in klb/hr of steam) and for which operational bins are not used. For each hour of missing volumetric flow rate data, NOX emission rate data, or NOX concentration data used to determine NOX mass emissions:

(1) Whenever prior quality-assured data exist at the time of the missing data period, the owner or operator shall substitute, by means of the automated data acquisition and handling system, for each hour of missing data, the arithmetic average of all of the prior quality-assured hourly average flow rates or NOX emission rates or NOX concentrations.

(2) Whenever no prior quality-assured flow rate, NOX emission rate, or NOX concentration data exist, the owner or operator shall, as applicable, substitute for each hour of missing data, the maximum potential flow rate as specified in section 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to this part or the maximum potential NOX emission rate or the maximum potential NOX concentration as specified in section 2.1.2.1 of appendix A to this part.

[64 FR 28601, May 26, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 40433, June 12, 2002; 70 FR 28680, May 18, 2005; 73 FR 4346, Jan. 24, 2008; 76 FR 17311, Mar. 28, 2011]
authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q and 7651k note
source: 58 FR 3701, Jan. 11, 1993, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 75.31