(a) Upon written application from any person, the Administrator may approve the use of alternative means of emission limitation which have been demonstrated to his satisfaction to achieve a reduction in benzene emissions at least equivalent to the reduction in emissions achieved by any requirement in § 61.271 (a), (b), or (c) of this subpart.

(b) Determination of equivalence to the reduction in emissions achieved by the requirements of § 61.271 (a), (b), or (c) will be evaluated using the following information to be included in the written application to the Administrator:

(1) Actual emissions tests that use full-size or scale-model storage vessels that accurately collect and measure all benzene emissions from a given control device, and that accurately simulate wind and account for other emission variables such as temperature and barometric pressure.

(2) An engineering evaluation that the Administrator determines is an accurate method of determining equivalence.

(c) The Administrator may condition approval of equivalency on requirements that may be necessary to ensure operation and maintenance to achieve the same emission reduction as the requirements of § 61.271 (a), (b), or (c).

(d) If, in the Administrator's judgment, an application for equivalence may be approvable, the Administrator will publish a notice of preliminary determination in the Federal Register and provide the opportunity for public hearing. After notice and opportunity for public hearing, the Administrator will determine the equivalence of the alternative means of emission limitation and will publish the final determination in the Federal Register.