Consistent with the deadline established by Consent Decree, EPA has established new Spark Ignition (SI) Internal Combustion (IC) Engine New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and revisions to the IC Engine National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). The spark ignition IC engine NSPS is 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart JJJJ and the NESHAP is a revision to 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart ZZZZ. The proposal was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 2006, at 71 FR 33804 and the final published on January 18, 2008, at 73 FR3568. Both rules became effective on March 18, 2008.
The final spark ignition (SI) rulemaking is referred to as a “combined engine rule” because it consists of two parts:
The first part is the NSPS, which will limit emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) from new, modified, and reconstructed stationary spark ignition internal combustion (IC) engines.
The second part amends the existing RICE MACT rule to limit air toxic emissions from new and reconstructed IC engines. These amendments address small engines at major source facilities and all area source engines.
EPA chose to regulate all stationary IC engines regardless of size, and followed mobile source engine analogies in many cases. Industry’s main concern throughout the rulemaking process was trying to clarify, with EPA, how rules developed for off-the-shelf mobile source equipment (i.e. cranes, bulldozers, welding machines, air compressors) can be used for stationary sources and how operators are to comply with a multitude of other air quality related rules [e.g. CAA Title V Permitting and compliance certification; Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permitting; etc.] in conjunction with the new IC engine requirements. Industry was also concerned that engine certification analogies from mobile source rules would introduce compliance confusion and operating limitations.
Implementation issues
On March 20, 2008 INGAA sent a letter to EPA requesting clarification on an initial list of issues identified immediately after the rule was released. Subsequent to the training workshops held in June and July 2008, INGAA will develop a more comprehensive list of issues for clarification.
EPA responses to INGAA clarification questions will be posted here.