Boiler Blog | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

On December 20, 2012, the EPA finalized the Boiler MACT, a specific set of adjustments to existing Clean Air Act standards, for boilers and certain solid waste incinerators. These adjustments set standards to cut emissions of hazardous air pollutants, such as mercury, dioxin, and lead, from large boilers in a range of industrial facilities and institutions.

The DOE will offer technical assistance to affected sites currently burning coal or oil, highlighting strategies such as natural gas combined heat and power (CHP), and more efficient boilers, to cut harmful pollution and reduce operational costs. DOE will also provide site-specific technical and cost information to the major source facilities currently burning coal or oil through its regional Clean Energy Application Centers (CEACs).

The CEACs will visit these facilities to discuss strategies for compliance, including CHP, as well as provide information on potential funding and financing opportunities available for CHP, controls, boilers and energy efficiency assessments. Facilities that make use of this technical assistance can potentially develop strategies to comply with the regulations while adding to their bottom line.

Contact Nationwide Boiler today to discuss how we can help you come up with a solution that will cut emissions in your facility. Call: 1-800-227-1966.

For more information on the DOE technical assistance program, see:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/distributedenergy/boilermact.html

Information on financial incentives available at the local, state, utility and federal levels to assist facilities with the costs of investing in CHP, boiler tune-ups, controls and/or energy efficiency assessments is available at:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/states/pdfs/incentives_boiler_mact.pdf

Information about the rule, including links to the regulatory dockets, technical information on how the limits were developed, and impact assessments, is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/airquality/combustion/actions.html

The EPA will host a Web-based training session for those involved with reporting under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The next webinar is planned for Wednesday, February 24th, 1:00 - 3:00 pm EST. For additional details, go to: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/training.html.

We recently came across an article in Pollution Engineering that highlights an important issue for all major facilities - air fines and how to avoid them. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure compliance and the best way to do so is by educating yourself and your team and by networking with others in the industry. Below highlights the main points from the article, but please visit the link above for a more detailed approached.

1.     Compliance is a team effort and the best preventive measure is to keep the entire team aware and fully briefed on where the facility stands in regards to compliance. With everyone in the know, compliance becomes a vested interest and a shared responsibility.

2.     A basic review of your facility's Title V permit, a federally enforceable document that provides parameters on plant emissions, is a good first start. A review of the basic allowable permissions contained in the permit will lead the way.

3.     Set a date for a frequent (yearly) review of the Title V permit. This will help flag inconsistencies and avoid further inspections and notices of violation (NOV).

4.     Get to know your local inspectors and do not hesitate to ask them for guidance. Ask them informative questions about what common violations they have seen lately and what others in the industry are doing to keep in good standing.

5.     Check out the following websites: The EPA's Acid Rain Inspectors Guide and the Clean Air Markets Division.

6.     To help keep abreast of changing regulations, join an association membership and attend industry events (conferences, seminars and tradeshows). Organizations such as the ABMA, CIBO and others update their members on a continual basis.

7.     Subscribe to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Monthly Digest Bulletin. This e-magazine can be subscribed to by emailing usaepa@govdelivery.com. 

8.     Show pride in maintaining compliance and recognize and reward employees for their efforts in maintaining compliance.

9.     When evaluating vendors for stack testing, check their references, inquire about their experience in performing the tests needed to stay in compliance, and make sure that their work is conducted to the highest standards. Ask vendors if they are a Qualified Stack Test Individual, or QSTI.

10. Let your customers know about your compliance goals and your efforts to maintain "green" in your facility. Also promote this message to your stakeholders in the community.

Today the EPA published the final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases rules in the Federal Register today.  The final rule is effective December 29, 2009, with reporting requirements in March 2011. Emissions of the six (6) major GHGs must be reported, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), from combustion sources. Emissions of these GHGs are converted to carbon dioxide equivalents, CO2e, and must be reported in metric tons.

Does this apply to you?

The EPA set-up four broad categories in order to identify sources that must report under the program:

(1) Specifically designated facilities, including electric generating facilities.

(2) Facilities that emit more than 25,000 metric tons (MT) of CO2e per year in combined emissions from stationary fuel combustion units and sources in listed categories.

(3) Facilities that meet the following three conditions:

a. not identified in either of the other two categories;

b. aggregate design heat input from stationary fuel combustion units at the facility is greater than 30 MMBtu/hr; and,

c. the facility emits more than 25,000 MT CO2e per year.

Want to learn more? Click the link below for more information:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html