Proposed Revisions To The Coal Preparation Plants New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

On April 16, 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed revisions to emissions control requirements for new coal preparation plants. These proposed standards of performance would apply to new coal preparation plants that process more

than 200 tons of coal per day.  The proposed revisions to these standards would apply to new, modified, and reconstructed coal preparation plants and reflect improvements in emission control technologies for particles that have been developed since the original NSPS for these sources were issued in 1976.

EPA expects that most owners or operators of affected coal preparation plants will need to install controls to comply with the revised PM limits of this proposal. However, these control technologies are already needed to meet the PM reduction requirements of other air quality management programs such as new source review.  Since EPA originally issued the NSPS for coal preparation plants in 1976, technological advances have led to improvements in fabric filters and chemical dust suppressants used to control PM emissions, and emissions test methods. This proposed rule reflects the performance and emissions of today’s new coal preparation plants.

To download the proposed rule from EPA’s web site, go to “Recent Actions” at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg.

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