ENV-14-60 Overview of Refinery Fenceline Monitoring Pilot Project and EPA's Proposed Refinery Risk and Technology Review Rule

Description:

Fenceline air monitoring around refineries is becoming more and more common, prompted by regulatory agency consent decrees, concerns from local community groups, or to support permitting activities at the refinery. On 30 June 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) proposed revisions to federal air toxics standards that require additional control of air toxic emissions from petroleum refineries and include a requirement for fenceline monitoring. These proposed revisions were the result of USEPA’s mandated review of the existing Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards for petroleum refineries under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). Two reviews were required, collectively known as the risk and technology review (RTR). The first was a Residual Risk Assessment to determine if additional emission reductions are warranted to protect public health or the environment; the second review was a Technology Review to determine if better emission control approaches, practices, or processes are now available. The RTR encompassed two existing emission standards for refineries, namely, MACT 1 (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 63, Subpart CC) and MACT 2 (40 CFR 63, Subpart UUU).