[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18255-18257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08807]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R05-OAR-2017-0099 FRL-9977-21--Region 5]
Air Plan Approval; Minnesota; Flint Hills Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Revision
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve a revision to the Minnesota sulfur dioxide (SO2)
State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Flint Hills Resources, LLC Pine
Bend Refinery (FHR) as submitted on February 8, 2017. The proposed SIP
revision pertains to the introduction and removal of certain equipment
at the refinery as well as amendments to certain emission limits,
resulting in an overall decrease of SO2 emissions from FHR.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 29, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R05-
OAR-2017-0099 at https://www.regulations.gov or via email to
[email protected]. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov,
follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted,
comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. For either
manner of submission, EPA may publish any comment received to its
public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you
consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission methods, please contact the person
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. For the full
EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please
visit https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Maietta, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Control Strategies Section, Air Programs Branch
(AR-18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 353-8777,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean EPA. This supplementary information
section is arranged as follows:
I. What is the background for this action?
II. What is EPA's analysis of the SIP revision?
a. Coker Replacement
b. #4 Hydrogen Plant Reformer--30H401 Furnace
c. Diesel Fire Water Pump at #4 Cooling Tower
d. #3 Crude/Coker Improvements
e. Cleanup
III. SO2 SIP and Emissions Impacts
IV. What action is EPA proposing?
V. Incorporation by Reference
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. What is the background for this action?
FHR operates an oil refinery located in the Pine Bend Area of
Rosemount, Dakota County, Minnesota. On February 8, 2017, the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) submitted a request to EPA to approve
into the Minnesota SIP the conditions cited as ``Title I Condition: 40
CFR 50.4(SO2 SIP); Title I Condition: 40 CFR 51; Title I
Condition: 40 CFR pt. 52, subp. Y'' in FHR's revised joint Title I/
Title V document, Permit No. 03700011-101 \1\ (joint document 101).
Joint document 101 contains measures for FHR to implement changes that
improve technology at the plant and increase efficiency through new and
existing equipment, as well as clarifying amendments to the document's
language. MPCA posted joint document 101 for public comment in the
Minnesota State Register on November 21, 2016, and the comment period
ended on December 23, 2016. MPCA received no comments on the document.
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\1\ In 1995, EPA approved consolidated permitting regulations
into the Minnesota SIP. (60 FR 21447, May 2, 1995). The consolidated
permitting regulations included the term ``Title I condition'' which
was written, in part, to satisfy EPA requirements that SIP control
measures remain permanent and enforceable. A ``Title I condition''
is defined, in part, as ``any condition based on source specific
determination of ambient impacts imposed for the purpose of
achieving or maintaining attainment with a national ambient air
quality standard and which was part of a [SIP] approved by the EPA
or submitted to the EPA pending approval under section 110 of the
act. . .'' MINN. R. 7007.1011 (2013). The regulations also state
that ``Title I conditions and the permittee's obligation to comply
with them, shall not expire, regardless of the expiration of the
other conditions of the permit.'' Further, ``any title I condition
shall remain in effect without regard to permit expiration or
reissuance, and shall be restated in the reissued permit.'' MINN. R.
7007.0450 (2007). Minnesota has initiated using the joint Title I/
Title V document as the enforceable document for imposing emission
limitations and compliance requirements in SIPs. The SIP
requirements in the joint Title I/Title V document submitted by MPCA
are cited as ``Title I conditions,'' therefore ensuring that SIP
requirements remain permanent and enforceable. EPA reviewed the
state's procedure for using joint Title I/Title V documents to
implement site specific SIP requirements and found it to be
acceptable under both Title I and Title V of the Clean Air Act (July
3, 1997 letter from David Kee, EPA, to Michael J. Sandusky, MPCA).
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II. What is EPA's analysis of the SIP revision?
Joint document 101, issued by MPCA on January 13, 2017, contains
amended SIP conditions that, when combined, provide FHR with the
ability to more efficiently upgrade hydrocarbons that are distilled
from FHR's crude units into transportation fuels, primarily diesel. The
amended SIP conditions allow FHR to increase fuel production and
operate more efficiently and closer to the facility's overall
distillation capacity. See Table 1 at the end of our review for a list
of detailed changes to SO2 allowable emissions limits
associated with this action. The amended SIP conditions in joint
document 101 include:
a. Coker Replacement.
A coker replacement project consists of the installation of a new
coker process unit (#4 Coker Unit Charge Heater/EQUI1456) into joint
document 101. The new #4 Coker will replace the #1 and #2 Cokers, which
will be permanently retired. In addition to their retirement, the SIP
condition that lists the decoking scenario in which the #1 and #2
cokers' associated process units
[[Page 18256]]
operate simultaneously with 21H1 Steam/Air Heater Decoking unit (EQUI
493) and 21H2 Steam/Air Heater Decoking unit (EQUI 494) is being
removed from joint document 101.
b. #4 Hydrogen Plant Reformer--30H401 Furnace.
The allowable SO2 emissions limit on the 30H401 furnace
for the #4 Hydrogen Plant Reformer is being lowered. This is because
the originally approved allowable SO2 limit for the heater
assumed that it would operate on refinery fuel gas. Since start-up, the
unit has primarily been operated on pressure swing adsorption offgas,
which originates as a natural gas ahead of the reformer and does not
contain sulfur. Because of the dual-fuel operation of the heater, its
allowable SO2 limit has been reduced to meet actual
operating conditions.
c. Diesel Fire Water Pump at #4 Cooling Tower.
The diesel fire water pump at the #4 cooling tower was
decommissioned and so its SO2 emission limits are removed
from joint document 101.
d. #3 Crude/Coker Improvements.
Improvements to the #3 crude/coker that were incorporated as
``Title I Condition: 40 CFR 50.4(SO2 SIP); Title I
Condition: 40 CFR 51; Title I Condition: 40 CFR pt. 52, subp. Y''
conditions in a previous joint Title I/Title V document (Permit No.
03700011-010) have been completed and as a result, SIP conditions for
three process heaters (EQUI495/EU034, EQUI496/EU035, and EQUI500/EU040)
and two process heaters for steam-air decoking activities (EQUI498/
EU037 and EQUI499/EU038) are being removed from joint document 101.
e. Cleanup.
MPCA also requested to remove from the Minnesota SIP an emission
limit for the ammonium thiosulfate process unit that was erroneously
labeled as a ``Title I Condition: 40 CFR 50.4(SO2 SIP);
Title I Condition: 40 CFR 51; Title I Condition: 40 CFR pt. 52, subp.
Y'' condition in the prior joint Title I/Title V document, Permit No.
3700011-12 (joint document 12). EPA had approved joint document 12 into
the Minnesota SIP on June 27, 2016 (81 FR 41447). The state-based
SO2 limit for EQUI574 at condition 5.162.4 in joint document
12 are revised to be labeled a ``Minn. R. 7009.0080'' Title V condition
in joint document 101. This is acceptable because the federal
SO2 standards are still contained in joint document 101 and
the erroneous condition incorporated into joint document 12 at 81 FR
41447 does not affect FHR's ability to meet the SO2 NAAQS.
III. SO2 SIP and Emissions Impacts
Joint document 101 removes SIP conditions for equipment that have
been approved for shutdown and decommissioning in joint document 12,
and that have been decommissioned from FHR and are no longer necessary.
Joint document 101 also strengthens the Minnesota SIP by requiring new
or more stringent limits on equipment. As shown in Table 1, for the 3-
hour, 24-hour, and annual SO2 standards, allowable emissions
are decreased by 95.402 lb/hr, 95.402 lb/hr, and 249.169 tpy,
respectively, from the impact of the revisions to joint document 101.
Joint document 101 becomes effective upon the effective date of EPA's
approval of MPCA's February 8, 2017, request.
Table 1--Summary of Changes to Allowable SO2 Emissions in Joint Document 101
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Change to
allowable in Change to
Unit Section in lb/hr (1-hr allowable in
permit and 24-hr tpy (annual
standards) standard)
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COMG 28/GP 011/Diesel engines w/SIP conditions.................. 5.23.3 -0.002 -0.009
EQUI 471/EU 296/#4 Hydrogen Plant Reformer--Refining Equipment.. 5.122.4 -69.4 -243.3
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5.122.8 22.7 79.7
EQUI 495/EU 034/#3 Coker Heater--Process Heater................. 5.133.1 -12.7 -44.6
EQUI496/EU 035/#3 Coker Heater--Process Heater.................. 5.134.1 -9.4 -13.4
EQUI 498/EU 037/Steam/Air Heater Decooking 23H-1--Process Heater 5.135.1 -20.2 -4.26
EQUI 500/EU 040/#3 Crude Unit Charge Heater--Process Heater..... 5.137.1 -19.5 -54.3
EQUI 1456/EQUI 24H-1/no description............................. 5.163.13 13.1 31
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Total Change................................................ .............. -95.402 -249.169
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Joint document 101 is approvable because EPA's review of the
revised document shows that reductions of allowable SIP-based
SO2 emissions, and strengthening of the Minnesota SIP will
occur through corrections, clarifications, and revisions made since
approval of joint document 12.
IV. What action is EPA proposing?
EPA is proposing to approve a revision to Minnesota's
SO2 SIP for FHR, as submitted by MPCA on February 8, 2017,
and reflected in conditions labeled ``Title I Condition: 40 CFR
50.4(SO2 SIP); Title I Condition: 40 CFR 51; Title I
Condition: 40 CFR pt. 52, subp. Y'' in joint document 101.
V. Incorporation by Reference
In this rule, EPA proposes to include in a final EPA rule
regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance
with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA proposes to incorporate by
reference all the conditions in Minnesota Permit No. 03700011-101 cited
as ``Title I Condition: 40 CFR 50.4(S02 SIP); Title I Condition: 40 CFR
51; Title I Condition: 40 CFR pt. 52, subp. Y'', effective January 13,
2017. EPA has made, and will continue to make, these documents
generally available through www.regulations.gov, and at the EPA Region
5 Office (please contact the person identified in the ``For Further
Information Contact'' section of this preamble for more information).
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the Clean Air Act, the Administrator is required to approve a
SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Clean Air Act
and applicable Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state
choices, provided that they meet the criteria of
[[Page 18257]]
the Clean Air Act. Accordingly, this action merely approves state law
as meeting Federal requirements and does not impose additional
requirements beyond those imposed by state law. For that reason, this
action:
Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review
by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 12866 (58
FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 2011);
Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2,
2017) regulatory action because SIP approvals are exempted under
Executive Order 12866;
Does not impose an information collection burden under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
Is certified as not having a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-4);
Does not have Federalism implications as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
Is not an economically significant regulatory action based
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997);
Is not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
Is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent
with the Clean Air Act; and
Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian
reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has
demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian
country, the rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose
substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law as
specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides.
Dated: April 18, 2018.
Cathy Stepp,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2018-08807 Filed 4-25-18; 8:45 am]
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