Citizens will be notified when a facility applies for a permit and after Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) proposes a draft permit. Facilities will also have to provide expanded technical documents to ensure citizens and interested groups have as much information as possible on proposed permits. 

After extensive collaboration between the TCEQ and the EPA, the state revised the public participation rules for air permit applications to apply to new and existing facilities classified as major or minor sources of pollution. TCEQ incorporated these revisions into the State Implementation Plan submitted to EPA. The revised plan clarified procedures for citizens to submit comments on permit applications, as well as how TCEQ is to respond to comments. 

What this means to you

The Texas revised clean air plan gives citizens additional opportunities to comment on applications for air permits to new facilities and modifications to existing facilities.  Citizens will be notified when a facility applies for a permit and after TCEQ proposes a draft permit.  Facilities will be required to provide expanded technical documents to interested groups

MIRATECH can help

Contact MIRATECH to discuss catalyst technologies such as NSCR, SCR, and DPF systems that allow your facility to comply with new requirements in Texas.

Under the amended rule minor source facilities with less than 5 tons of any regulated pollutant now have to submit an emissions inventory 

every six rather than five years, and larger PBR facilities with over 5 tons of any regulated pollutant now have to report every three years

 instead of annually.

This schedule is aligned with National Emissions Inventory (NEI) triennial years when emissions from all sources are fully inventoried. Thus the overall reporting burden for these small but cumulatively important facilities has been reduced with data collection efforts focused on the most important years for air quality planning and policy decisions.

The amended emergency rule, which was signed into effect by Oklahoma Governor, Mary Fallin on 9/10/2013, is available here. The following explains the new reporting requirements:

PBR facilities are now required to submit, at a minimum, an annual emission inventory for the 2014 operating year or the first calendar year in which the facility is registered under a PBR, if registered after December 31, 2014. After the initial emission inventory submittal, PBR facilities will be required to submit an annual emission inventory on the following schedule:

• For PBR facilities with actual emissions greater than 5 tons per year of any regulated air pollutant, an emission inventory is required for every NEI Three-Year Cycle Inventory year (defined in 40 CFR Section 51.30(b)).
• For PBR facilities with actual emissions of 5 tons or less per year of any regulated air pollutant, an emission inventory is required for every second NEI Three-Year Cycle Inventory year (defined in 40 CFR Section 51.30(b)) beginning in 2020.

DEQ has scheduled inventory workshops in Tulsa and Oklahoma City on January 14.  Click here to register.

What this means to you

Oklahoma's rule requires all existing PBR operations to file emissions inventories for the calendar year 2014 with inventories due by April 1, 2015.  Operations with emissions greater than 5 tons of pollutants (major source) must then file every three years.  Operations with emissions less than 5 tons of pollutants (minor source) must then file every six years.

MIRATECH can help

Contact MIRATECH to discuss catalyst systems that will allow you to comply with the Oklahoma PBR emissions inventory filing rules.

MIRATECH offers both active and passive diesel particulate filter (DPF) solutions to remove particulate matter (PM) from diesel engines.  As a design principle, MIRATECH applies technology to meet your application and operating requirements while packaging the system for minimal space need and long service intervals.

MIRATECH's passive DPF technology uses porous, wall-flow ceramic filters shown to be thermally and mechanically durable in engine operation.  The filters are assembled in modular arrays within our CBS (CARB Verified Level 3+) and LTR housing lines.  

These modular DPF filters are stackable to tailor particulate matter reduction capacity to an engine's specific needs.  MIRATECH's filter construction also affords much greater soot trapping and "storage" capacity than other filters.  Filter regeneration temperatures and back pressures are low, and stay well within OEM limits.

Coated with a sulfur-resistant catalyst to reduce the temperature required for particulate oxidation, MIRATECH's DPF filters allow "passive regeneration" or PM burn-off using engine exhaust heat.  The LTR has regeneration starting at  525 degrees F for Tier 2 engines.  The CBS and LTR designs also limit NO2 production.  PM burn-off leaves a fine ash that can be vacuumed, blown off or washed off the CBS and LTR DPF filters.

WHY MIRATECH'S DPF?

• The CBS is a CARB Verified Level 3+ PM Solution for Diesel Engine gensets and pumps.
• Compliance Assured:  PM 10 or PM 2.5 Reduction
• Reduces Smoke & Odor
• No Need For Low-Sulfur Fuel
• No Required NO/NO2 or NOx/PM Ratios
• Greater Soot "Storage" Capacity 
• Easy Installation, Operation & Maintenance
• Long Maintenance Intervals
• 15-25 dBA Sound Attenuation May Replace Silencer/Muffler

 Contact MIRATECH for more information

Address

420 South 145th East Avenue

        Drop Box A

        Tulsa, OK  74108

        USA

       Telephone

+1 918-622-7077, Option 2

        +1 800-640-3141

        E-Mail and Web site

E-Mail Address:  info@miratechcorp.com

        Web site:  www.miratechcorp.com

On 11 December 2013 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $4 million in grant funding to establish clean diesel projects aimed at reducing emissions from marine and inland water ports, many of which are in areas that face environmental justice challenges. 

"These grants will help port authorities to provide immediate emissions reductions that will benefit those who work and live in port-side communities," said Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.

This grant competition is available under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) Program and is the first competition to focus on solely reducing emissions at ports. DERA funds are used to clean up the legacy fleet of diesel engines that were produced before more recent environmental standards. This grant competition is intended to help solve some of the complex air quality issues in port communities. 

Under this competition, EPA anticipates awarding between two and five assistance agreements to port authorities through the DERA program. Port authorities, governmental or public agencies that operate ports, are able to work directly with a variety of fleet owners to lower emissions from different types of equipment used in a port setting. Projects may include drayage trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and cargo handling equipment at marine or inland ports. Priority will be given to ports located in areas of poor air quality.

Community groups, local governments, terminal operators, shipping carriers, and other business entities are encouraged to participate through partnerships with eligible port authorities. The closing date for receipt of proposals is February 13, 2014.

For more information visit EPA's informational Web site which includes EPA's Request for Proposals as well as an online registration link for EPA's  January 9 informational webinar.

What this means to you

Business and community entities affected by diesel pollution at U.S. marine and inland ports can submit proposals for DERA funding to reduce costs on affected businesses for new technology to reduce emissions from legacy fleet diesels produced before more recent environmental standards.

MIRATECH can help

Contact MIRATECH to provide silencers, catalysts, controls, and training for diesel engines.

Two recently published studies have emphasized both the need for further control of diesel emissions as well as the effectiveness of emission control when current best control technologies are utilized.

Phase 2 ACES Report shows effectiveness of diesel emission after-treatment control technology

In late November, 2013 the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) released its Phase 2 Report of the comprehensive Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES) which was conducted under contract to the Health Effects Institute (HEI) and made possible in part by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

According to a 4 December 2013 HEI news report the Phase 2 ACES report was the most rigorous emissions testing ever done for modern heavy-duty diesel engines.  The report demonstrated a greater than 94% reduction of nitrogen dioxide and substantial reductions in all other pollutants even when compared to engines first marketed to meet 2007 standards. These reductions came while emissions of fine particles were also 99% lower than 2004 emissions.

The Phase 2 ACES study was conducted by the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, under the oversight of the CRC. Investigators tested heavy-duty diesel engines from the three major manufacturers and subjected them to well-established federal test procedures, and to a much more rigorous 16-hour operation cycle designed especially for ACES. All the engines were equipped with after-treatment devices to reduce the emissions of particulate matter as well as oxides of nitrogen.

Environmental Health Sciences study finds diesel responsible for 6 percent of lung cancer deaths

An estimated 6 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom - 11,000 deaths per year - may be due to diesel exhaust, according to a new study  published 27 November 2013 by Environmental Health Perspectives.

Emission standards for diesel engines have become more stringent in recent years, but their exhaust still plays a significant role in lung cancer deaths among truckers, miners and railroad workers, the authors wrote. In addition, diesel exhaust still poses a major cancer threat for people living in dense cities or near highways, they said.

They estimated that 4.8 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom are due to occupational exposure to diesel exhaust, while 1.3 percent is due to environmental exposures to the exhaust.

Diesel emissions have declined substantially over the past few years in the United States and Europe since new engine standards were initiated. More than 50,000 high-polluting diesel engines were cleaned up or removed from U.S. roads between 2008 and 2010, according to an EPA report. About 230,000 tons of soot and smog-causing pollutants were eliminated, according to the report.

However, while buses and trucks have largely adopted cleaner technology, it's taken longer for off-road engines, the report said.

What this means to you

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) technologies are successful in reducing PM mass and number counts to bring diesel engines into emission compliance.

MIRATECH can help

Contact MIRATECH to discuss DOC, DPF and SCR diesel emission control strategies for your engines. 

The new rule will take effect on 1 January 2014 for virtually all reporting entities - except those that become subject to GHGRP due to revised GWPs.  Thus, for the 2013 calendar year (with a reporting due date of March 2014), reporters will need to follow the revised program requirements.  Newly subject facilities must begin collecting data on January 1, 2014, but are not required to submit a report until next year (March, 2015).

The GWP revisions may be found in Table A-1 of Subpart A, General Provisions, and reflect new data published in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4).  These revisions are intended to improve reporting accuracy and ensure consistency with the inventory of GHG Sources and Sinks submittal to the UN Frame Convention on Climate Change which plans to begin using the new GWPs in 2015.

In general, the GWP revisions are expected to have a minor impact on a reporter's GHG emissions profile - likely increasing the emissions level to a small extent.  The most significant changes are for methane and fluorinated GHGs.

The final confidentiality determinations for new or substantially revised data elements address items other than inputs to emissions equations.  Confidentiality determinations have been made for each subpart of the GHGRP rule.  For a list of these data elements along with the corresponding final confidentiality determinations, see the memo "Final Data Category Assignments and Confidentiality Determinations for 2013 Revisions to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule," which may be accessed at this EPA Web Page.

What this means to you

EPA's amended rules to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program are effective January 1, 2014 and include revisions to its list of Global Warming Potentials.  For the 2013 calendar year (with a March 2014 reporting date) reporters must follow the revised program requirements.

MIRATECH can help

Contact MIRATECH to discuss your GHG reduction technologies such as air/fuel controllers and NSCR catalysts.