BART and the
Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) are federal regulations
expected to improve air quality and regional haze. The TCEQ has
developed state versions of the BART rule and the CAIR to comply
with Federal Clean Air Act requirements. The Texas BART rule was
adopted in January 2007. The Texas CAIR was adopted in July
2006.
Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART)
The regional haze rule requires each state's SIP to require
emission controls known as best available retrofit
technology, or BART, for certain industrial facilities
emitting air pollutants that reduce visibility by causing or
contributing to regional haze. The
BART 
requirements of the regional haze rule
apply to facilities that:
- were built or reconstructed between August 7, 1962, and August
7, 1977;
- have the potential to emit more than 250 tons per year of
visibility-impairing pollutants; and
- fall into one of 26 categories, including utility and
industrial boilers, large industrial plants such as pulp mills,
refineries, and smelters.
Some of these facilities have not been previously subject to
federal requirements controlling these pollutants. States
identified the facilities that have to reduce emissions under
BART.
States considered a number of factors when determining which
facilities were covered by BART, including:
- the cost of the controls,
- the impact of controls on energy usage or any environmental
impacts not related to air quality,
- the remaining useful life of the equipment to be
controlled,
- any pollution controls already in place, and
- visibility improvement that would result from controlling the
emissions. (Source: EPA Fact
Sheet. )
The TCEQ’s BART Rule (30 TAC 116, Subchapter M) was adopted
January 10, 2007, and is available
online.
List of Potentially BART-Eligible Sources (updated December
2007): Approximately 125 potential sources were BART-eligible.
Approximately 70 sources modeled out of BART through TCEQ group
modeling; these sources were required to certify that the TCEQ data
was accurate. Approximately 20 potentially BART-eligible sources
changed their emission rate inputs in the BART survey; some sources
changed their permits and reduced their potential to emit below the
threshold, and other sources shut down their older BART equipment.
Approximately 35 potentially BART-eligible sources were required by
the BART rule to do further modeling; none of the individual
modeling reports were above the 0.5 deciview BART-eligible
threshold. However, one of the modeled sources is expected to
reduce emissions before 2010, which is prior to any BART reduction
requirements, per an EPA consent decree.
(Help with PDF.)
Return to
top
BART Analyses Submitted by Facilities
Source facilities have completed their BART analyses and
submitted them to the TCEQ. Sources could opt to reduce emissions
via permanent, enforceable permit limits to below the BART
threshold and then were no longer BART-eligible. These enforceable
limits were in place before the TCEQ proposed its
SIP revision for regional haze.
CAMx Modeling Reports
Below are the source modeling reports. Approximately six sources
used CAMx group modeling.
Note: The modeling reports are large PDF
documents and can take longer to download and display. For speedier
display, save the document to your computer first and then view the
document from your computer.
California Puff Model (CALPUFF) Modeling Report
Summaries
The TCEQ received approximately 29 CALPUFF modeling reports.
Modeling report summaries are available. Sources are listed by
company name and account number as noted in the
List of Potentially BART-Eligible Sources (updated December
2007). The full modeling reports are large PDF files. Full
reports and protocols are available upon request by calling the
Regional Haze SIP Coordinator, or by e-mail at siprules@tceq.state.tx.us.
Presentations
From the November 9, 2006, BART informational meeting
(Agenda) on modeling and engineering analysis (all links
are to PDF files)
Technical Documents
Links are to PDF files, except as noted.
Draft
CALPUFF Modeling Guidance March 2007 update: Modeling
Protocol to Determine Sources Subject to BART in the State of
Texas
Draft
CAMx Modeling Guidance update: Guidance for the Application
of the CAMx Hybrid Photochemical Grid Model to Assess Visibility
Impacts of Texas BART Sources at Class I Areas
Draft
Technical Guidance Engineering Analysis—Best Available
Retrofit Technology: this document outlines information and
requirements for acceptable submittals of the Engineering Analysis
to demonstrate Best Available Retrofit Technology
Draft
BART EA-1: form and instructions for submitting BART
engineering analyses
Draft
Texas Modeling Data (ZIP-compressed files: Excel spreadsheet
and README text document)
Draft
Final Report: Screening Analysis of Potential BART-Eligible
Sources in Texas
Draft
Final Modeling Protocol: Screening Analysis of Potentially
BART-Eligible Sources in Texas
(Help with Downloading
Files.)
Return to
top
Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)
On July 11, 2008, the D.C. Circuit Court vacated the EPA's Clean
Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). The EPA is reviewing the Court's
decisions and evaluating its impacts. For more information, go to
the EPA's Notice
to read the Court's Opinion (60pp, 221k). Since the Texas Regional
Haze SIP relied on CAIR for emissions reductions, the Executive
Director has temporarily inactivated the Regional Haze SIP until
alternatives are considered.
Background
On March 10, 2005, the EPA issued the
Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), requiring reductions in
emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and
nitrogen oxides (NOx) from electricity
generating units (EGUs) in 28 eastern states and the District of
Columbia. When fully implemented, CAIR would have reduced SO2 emissions in these states by over 70 percent
and NOx emissions by over 60 percent from
2003 levels. The CAIR established an EPA-administered cap-and-trade
program for EGUs in which states would participate as a means of
meeting these requirements. For the BART rule, the EPA presented
the results of an analysis showing that controls for EGUs subject
to CAIR would have resulted in more visibility improvement in
natural areas than BART would have provided. Therefore, states that
adopted the CAIR cap-and-trade program for SO2 and NOx were allowed
to apply CAIR controls as a substitute for controls required under
BART because EPA analysis concluded that CAIR controls were
“better than
BART” for EGUs in the states subject to CAIR.
Return to
top
