400 Proposed general plan approval and general operating permit for dry abrasive blasting operations (BAQ-GPA/GP-19)

Proposed General Plan Approval and General Operating Permit for Dry Abrasive Blasting Operations (BAQ-GPA/GP-19)

[36 Pa.B. 1187]

   The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) proposes to issue the following General Plan Approval and/or General Operating Permit (general permit), which contains predetermined Best Available Technology (BAT) and other regulatory requirements:

   BAQ-GPA/GP-19 (Dry Abrasive Blasting Operations)

   This proposed General Permit, authorized under section 6.1(f) of the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P. S. § 4006.1(f)) and 25 Pa. Code § 127.611 (relating to general plan approvals and general operating permits), will apply to the construction, operation and modification of both new and existing dry abrasive blasting operations.

   The proposed General Permit contains conditions that prescribe applicability, compliance, permit modification, notification, prohibited use, emissions, sampling and testing, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

   Prior to constructing and/or operating under this General Permit, the permittee must notify the Department using the General Permit application form provided by the Department and receive prior written approval from the Department before initiating construction and/or commencing operation of a dry abrasive blasting operation. Existing permitted dry abrasive blasting operations may either continue to operate under an existing operating permit or owners may elect to apply for authorization to operate under this General Permit. The application for authorization to operate under this General Permit must be submitted on a form provided by the Department. The owner or operator of any facility operating under this General Permit must comply with the terms and conditions of this General Permit.

BAQ-GPA/GP-19: Dry abrasive blasting operations

   As proposed, GP-19 is designed to serve as either plan approval and/or operating permit for dry abrasive blasting operations.

   The dry abrasive blasting operations covered under this proposed General Permit are intended for processes in which the surface of an object is cleaned of dirt, rust, scale, paint, and the like by the impingement on the surface of a stream of dry solid particles propelled at high velocity. The particles used for this purpose may be steel, sand, glass, plastic, plant materials such as nut hulls or fruit pits or a material similar to one of these. The same operations are also used to produce roughened surfaces.

   The dry abrasive blasting operations shall be performed inside an enclosed machine, a permanently located building or a permanently located enclosure which is exhausted to the outdoor atmosphere through an appropriately designed fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector having an associated effluent gas volume of greater than 5,000 standard cubic feet per minute, but less than 79,900 dry standard cubic feet per minute.

   In order to qualify for coverage under this General Permit, all of the fugitive particulate matter (PM) emissions generated within the enclosed machine or permanently located building or permanently located enclosure associated with a subject dry abrasive blasting operation must be captured and sent to the associated appropriately designed fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector.

   This proposed General Permit may not be used where the installation of a dry abrasive blasting operation, individually or in conjunction with other source installations or modifications, would be subject to the requirements of 25 Pa. Code Chapter 127, Subchapter D (relating to prevention of significant deterioration of air quality) or Subchapter E (relating to new source review).

   This proposed General Permit establishes emission limits for PM and visible emissions. Any dry abrasive blasting operation constructed after the effective date of this General Permit and any dry abrasive blasting operation constructed after July 1, 1972, but prior to the effective date of this General Permit and for which no plan approval was obtained under 25 Pa. Code § 127.11 (relating to plan approval requirements), shall comply with the following best available technology requirements, which are hereby established under 25 Pa. Code § 127.1 (relating to purpose):

   i.  All fugitive emissions generated within the enclosed machine, permanently located building or permanently located enclosure in which the dry abrasive blasting operation is performed shall be captured and ducted to a fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector.

   ii.  Neither the PM nor the PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns or less) emissions from the exhaust of the fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector shall exceed .005 grain per dry standard cubic foot of effluent gas volume.

   iii.  There shall be no visible air contaminant emissions from the exhaust of the fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector other than water vapor or steam.

   iv.  No fugitive air contaminant emissions shall be generated as a result of removing collected dust from the fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector or as a result of subsequently handling the collected dust onsite following its removal from the collector.

   v.  The fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector shall be equipped with instrumentation to monitor the differential pressure across the collector on a continuous basis.

   vi.  If compressed air is needed for the operation of the fabric collector (baghouse) or cartridge collector, the compressed air supply shall be equipped with an air dryer and an oil trap.

   vii.  The permittee shall keep on hand a sufficient quantity of spare fabric collector (baghouse) bags or cartridge collector cartridges to be able to immediately replace any bags or cartridges requiring replacement due to deterioration resulting from routine operation.

   The Department reserves the right to require the permittee to conduct stack tests or source tests as are deemed necessary by the Department. The permittee shall perform any testing in accordance with the applicable provisions of 25 Pa. Code Chapter 139 (relating to sampling and testing).

   Under 25 Pa. Code § 135.5 (relating to recordkeeping), air contamination source owners or operators shall maintain and make available upon request by the Department records as may be necessary to comply with 25 Pa. Code § 135.3 (relating to reporting). These records shall be retained for a minimum of 5 years and shall be made available to the Department upon request.

   Authorizations granted to use this General Permit shall be for a term of 5 years. At least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the authorization to use this General Permit, the permittee must submit an application to renew the authorization if the facility intends to continue to operate under this General Permit.

   This proposed General Permit establishes the following plan approval application, operating permit application and operating permit renewal fees: $375.

   A new application with fees is required each time the permittee installs or modifies a dry abrasive blasting operation in accordance with this General Permit.

   Interested parties are encouraged to obtain and review a complete copy of this proposed General Permit by contacting Jeanette Van Skike, Division of Permits, Bureau of Air Quality, 12th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, [phone]. TDD users may telephone the Department through the AT&T Relay Service, [phone]. Internet users can access a copy of the General Permit at www.depweb.state.pa.us (DEP Keywords: Air Quality Home).

   The Department invites written comments on the proposed General Permit. Notice and opportunity for comment will also be provided to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the States of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Interested persons may submit written comments, suggestions or objections to John Slade, Chief, Division of Permits, Bureau of Air Quality, 12th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, [phone]. The Department will also consider written requests that a public hearing be held concerning this proposed General Permit. Written public comments must be submitted to the Department by April 25, 2006. Comments received by facsimile will not be accepted.

   Following the public comment period, the Department will review all submitted comments, prepare a written comments and response document and prepare a final documents package for this General Permit. An availability notice of the final General Permit documents will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 06-400. Filed for public inspection March 10, 2006, 9:00 a.m.]