MPCA Mercury Emission Reduction Rules - Hg Air Emissions

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is requesting comments on some planned new air quality rules involving mercury emissions reporting. The impeding rulemaking falls into two general categories:

1) Mercury Emissions Reporting, and
2) Plans for Mercury Emissions Reductions at Certain Facilities

Rulemaking will require certain facilities holding an MPCA air emissions permit to develop their own Mercury Emissions Reducing Plan for incorporation into their state air emissions permit. Some facilities will be expected to develop reduction plans to meet sector or source reduction targets and timeframes listed in the “Strategy Framework for the Implementation of Minnesota’s Statewide TMDL”

The proposed new and amended rules will establish a schedule and the emission calculation methods for facilities to track their mercury emissions and submit an annual mercury emissions report to the MPCA. Although MPCA is considering having emissions reporting take place concurrent with the annual air emissions inventory process, this rule proposal does not include any major changes to the criteria pollutant emissions inventory.

The proposed rule will also establish the schedule and the minimum requirements for Mercury Emissions Reduction Plans from each facility to address how they will reduce mercury emissions. The Plans will either be incorporated into their air emissions permit as enforceable requirements or will be made enforceable using other means available to the MPCA. Reduction targets are established for taconite processing facilities, utility boilers, commercial, institutional and industrial boilers, petroleum refineries, secondary metal smelters, sewage sludge incinerators.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in Minnesota to obtain air and wastewater permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information, contact Caltha LLP at:
Email: info@calthacompany.com
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