Department of Environment & Conservation
Robert Martineau, Commissioner

 

  

**New Environmental Rule**

Affecting

Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers at Small/Area Sources

 

**Changes have been proposed to the Boiler rule. See the What's New page for information on the proposed changes.**

 

On March 21, 2011, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new rule to reduce emissions of toxic air pollutants from existing and new industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers located at small/area source facilities.  Please visit the EPA web page to keep abreast on rule developments for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers.

This new rule is the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for small/area source categories as published in 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart JJJJJJ (6J).  An area source facility emits or has the potential to emit less than 10 tons per year (tpy) of a single hazardous air pollutant (HAP) or less than 25 tons per year of any combination of HAPs.

 

The final 6J rule covers boilers burning oil, coal, biomass (wood), and other solid or liquid fuels to produce steam or hot water for energy or heat.  Gas boilers are exempt from the rule. However, if you your boiler is a dual fuel burner and normally burns gas but uses oil for back-up or your boiler is currently shutdown and typically burns a fuel other than gas, you may need to submit information.  Please contact the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 1-800-734-3619 for details.

 

Rule Coverage:

Existing large boilers (>=10mm/BTU)
   Gas (all types): 
    * No requirements/ Not covered by rule
   Coal
    * Numeric emission limits for 2 pollutants
      (mercury(Hg), carbon monoxide(CO) )
    * 1-time energy assessment
   Biomass, Oil
    * Tune-up every other year
    * 1-time energy assessment
    * No numeric emission limits

Existing Small Boilers (<10mm/BTU)
  Gas: 
    * No requirements/ Not covered by rule
  Coal, Biomass, Oil:
    * Tune-up every other year
    * No numeric emission limits

New Large Boilers (>=10mm/BTU):
  Energy assessments aren’t required
  Gas (all types): 
    * No requirements/ Not covered by rule
  Coal boilers:
    * Emission limits for three pollutants: particulates, Hg and CO
  Biomass/Oil:
    * Emission limit for particulates
    * Tune ups every other year

New Small Boilers (<10mm/BTU):
  Gas (all types): 
    * No requirements/ Not covered by rule
  Coal, Biomass, Oil:
    * Tune up every other year
    * No emission limit or energy audits required

 

Rule Requirements

Most boilers covered by this rule are non-residential oil or biomass (wood)-fired boilers that existed prior to June 4, 2010, and therefore need to:

  Submit an Initial Notification by September 17, 2011
  Conduct startups and shutdowns according to the manufacturer's recommended procedures
  Conduct a Tune-up - Deadline has changed. See What's New announcement for more info.
  Keep tune-up and fuel usage records
  Submit a Notification of Compliance Status form by July 19, 2012
  Repeat tune-ups every two years
  Complete and keep on file a two year compliance certification, and
  If the heat input capacity of the boiler is 10 million Btu per hour (mmBtu/hr) or greater,  you must
    * conduct a one-time energy assessment prior to March 21, 2014, and
    * submit a Notification of Compliance Status form by July 19, 2014

 

Notification Examples

Initial Notification 
Notification of Compliance Status for Boilers Subject to Tune-ups
Notification of Compliance Status for Boilers Subject to  Energy Assessment
Notification of Compliance Status for Boilers Subject to Emission Limits

 

Resources

Boiler brochure with highlights of the rule
Boiler Tune-Up Guidance and Example Recordkeeping Form –Area Sources
EPA Fast Facts of Requirements:  Tables showing what the requirements are for Emission Limits, Tune-ups, and Energy Assessments 
Federal Register publication of the rule
EPA Compliance Guide for small businesses   
Boiler Table of Requirements
EPA boiler website
EPA Combustion Portal
EPA Presentation on the Rule

TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development Boiler Division

 

For more information about Tennessee's Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, please contact the program at 1-800-734-3619 or by email at bgsbeap@tn.gov