The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promulgating amendments to the new source performance standards for coal preparation and processing plants. These final amendments include revisions to the emission limits for particulate matter and opacity standards for thermal dryers, pneumatic coal cleaning equipment, and coal handling equipment located at coal preparation and processing plants. These revised limits apply to affected facilities that commence construction, modification, or reconstruction after April 28, 2008.
The amendments also establish emissions limits for thermal dryers and work practice standards to control fugitive coal dust emissions, which will apply to affected facilities that commence construction, modification, or reconstruction after May 27, 2009.
The agency also modified the definition of a thermal dryer to include both direct contact and indirect contact thermal dryers drying all coal ranks. It also modified the definition of pneumatic coal-cleaning equipment to include equipment cleaning all coal ranks. It amended the definition of coal for purposes of subpart Y to include coal refuse.
The final rule became effective on October 8, 2009. For more information, visit www.epa.gov.
