Massachusetts Multi-pollutant Power Plant Regulations

1
Massachusetts Multi-pollutant Power Plant
Regulations

• Sharon Weber
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental
  Protection

EPA Utility MACT Working Group March 4, 2003
Washington DC
2

• Background of regulation 310 CMR 7.29 Emissions
  Standards for Power Plants
• http//www.state.ma.us/dep/bwp/daqc/files/regs/7c.
  htm29
• Mercury coal and emissions testing results
• Mercury control feasibility report
• Mercury standard-setting process

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Environmental Concerns

• Acid Deposition
• Climate Change
• Mercury
• Nitrification, Eutrophication
• Ozone
• PM 2.5
• Regional Haze
• Visibility

4
Capacity Context
5
Major Provisions Effective May 11, 2001

• Standards
• Output-Based Emission Rates - SO2, NOx, CO2
• Annual caps for CO2 (tons) and Hg (lbs)
• Hg data collection for cap and 2003 proposed
  standard
• Hg control feasibility report by December 2002
• Compliance schedules
• Dates depend on compliance approach
• standard path - 10/04 and 10/06
• repowering path - 10/06 and 10/08
• Hg cap effective at first compliance date
• Proposed compliance date for Hg standard will be
  October 1, 2006

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SO2 and NOx Standards

• SO2 and NOx
• 2 phase SO2 requirement
• 6.0 lb/MWh at first compliance date
• 3.0 lb/MWh at second compliance date
• 1.5 lb/MWh for NOx at first compliance date
• Compliance measured as a 12 month rolling average
  and monthly average at 2nd date

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CO2 Standards

• CO2
• Annual facility cap based on three years of data
  at first compliance date
• Annual facility rate of 1800 lb CO2/MWh at second
  compliance date
• Compliance measured as a calendar 12 month average

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Implementation

• Compliance Flexibility
• Two Compliance Options - standard and repowering
• Averaging within facility
• Early reduction credit for SO2
• Use of SO2 Allowances
• Off-site Reductions for CO2
• Greenhouse gas banking and trading regulation in
  development

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Hg Data Collection

• Sampling for concentration of mercury and
  chlorine in each shipment of coal received at the
  4 coal-fired facilities from May 2001-May 2002
• Sampling for concentration of speciated mercury
  at inlet (pre-ESP) and outlet (stack) of 8
  coal-fired units (3 sets of tests over one year)

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Coal Mercury Data
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Coal Chlorine Data
12
Hg Emissions Data

• Sampling for concentration of mercury at inlet
  (pre-ESP) and outlet (stack) of 8 coal-fired
  units
• Round 1 summer 2001
• Round 2 winter 2001-2002
• Round 3 summer 2002

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Brayton 1 Emissions Test Results250 MW,
Bituminous Coal
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Average Baseline Mercury Results by Unit
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Mercury Control Feasibility Report December 2002

• Evaluation of the Technological and Economic
  Feasibility of Controlling and Eliminating
  Mercury Emissions from the Combustion of Solid
  Fossil Fuel
• 85-90 removal of flue gas Hg is feasible
• http//www.state.ma.us/dep/bwp/daqc/
  daqcpubs.htmother

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Control Feasibility Report Technology Conclusions
(1)

• Hg controls are technologically feasible
• Some existing US units are achieving up to 98 Hg
  removal
• Some MA units are already removing close to 90
  of Hg
• Controls to meet MA SO2 and NOx standards are
  expected to achieve Hg reduction co-benefits

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Control Feasibility Report Technology Conclusions
(2)

• Hg controls are technologically feasible
• DOE field testing shows gt90 Hg removal
• MA Municipal Waste Combustors are removing 90 of
  Hg
• Extensive funding for research has resulted in Hg
  control technologies that have reached the field
  testing stage

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Control Feasibility Report Economic Conclusions

• Hg controls are economically feasible
• Sorbent-based Hg controls costs are similar to
  historically accepted NOx control costs
  (mills/kMWh)
• Multi-pollutant regs (like MAs) improve
  cost-effectiveness

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Schedule for standard setting process

• Three stakeholder meetings Aug/Sep/Oct 2002
• Release of Feasibility Report December 2002
• Stakeholder feedback on Feasibility Report and
  input on regulation issues January 2003
• Rule review meeting to discuss working draft
  regulation Spring 2003
• Release of proposed regulation for public comment
  hearing June 2003 (as per 7.29 regulation)

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Major Issues for Proposed Standard

• Form of the standard
• Units of the standard
• Level of the standard
• Averaging time of the standard
• Demonstrating compliance with the standard
• Waste issues
• Unit and facility specific issues