40 CFR § 64.3 - Monitoring design criteria.

(a) General criteria. To provide a reasonable assurance of compliance with emission limitations or standards for the anticipated range of operations at a pollutant-specific emissions unit, monitoring under this part shall meet the following general criteria:

(1) The owner or operator shall design the monitoring to obtain data for one or more indicators of emission control performance for the control device, any associated capture system and, if necessary to satisfy paragraph (a)(2) of this section, processes at a pollutant-specific emissions unit. Indicators of performance may include, but are not limited to, direct or predicted emissions (including visible emissions or opacity), process and control device parameters that affect control device (and capture system) efficiency or emission rates, or recorded findings of inspection and maintenance activities conducted by the owner or operator.

(2) The owner or operator shall establish an appropriate range(s) or designated condition(s) for the selected indicator(s) such that operation within the ranges provides a reasonable assurance of ongoing compliance with emission limitations or standards for the anticipated range of operating conditions. Such range(s) or condition(s) shall reflect the proper operation and maintenance of the control device (and associated capture system), in accordance with applicable design properties, for minimizing emissions over the anticipated range of operating conditions at least to the level required to achieve compliance with the applicable requirements. The reasonable assurance of compliance will be assessed by maintaining performance within the indicator range(s) or designated condition(s). The ranges shall be established in accordance with the design and performance requirements in this section and documented in accordance with the requirements in § 64.4. If necessary to assure that the control device and associated capture system can satisfy this criterion, the owner or operator shall monitor appropriate process operational parameters (such as total throughput where necessary to stay within the rated capacity for a control device). In addition, unless specifically stated otherwise by an applicable requirement, the owner or operator shall monitor indicators to detect any bypass of the control device (or capture system) to the atmosphere, if such bypass can occur based on the design of the pollutant-specific emissions unit.

(3) The design of indicator ranges or designated conditions may be:

(i) Based on a single maximum or minimum value if appropriate (e.g., maintaining condenser temperatures a certain number of degrees below the condensation temperature of the applicable compound(s) being processed) or at multiple levels that are relevant to distinctly different operating conditions (e.g., high versus low load levels).

(ii) Expressed as a function of process variables (e.g., an indicator range expressed as minimum to maximum pressure drop across a venturi throat in a particulate control scrubber).

(iii) Expressed as maintaining the applicable parameter in a particular operational status or designated condition (e.g., position of a damper controlling gas flow to the atmosphere through a by-pass duct).

(iv) Established as interdependent between more than one indicator.

(b) Performance criteria. The owner or operator shall design the monitoring to meet the following performance criteria:

(1) Specifications that provide for obtaining data that are representative of the emissions or parameters being monitored (such as detector location and installation specifications, if applicable).

(2) For new or modified monitoring equipment, verification procedures to confirm the operational status of the monitoring prior to the date by which the owner or operator must conduct monitoring under this part as specified in § 64.7(a). The owner or operator shall consider the monitoring equipment manufacturer's requirements or recommendations for installation, calibration, and start-up operation.

(3) Quality assurance and control practices that are adequate to ensure the continuing validity of the data. The owner or operator shall consider manufacturer recommendations or requirements applicable to the monitoring in developing appropriate quality assurance and control practices.

(4) Specifications for the frequency of conducting the monitoring, the data collection procedures that will be used (e.g., computerized data acquisition and handling, alarm sensor, or manual log entries based on gauge readings), and, if applicable, the period over which discrete data points will be averaged for the purpose of determining whether an excursion or exceedance has occurred.

(i) At a minimum, the owner or operator shall design the period over which data are obtained and, if applicable, averaged consistent with the characteristics and typical variability of the pollutant-specific emissions unit (including the control device and associated capture system). Such intervals shall be commensurate with the time period over which a change in control device performance that would require actions by owner or operator to return operations within normal ranges or designated conditions is likely to be observed.

(ii) For all pollutant-specific emissions units with the potential to emit, calculated including the effect of control devices, the applicable regulated air pollutant in an amount equal to or greater than 100 percent of the amount, in tons per year, required for a source to be classified as a major source, for each parameter monitored, the owner or operator shall collect four or more data values equally spaced over each hour and average the values, as applicable, over the applicable averaging period as determined in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section. The permitting authority may approve a reduced data collection frequency, if appropriate, based on information presented by the owner or operator concerning the data collection mechanisms available for a particular parameter for the particular pollutant-specific emissions unit (e.g., integrated raw material or fuel analysis data, noninstrumental measurement of waste feed rate or visible emissions, use of a portable analyzer or an alarm sensor).

(iii) For other pollutant-specific emissions units, the frequency of data collection may be less than the frequency specified in paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section but the monitoring shall include some data collection at least once per 24-hour period (e.g., a daily inspection of a carbon adsorber operation in conjunction with a weekly or monthly check of emissions with a portable analyzer).

(c) Evaluation factors. In designing monitoring to meet the requirements in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the owner or operator shall take into account site-specific factors including the applicability of existing monitoring equipment and procedures, the ability of the monitoring to account for process and control device operational variability, the reliability and latitude built into the control technology, and the level of actual emissions relative to the compliance limitation.

(d) Special criteria for the use of continuous emission, opacity or predictive monitoring systems.

(1) If a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS), continuous opacity monitoring system (COMS) or predictive emission monitoring system (PEMS) is required pursuant to other authority under the Act or state or local law, the owner or operator shall use such system to satisfy the requirements of this part.

(2) The use of a CEMS, COMS, or PEMS that satisfies any of the following monitoring requirements shall be deemed to satisfy the general design criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, provided that a COMS may be subject to the criteria for establishing indicator ranges under paragraph (a) of this section:

(i) Section 51.214 and appendix P of part 51 of this chapter;

(ii) Section 60.13 and appendix B of part 60 of this chapter;

(iii) Section 63.8 and any applicable performance specifications required pursuant to the applicable subpart of part 63 of this chapter;

(iv) Part 75 of this chapter;

(v) Subpart H and appendix IX of part 266 of this chapter; or

(vi) If an applicable requirement does not otherwise require compliance with the requirements listed in the preceding paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (v) of this section, comparable requirements and specifications established by the permitting authority.

(3) The owner or operator shall design the monitoring system subject to this paragraph (d) to:

(i) Allow for reporting of exceedances (or excursions if applicable to a COMS used to assure compliance with a particulate matter standard), consistent with any period for reporting of exceedances in an underlying requirement. If an underlying requirement does not contain a provision for establishing an averaging period for the reporting of exceedances or excursions, the criteria used to develop an averaging period in (b)(4) of this section shall apply; and

(ii) Provide an indicator range consistent with paragraph (a) of this section for a COMS used to assure compliance with a particulate matter standard. If an opacity standard applies to the pollutant-specific emissions unit, such limit may be used as the appropriate indicator range unless the opacity limit fails to meet the criteria in paragraph (a) of this section after considering the type of control device and other site-specific factors applicable to the pollutant-specific emissions unit.