National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Taconite Iron Ore Processing

<RULE> ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY <CFR>40 CFR Part 63</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0664; FRL-5925.1-01-OAR]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2060-AV58</RIN> <SUBJECT>National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Taconite Iron Ore Processing</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Taconite Iron Ore Processing. Specifically, the EPA is finalizing maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards for mercury (Hg) and establishing revised emission standards for hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). This final action ensures that emissions of all hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emitted from the Taconite Iron Ore Processing source category are regulated. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This final rule is effective March 6, 2024. The incorporation by reference (IBR) of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register (FR) as of March 6, 2024. The incorporation by reference of certain other material listed in the rule was approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of October 26, 2020. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> The EPA established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0664. All documents in the docket are listed on the <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> /website. Although listed, some information is not publicly available, <E T="03">e.g.,</E> Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and is publicly available only in hard copy. With the exception of such material, publicly available docket materials are available electronically in <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> /or in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the EPA Docket Center is (202) 566-1742. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> For questions about this final action, contact David Putney, Sector Policies and Programs Division (D243-02), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-2016; email address: <E T="03">putney.david@epa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <E T="03">Preamble acronyms and abbreviations.</E> Throughout this document the use of “we,” “us,” or “our” is intended to refer to the EPA. We use multiple acronyms and terms in this preamble. While this list may not be exhaustive, to ease the reading of this preamble and for reference purposes, the EPA defines the following terms and acronyms here: <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ACI activated carbon injection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">BTF beyond-the-floor</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CAA Clean Air Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CBI Confidential Business Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CEMS continuous emission monitoring system</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CFR Code of Federal Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">D.C. Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DSI dry sorbent injection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EJ environmental justice</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EPA Environmental Protection Agency</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ESP electrostatic precipitator</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FR Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HAP hazardous air pollutant(s)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HCl hydrochloric acid</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HF hydrogen fluoride</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">Hg mercury</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ICR information collection request</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">km kilometer</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">LEAN Louisiana Environmental Action Network</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1"> lb/LT pounds of HAP ( <E T="03">i.e.,</E> Hg, HCl, or HF) emitted per long ton of pellets produced </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MACT maximum achievable control technology</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MWh/yr megawatt-hours per year</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MPCA Minnesota Pollution Control Agency</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NAICS North American Industry Classification System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NESHAP National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ng/g nanograms per gram</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NTTAA National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OAQPS Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OMB Office of Management and Budget</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PM particulate matter</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PRA Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RTR residual risk and technology review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">tpy tons per year</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">UPL upper prediction limit</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">μg/Nm3 microgram per normal cubic meter</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">UMRA Unfunded Mandates Reform Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">VCS voluntary consensus standards</FP> </EXTRACT> <E T="03">Organization of this document.</E> The information in this preamble is organized as follows: <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. General Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Does this action apply to me?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related information?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Judicial Review and Administrative Reconsideration</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. What is the statutory authority for this action?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. What is the source category and how does the current NESHAP regulate its HAP emissions?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. What changes did we propose for the Taconite Iron Ore Processing source category?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. What is the rationale for our final decisions and amendments for the Taconite Iron Ore Processing source category?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. MACT Standards for Mercury</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Revised Emission Standards for HCl and HF</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. What other amendments are we finalizing?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. What are the effective and compliance dates for the mercury, HCl, and HF emission standards?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Summary of Cost, Environmental, and Economical Impacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. What are the affected sources?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. What are the air quality impacts?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. What are the cost impacts?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. What are the economic impacts?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. What analysis of environmental justice did we conduct?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) and 1 CFR Part 51</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations and Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Congressional Review Act (CRA)</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. General Information</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Does this action apply to me? </HD> Table 1 of this preamble lists the NESHAP and associated regulated industrial source category that is the subject of this final rule. Table 1 is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding the entities that this final action is likely to affect. The final standards are directly applicable to the affected sources. Federal, state, local, and Tribal government entities are not affected by this final action. As defined in the <E T="03">Initial List of Categories of Sources Under Section 112(c)(1) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990</E> (see 57 FR 31576; July 16, 1992) and <E T="03">Documentation for Developing the Initial Source Category List, Final Report</E> (see EPA-450/3-91-030; July 1992), the Taconite Iron Ore Processing source category includes any facility engaged in separating and concentrating iron ore from taconite, a low-grade iron ore to produce taconite pellets. The source category includes, but is not limited to, the following processes: liberation of the iron ore by wet or dry crushing and grinding in gyratory crushers, cone crushers, rod mills, and ball mills; pelletizing by wet tumbling with a balling drum or balling disc; induration using a straight grate or grate kiln indurating furnace; and finished pellet handling. <GPOTABLE COLS="3" OPTS="L2,i1" CDEF="s75,r75,12"> <TTITLE>Table 1—NESHAP and Source Categories A ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 246k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━