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-New Source Performance Standards-
Bulk Gasoline Terminals
New Source
Performance
Standards
The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1977, calls
for a comprehensive national program to
reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
The Act requires the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency to establish nationwide
emission standards to prevent air pollution
problems from new stationary sources.
These new source performance standards
(NSPS), in accordance with Section 111
of the Clean Air Act, apply to categories of
new, modified, or reconstructed stationary
sources causing or contributing to pollution
that may be anticipated to endanger public
health or welfare. The recently proposed
NSPS for bulk gasoline terminals are discussed
below.
Bulk Gasoline
Terminals
I'Bulk gasoline termi-
nals serve as distribu-
tion points for gasoline
and other petroleum
products received from
refineries via pipelines,
ships, or barges, Vola-
tile organic compounds
l(VOC) are emitted
when gasoline is transferred from loading
racks into tank trucks for delivery to cus-
tomers. As gasoline enters the tank truck it
displaces residual VOC-containing gasoline
vapors which are contained inside the tank
from a previous load.
The proposed NSPS for bulk gasoline termi-
nals would restrict loading operations that
cause VOC emissions. VOC are major pollu-
tants subject to Federal control under the
1977 Clean Air Act Amendments. VOC re-
act in the atmosphere to form photochemical
smog (ozone), a complex pollutant capable of
impairing breathing, irritating eyes, and da-
maging plant tissue.
These NSPS would cover only new bulk gas-
oline terminals, or existing ones that are sub-
stantially modified or reconstructed. Physical
or operational changes resulting in increased
emission rates may be considered modifica-
tions. If the cost of component replacement
in an existing source is more than 50 percent
of the cost to construct a new source, that re-
placement may be considered a reconstruction.
There are currently 1,500 bulk terminals dis-
tributing gasoline in the U.S., mostly in or a-
round urban areas. Loading racks at these
terminals are significant pollution sources,
responsible for over 300,000 tons per year, or
about two percent, of total VOC emissions
nationwide. EPA estimates that in the next
five years, five new bulk terminals will be
built, and an additional 50 terminals will be
modified or reconstructed.
Setting Standards
to Limit Emissions
The proposed NSPS apply to all new, modi-
fied or reconstructed bulk gasoline terminals
for which construction began on or after
December 17, 1980. Emissions from the
vapor collection equipment used during bulk
terminal loading operations would be limited
to 35 milligrams of VOC per liter of gasoline
loaded (0.3 pounds per thousand gallons).
The proposed NSPS would restrict the loading
of gasoline tank trucks. Gasoline tank trucks
are defined as delivery trucks which are being
loaded with gasoline at a bulk terminal, or
delivery trucks which contained gasoline on
the immediately pre-
vious load.
For the purposes of
the proposed stand-
ards, gasoline is de-
fined as any petrol-
eum distillate or pe-
troleum distillate/
alcohol blend with a Reid vapor pressure of
four pounds per square inch or greater which
is used as a fuel for internal combustion
engines. This definition includes the use of
gasohol fuels.
Achieving and
Maintaining
the Standards
The proposed NSPS
for bulk gasoline term-
inals reflect the degree
of emission control
that can be obtained
by using the best tech-
nological system of
continuous emission
reduction, considering
economic impacts as well as health, energy,
and environmental factors unrelated to air
quality.
Emission limits could be met by using one of
several control systems, each consisting of
two elements: the vapor collection system,
and the vapor processor. The vapor collection
system routes VOC vapors through piping
from the loading area to the vapor processor.
Processing can recover or destroy collected
vapors. Emission limits were based on the use
of either carbon adsorption or thermal oxida-
tion as a processing method, but other vapor
processing techniques, such as refrigeration,
are also allowable to achieve the required
emission limits.
Bulk terminal operators would not be per-
mitted to load a gasoline tank truck unless the
truck has equ ipment compatible with the bulk
terminal's vapor collection system. An aver-
age of 30 percent of all VOC vapors may be
due to tank truck leakage during loading op-
erations. To control these emissions, the pro-
posed standards would require bulk terminal
operators to only load gasoline tank trucks
that have passed an annual vapor-tight test.
EPA has also proposed several Reference Meth-
ods to insure compliance with the standards.
Methods2A and 2B would be used to measure
gas flow rates, whiles Methods 25A and 25B
would measure VOC concentration. Method
27 is proposed as a vapor-tight test for tank
trucks and Method 21 would be used in meas-
uring leaks from vapor handling equipment.
Impacts
Environmental: The proposed standards
would reduce emissions of VOC from bulk gas-
oline terminals by about 7,300 tons per year
by 1986. This is a 70 percent reduction in
VOC emissions from affected facilities. Ad-
verse water, solid waste, and noise impacts
are expected to be minimal.
Energy: VOC vapors recovered as a result of
compliance with these standards could result
in an energy savings of 2.4 million gallons of
gasoline per year by 1986.
Economic/Industrial:
Capital costs for the
bulk gasoline terminal
industry could equal
$25.3 million during
the first five years
after these NSPS are
enacted. By 1986,
nationwide costs for
the industry could total $4.3 million annually.
This would increase gasoline prices less than
one percent.
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