EPA's Air Rules for the Petroleum Refinery Sector
NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS:
PETROLEUM REFINERY SECTOR - FACT SHEET
SUMMARY OF ACTION
•	On January, 14, 2020, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final rule,
"National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Petroleum Refinery Sector."
•	This action completes the reconsideration of the December 1, 2015, final rule, "Petroleum
Refinery Sector Risk and Technology Review and New Source Performance Standards," by
addressing five issues that were raised in petitions for reconsideration, specifically:
o The work practice standards for pressure relief devices (PRDs);
o The work practice standards for emergency flaring;
o The assessment and consideration of risk from the implementation of the flaring and
PRD work practice standards in the overall acceptability decision;
o The delayed coker water overflow alternative provision; and
o One fenceline monitoring provision allowing refineries to reduce the frequency of
monitoring at sampling stations that consistently record low benzene
concentrations.
•	Today's rule clarifies cross-reference errors and overlap provisions in the 2015 rule. This
rule also corrects drafting errors in the November 26, 2018, final technical amendments to
Refinery MACT 1 and 2.
BACKGROUND
•	The 2015 Petroleum Refinery Sector Rule was published on December 1, 2015 and became
effective on February 1, 2016. Following promulgation of the final rule, EPA received three
separate petitions for reconsideration.
•	On June 16, 2016, letters were sent to petitioners granting reconsideration on aspects of
the final rule where the public was not afforded an adequate opportunity for notice and
comment.
•	On October 18, 2016, EPA proposed the reconsideration of the Petroleum Refinery Sector
Rule. The proposal included additional clarifying amendments to correct cross-reference
errors and overlap provisions.
o On November 17, 2016, a public hearing was held in Houston, Texas.
•	EPA has finalized a number of amendments to address technical issues raised in the
petitions for reconsideration and to amend compliance dates for certain sources. These
amendments were finalized July 13, 2016, and November 28, 2018. In these technical
amendments, EPA also addressed the delayed coker water overflow design work practice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
•	To download this action from the EPA's website, visit:

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https://www.epa.gov/stationarv-sources-air-pollution/petroleum-refinerv-sector-rule-risk-
and-technology-review-and-new.
•	Today's action and other background information are also available either electronically at
http://www.regulations.gov. EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, or in
hardcopy at the EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room.
o The Public Reading Room is located at EPA Headquarters, room number 3334 in the
EPA WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Hours of
operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time, Monday through Friday,
excluding federal holidays,
o Visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal
detector and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor materials will be processed through
an X-ray machine as well. Visitors will be provided a badge that must be visible at all
times.
•	Materials for this final action can be accessed using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0682.
•	For further information about this action, contact Ms. Brenda Shine of EPA's Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-3608 or by email at Shine.Brenda@epa.gov.

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