FACT SHEET

FINAL FEDERAL PLAN REQUIREMENTS FOR SEWAGE SLUDGE INCINERATION
UNITS CONSTRUCTED ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 14, 2010

ACTION

•	On February 22, 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the federal
plan for existing sewage sludge incinerators (SSI) that began construction on or before
October 14, 2010. The federal plan will implement EPA's SSI emissions guidelines (EG),
which were promulgated on March 21, 2011.

•	The federal plan will implement the 2011 EG for SSI located in states that do not have an
approved state plan in place. The federal plan will apply to affected sources until these
states have an approved state plan in effect.

•	The SSI federal plan includes:

•	Emissions limits for all regulated pollutants

•	Visible emissions limit for ash handling operations

•	Requirements for annual inspections of emissions control devices

•	Annual testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements

•	Procedures for test data submittal to EPA

•	Schedule for compliance with the federal plan

•	Title V permit provisions

•	Delegation of authority provisions

BACKGROUND

•	EPA promulgated EG to reduce emissions from existing SSI on March 21, 2011. Within
1 year of promulgation of the EG, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires states with existing
SSI to submit implementation plans to EPA. These plans must specify how the state will
implement and enforce the SSI EG. Most state plans have been submitted and either have
been approved or are currently undergoing EPA review.

•	Within 2 years of promulgation of the EG, the CAA requires the EPA to develop,
implement, and enforce a federal plan for existing SSI in any state that has not submitted
an approvable plan to the EPA. This federal plan implements and enforces the emissions
limits and other requirements for SSI in states that did not develop an approvable state
plan.

•	In response to public comment, this final rule clarifies the compliance date, operator
training requirements, and federal plan delegation. Also, the final rule clarifies certain
performance testing and monitoring provisions.

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•	The federal plan contains the same elements that state plans are required to contain,
including source and emissions inventories, emission limits, testing, monitoring, and
reporting requirements, as well as compliance schedules that include milestones for
progress.

•	After state plans and the federal plan for existing SSI become effective, emissions from
these incinerators will decrease. Toxic air pollutants, also known as hazardous air
pollutants, are those pollutants known or suspected of causing cancer and other serious
health effects. Key emissions reductions will include 450 tons per year (tpy) of acid gases
(i.e., hydrogen chloride and sulfur dioxide), 58 tpy of particulate matter, 1.7 tpy of metals
(i.e. cadmium and lead), and 4 pounds of mercury.

•	On August 20, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (the
Court) remanded portions of the 2011 SSI rules (new source performance standards and
EG) for further explanation. The Court did not vacate the rules, leaving their
requirements in place. EPA is evaluating the Court's decision and intends to address the
Court's remand in the future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

•	Interested parties can download the final action from EPA's website at the following
address: http://www3.epa.gov/ttn/atw/129/ssi/ssipg.html.

•	Today's final rule 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.

•	The Public Reading Room is located in the EPA Headquarters Library, Room
Number 3334 in the EPA WJC West Building, located at 1301 Constitution Ave.,
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.

•	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 proposed action can be accessed using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2012-0319.

•	For further information about the final action, contact Ms. Amy Hambrick of EPA's
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Sector Policies and Programs Division,
Fuels and Incineration Group at (919) 541-0964 or by email at hambrick.amy@epa.gov.

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