FACT SHEET Proposed Amendments to Air Toxics Standards for Wood Preserving Area Sources ACTION • On February 28, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the result of its technical review of the 2007 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Wood Preserving Area Sources. • The Wood Preserving Area Sources category includes facilities that use either a pressure or thermal treatment process to impregnate chemicals into wood to provide long-term resistance to attack by fungi, bacteria, insects, or marine borers. Some of the products produced by the wood preserving industry include posts, cross ties, switch ties, utility poles, round timber pilings, lumber for aquatic applications, and fire-retardant lumber products. • The 2007 area source rule requires facilities using wood preservatives containing arsenic, chromium, dioxins, or methylene chloride to meet equipment and management standards including operating in accordance with a written plan to minimize air emissions, including emissions from process tanks and equipment, and storage and preservative handling operations. • Following a technology review conducted under the Clean Air Act (CAA), EPA is proposing that there are no cost-effective developments that would further reduce air toxics. Therefore, the Agency is not proposing amendments to existing emissions standards based on the technology review. • However, EPA is proposing clarifying edits to the list of applicable General Provisions. TECHNOLOGY REVIEW • The CAA requires EPA to assess, review, and revise air toxics standards, as necessary, taking into account developments in practices, processes and control technologies. • The technology review of the Wood Preserving Area Sources standards did not identify any developments that would further reduce air toxics emissions for area sources regulated under the original NESHAP. BACKGROUND • On July 16, 2007, EPA promulgated the NESHAP for area sources engaged in wood preserving (subpart QQQQQQ; also referred to as "subpart 6Q"). • The standards address HAP emissions of arsenic, chromium, dioxin, and methylene chloride from wood preserving area source operations that use wood preservatives containing any one of these target HAP. • There are approximately 325 sources subject to the 6Q NESHAP. ------- HOW TO COMMENT • EPA will accept comments for 45 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register. • Comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0133 may be submitted by one of the following methods: o Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for submitting comments, o Send comments by email to a-and-r-docket@epa.gov. Attention Docket ID No. EPAHQ-OAR-2021-0133. • Out of an abundance of caution for members of the public and our staff, the EPA Docket Center and Reading Room are closed to the public, with limited exceptions, to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Our Docket Center staff will continue to provide remote customer service via email, phone and webform. • We encourage the public to submit comments via https://www.regulations.gov/ or email, as there may be a delay in processing mail and faxes. Hand deliveries and couriers may be received by scheduled appointment only. • For further information on EPA Docket Center services and their current status, please visit us online at https://www.epa.gov/dockets. FOR MORE INFORMATION • Interested parties can download a copy of the proposed rule notice from EPA's website at the following address: https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/wood- preserving-area-sources-national-emission-standards-hazardous • Today's action and other background information are also available electronically at https://www.regulations.gov/. EPA's electronic public docket and comment system. • For further technical information about the rule, contact John Evans, EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919)-541-3633 or evans.john@epa.gov. ------- |