All affected persons in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bexar County,
Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria areas,
as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions),
shall conduct a monitoring and inspection program consistent with
the following provisions.
(1) Monitor yearly (with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer)
the emissions from all:
(A) process drains that receive or contact affected
volatile organic compound wastewater streams as defined in Subchapter
B, Division 4 of this chapter (relating to Industrial Wastewater);
(B) difficult-to-monitor components as identified in §115.352(7)
of this title (relating to Control Requirements) that would otherwise
be subject to more frequent monitoring under paragraph (2) of this
section; and
(C) unsafe-to-monitor components that would otherwise
be subject to more frequent monitoring. An unsafe-to-monitor component
is a component that the owner or operator determines is unsafe to
monitor because monitoring personnel would be exposed to an immediate
danger as a consequence of conducting the monitoring. Components that
are unsafe to monitor must be identified in a list made available
upon request as specified in §115.356(5) of this title (relating
to Recordkeeping Requirements). If an unsafe-to-monitor component
is not considered safe to monitor within a calendar year, then it
must be monitored as soon as possible during times that are safe to
monitor.
(2) Monitor each calendar quarter (with a hydrocarbon
gas analyzer) the screening concentration from all:
(A) compressor seals;
(B) pump seals;
(C) accessible valves; and
(D) pressure relief valves in gaseous service.
(3) Inspect weekly, by visual, audio, and/or olfactory
means, all flanges, excluding flanges that are monitored at least
once each calendar year using Method 21 in 40 Code of Federal Regulations
Part 60, Appendix A-7 (October 17, 2000) and excluding flanges that
are unsafe to inspect. Flanges that are unsafe to inspect must be
identified in a list made available upon request. If an unsafe-to-inspect
flange is not considered safe to inspect within the required weekly
time frame, then it must be inspected as soon as possible during a
time that it is safe to inspect.
(4) Monitor (with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer) emissions
from any relief valve that has vented to the atmosphere within 24
hours of the release, excluding relief valves that are unsafe to monitor
or difficult to monitor. Relief valves that are unsafe to monitor
must be monitored as soon as possible after relieving during times
that are safe to monitor. Relief valves that are difficult to monitor
must be monitored within 15 days after a release.
(5) Upon the detection of a leaking component, affix
to the leaking component a weatherproof and readily visible tag, bearing
an identification number and the date the leak was detected. This
tag must remain in place until the leaking component is repaired.
Tagging of difficult-to-monitor leaking components may be done by
reference tagging. The reference tag should be located as close as
possible to the leaking component and should clearly identify the
leaking component and its location.
(6) The monitoring schedule of paragraphs (1) - (3)
of this section may be modified to require an increase in the frequency
of monitoring in a given process area if the executive director determines
that there is an excessive number of leaks in that process area.
(7) After completion of the required quarterly valve
monitoring for a period of at least two years, the operator of a petroleum
refinery; synthetic organic chemical, polymer, resin, or methyl-tert-butyl
ether manufacturing process; or a natural gas/gasoline processing
operation, as defined in §115.10 of this title, may request in
writing to the executive director that the valve monitoring schedule
be revised based on the percent of valves leaking. The percent of
valves leaking must be determined by dividing the sum of valves leaking
during the current monitoring period and valves for which repair has
been delayed (including valves that have been classified as non-repairable
under §115.357(8) of this title (relating to Exemptions)) by
the total number of valves subject to the requirements. This request
must include all data that have been developed to justify the following
modifications in the monitoring schedule.
(A) After two consecutive quarterly leak detection
periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0%,
an owner or operator may begin to skip one of the quarterly leak detection
periods for the valves in gas/vapor and light liquid service.
(B) After five consecutive quarterly leak detection
periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0%,
an owner or operator may begin to skip three of the quarterly leak
detection periods for the valves in gas/vapor and light liquid service.
(8) Alternate monitoring schedules approved before
November 15, 1996, under §§115.324(a)(8)(A), 115.334(3)(A),
and 115.344(3)(A) of this title (relating to Inspection Requirements),
as in effect December 3, 1993, are approved monitoring schedules for
the purposes of paragraph (7) of this section.
(9) All component monitoring must occur when the component
is in contact with process material and the process unit is in service.
If a unit is not operating during the required monitoring period but
a component in that unit is in contact with process fluid that is
circulating or under pressure, then that component is considered to
be in service and is required to be monitored. Valves must be in gaseous
or light liquid service to be considered in the total valve count
for alternate valve monitoring schedules of paragraph (7) of this
section.
(10) Monitored screening concentrations must be recorded
for each component in gaseous or light liquid service. Notations such
as "pegged," "off scale," "leaking," "not leaking," or "below leak
definition" may not be substituted for hydrocarbon gas analyzer results.
For readings that are higher than the upper end of the scale (i.e.,
pegged) even when using the highest scale setting or a dilution probe,
record a default pegged value of 100,000 parts per million by volume.
This requirement does not apply to monitoring using an optical gas
imaging instrument in accordance with §115.358 of this title
(relating to Alternative Work Practice).
(11) All new connectors must be checked for leaks within
30 days of being placed in volatile organic compound service by monitoring
with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer for components in light liquid and
gas service and by using visual, audio, and/or olfactory means for
components in heavy liquid service. Components that are unsafe to
monitor or inspect are exempt from this requirement if they are monitored
or inspected as soon as possible during times that are safe to monitor.
(12) All exemptions for valves with a nominal size
of two inches or less expired on July 31, 1992 (final compliance date).
(13) For any components that the owner or operator
elects to use the alternative work practice in §115.358 of this
title, the following provisions apply.
(A) The frequency for monitoring any components listed
in this section must be the frequency determined according to §115.358
of this title, except as specified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) The alternative monitoring schedules allowed under
paragraphs (7) and (8) of this section are not allowed.
(C) If the owner or operator elects to use the alternative
work practice in §115.358 of this title to satisfy the hydrocarbon
gas analyzer monitoring requirements of paragraphs (4) or (11) of
this section, the time limitations specified in paragraphs (4) and
(11) of this section on performing the monitoring continue to apply.
(D) If the component is within a class of equipment
(e.g., valves, flanges, etc.) that the owner or operator has elected
to use the alternative work practice in §115.358 of this title
and the component meets all other conditions specified in §115.358
of this title for acceptable use of the alternative work practice,
then the component may not be classified as difficult to monitor under §115.352(7)
of this title unless in order to image the component as required by §115.358
of this title the monitoring personnel would have to be elevated more
than two meters above a permanent support surface or would require
a permit for confined space entry as defined in 29 Code of Federal
Regulations §1910.146 (December 1, 1998). If the component does
qualify as difficult to monitor using the alternative work practice,
the owner or operator may use either Method 21 or the alternative
work practice at the monitoring frequency specified in paragraph (1)
of this section. Any components classified as difficult to monitor
under the alternative work practice must be identified as such in
the list required in §115.352(7) of this title.
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