Proposed Air Quality Permit 6943-A1 - Gallaudet University

PUBLIC NOTICE

Proposed Air Quality Permit 6943-A1, Gallaudet University, One 42.00 MMBTU/hr dual fuel boiler at the Gallaudet University Utilities Building, 800 Florida Avenue NE

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 40 C.F.R. Part 51.161, D.C. Official Code §2-505, and 20 DCMR § 210, the Air Quality Division (AQD) of the District Department of the Environment (DDOE), located at 1200 First Street NE, 5^th Floor, Washington, DC, intends to issue an amended air quality permit (#6943-A1) to Gallaudet University to construct and operate one (1) 42.00 MMBtu per hour dual fuel (natural gas and No. 2 fuel oil) fired boiler (burner model number LNICM11A-GO-30) at Gallaudet University, Central Utilities Building, located at 800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002.

The reason of the amendment to Permit (#6943) is that Gallaudet University was unable to complete the construction of the boiler as originally planned and therefore requested an extension of the performance testing deadline in the earlier permit.  This amendment extends the performance testing deadline to December 31, 2015.  This amendment will also be used to slightly modify emission limits so that they are rounded to the nearest hundredths place consistent with a separate permit for an identical unit at the facility.

The contact person for the facility is Amon Brown, Interim Director, Office of Administration, Gallaudet University, at (202) 651-5007.  The facility’s mailing address is 800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Emissions:

Maximum emissions from the unit operating 24 hours per day for 365 days per year burning natural gas are expected to be as follows:

	Maximum Annual Emissions
Pollutant	(tons/yr)
Total Particulate Matter (PM Total)	0.883
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)	0.108
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)	5.335
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)	4.599
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	6.807

Alternatively, although use of No. 2 fuel oil is severely limited to periods of gas supply emergencies, periods of gas curtailment, and periodic testing, as a worst case estimate, assuming that the No. 2 fuel oil were the only fuel used, maximum annual emissions (24 hours per day, 365 days per year) would be as follows:

	Maximum Annual Emissions
Pollutant	(tons/yr)
Total Particulate Matter (PM Total)	2.631
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)	0.284
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)	22.07
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)	6.991
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	6.807

The proposed revised emission limits for the equipment are as follows:

1. The 42.00 million BTU per hour dual fuel–fired boiler (identified as Boiler #1) shall not emit pollutants in excess of those specified in the following table [20 DCMR 201]:

Pollutant	Short-Term Limit (Natural Gas) (lb/hr)	Short-Term Limit (No. 2 Fuel Oil) (lb/hr)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	1.55	1.55
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)	1.22	5.04
Total Particulate Matter (PM Total)*	0.20	0.60
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)	1.05	1.60
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)	0.02	0.07

*PM Total includes both filterable and condensable fractions.

b.   Visible emissions shall not be emitted into the outdoor atmosphere from the boiler, except that discharges not exceeding forty percent (40%) opacity (unaveraged) shall be permitted for two (2) minutes in any sixty (60) minute period and for an aggregate of twelve (12) minutes in any twenty-four hour (24 hr.) period during start-up, cleaning, adjustment of combustion controls, or malfunction of the equipment [20 DCMR 606.1]

c.   In addition to complying with Condition (b), the Permittee shall not discharge from the unit any emissions that exhibit greater than 20 percent opacity (6-minute average), except for one 6-minute period per hour of not more than 27 percent opacity. [40 CFR 60.43c(c)]

d.   An emission into the atmosphere of odorous or other air pollutants from any source in any quantity and of any characteristic, and duration which is, or is likely to be injurious to the public health or welfare, or which interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of life or property is prohibited. [20 DCMR 903.1]

e.   Total suspended particulate matter emissions from the boiler shall not exceed 0.07 pound per million BTU. [20 DCMR 600.1]

f.    Emissions shall not exceed those achieved with the performance of annual combustion adjustments on the boiler.  To show compliance with this condition, the Permittee shall, each calendar year, perform adjustments of the combustion processes of the boiler with the following characteristics [20 DCMR 805.8(a) and (b)]:

i.    Inspection, adjustment, cleaning or replacement of fuel burning equipment, including the burners and moving parts necessary for proper operation as specified by the manufacturer;

ii.    Inspection of the flame pattern or characteristics and adjustments necessary to minimize total emissions of NO_x and, to the extent practicable, minimize emissions of CO;

iii.   Inspection of the air-to-fuel ratio control system and adjustments necessary to ensure proper calibration and operation as specified by the manufacturer; and

iv.   Adjustments shall be made such that the maximum emission rate for any contaminant does not exceed the maximum allowable emission rate as set forth in this section.

The permit application and supporting documentation, along with the draft permit are available for public inspection at AQD and copies may be made available between the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 4:45 P.M. Monday through Friday.  Interested parties wishing to view these documents should provide their names, addresses, telephone numbers and affiliation, if any, to Stephen S. Ours at (202) 535-1747.

Interested persons may submit written comments or may request a hearing on this subject within 30 days of publication of this notice.  The written comments must also include the person’s name, telephone number, affiliation, if any, mailing address and a statement outlining the air quality issues in dispute and any facts underscoring those air quality issues.  All relevant comments will be considered in issuing the final permit.

Comments on the proposed permit and any request for a public hearing should be addressed to:

Stephen S. Ours 
Chief, Permitting Branch - Air Quality Division

District Department of the Environment
1200 First Street NE, 5^th Floor
Washington, DC 20002

[email protected]

No written comments or hearing requests postmarked after August 3, 2015 will be accepted.

For more information, please contact Stephen S. Ours at (202) 535-1747.