Newsroom
All News Releases By Date
PA EPA ANNOUNCES TOUGHER AIR STANDARDS FOR NEW POWER PLANTS
Release Date: 09/04/98
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1998
EPA ANNOUNCES TOUGHER AIR STANDARDS FOR NEW POWER PLANTS
In an action that will increase protection of public health and help reduce long-range transport of ground-level ozone (smog) across the U.S., EPA today announced tighter emission standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) from new electric utility and industrial boilers. The new, revised limits, based on best demonstrated pollution control technology, will reduce the projected growth in Nox emissions by approximately 42 percent (45,800 tons annually) from levels that would have been allowed under current standards. NOx is one of the primary ingredients -- along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) -- of smog, and is also a big contributor to acid rain; in addition, nitrogen deposition is contributing to the acidification of sensitive lakes and streams and to eutrophication (aging) of the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal waters. Today’s final regulation will also help EPA address the issue of long-range transport of air pollution, in which emissions generated in one state can affect air quality in another state. The tougher Nox rule is issued under authority of Section 111, the “new source performance standards” provision of the Clean Air Act, under which EPA is authorized to set uniform national emission standards for new and modified facilities in various industrial categories (states are responsible for regulating existing facilities). EPA last revised the new source performance standard for NOx from utility boilers in 1979 and from industrial boilers in 1986. EPA estimates that 17 new utility boilers and about 381 new industrial boilers will be constructed over the next five years. Today’s action also demonstrates EPA’s commitment to making pollution prevention and energy efficiency an integral part of regulations whenever possible. To encourage new power plants to use more energy efficient power generating systems in controlling Nox emissions, EPA will now determine compliance by linking the standard to the amount of electricity generated rather than to the fuel used for combustion. Under the old rule, assuming two different plants of equal capacity, the less efficient plant emitted more Nox because it used more fuel to produce the same amount of electricity. Thus, the new emission standard -- based on electricity output -- will provide an economic incentive to use more energy-efficient power generating systems and thereby reduce Nox emissions. The final regulation will appear soon in the Federal Register, but can be read immediately on the internet under “Recent Actions” at website: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg. For further technical information on the Nox revision, phone James Eddinger of EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards at 919-541-5426.
R-115 ###
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.
