310 C.M.R. 7.06 – U Visible Emissions

(1) U Stationary Sources Other than Incinerators.
1. (a) Smoke. No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the emission of smoke which has a shade, density, or appearance equal to or greater than No. 1 of the Chart for a period, or aggregate period of time in excess of six minutes during any one hour, provided that at no time during the said six minutes shall the shade, density, or appearance be equal to or greater than No. 2 of the Chart.
2. (b) Opacity. No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation of a facility so as to emit contaminant(s), exclusive of uncombined water or smoke subject to 310 CMR 7.06(1)(a) of such opacity which, in the opinion of the Department, could be reasonably controlled through the application of modern technology of control and a good Standard Operating Procedure, and in no case, shall exceed 20% opacity for a period or aggregate period of time in excess of two minutes during any one hour provided that, at no time during the said two minutes shall the opacity exceed 40%.
3. (c) Exception.
  1. 1. Visible Emission Limits. In lieu of the requirements of 310 CMR 7.06(1)(a) and 310 CMR 7.06(1)(b), a facility subject to 310 CMR 7.00: Appendix C - Operating Permits with boilers rated less than 500 million Btu per hour energy input capacity, may elect to comply with the following:
    1. a. Except as provided in 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.b.; 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.c. and 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.g., visible emissions shall not exceed 15 percent opacity during any six-minute block average.
    2. b. During periods of start-up, shutdown, soot blowing, and other specified operating conditions, visible emissions from any boiler shall not exceed 27% opacity during any six-minute block average except that visible emissions may exceed 27% opacity for up to two six-minute block averages during the calendar quarter.
    3. c. For a boiler equipped with a visible emission monitor with a numeric data reduction system that can printout individual block averages or output individual block averages to an electronic file, the Department will make a determination to approve or deny visible emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, soot blowing and other specified operating conditions to exceed 27% opacity for one-tenth of one percent of the total six-minute block averages during any calendar quarter, or six block averages per boiler per quarter, whichever is greater, provided visible emissions do not exceed 60% opacity during any six-minute block average.
      1. i. At no time can visible emissions exceed 27% opacity for more than two six- minute block averages during a one-hour period and the one-hour block average opacity shall not exceed 27% opacity during the one-hour block period when a six-minute block averages exceeds 27% opacity.
      2. ii. The one-hour average shall be based on a clock hour.
      3. iii. Boilers may be approved to operate in accordance with the visible emission limitations provided by 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.b. and 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.c. during the same calendar quarter.
    4. d. Compliance with visible emission limits shall be based upon a six-minute block average determined either
      1. i. by the procedures set forth in Method 9, (as described in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-4), or
      2. ii. by a visible emission monitor required under a Plan Approval issued by the Department under 310 CMR 7.02, or
      3. iii. at the request of a facility, by a visible emission monitor required under the Operating Permit and specified as such in the Approval of the Plan of Good Operating Practices under 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c).
    5. e. Before a facility may operate in accordance with 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c) the facility must notify the Department in writing of such intention, develop and submit to the Department a plan of good operating practices, and receive notification from the Department that the plan has been approved;
    6. f. Any facility operating pursuant to 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c) shall comply with a good operating practices plan as approved; and
    7. g. When notified in writing at least five business days prior to scheduled shakedown activities, testing, and calibrations for the purpose of improving boiler performance, the Department may allow exemptions to 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.a., 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.b. and 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.c. Such notification shall include a brief description of the activity, and its start time and anticipated end time. The Department may allow a shorter notification period upon request. The Department may deny or limit the frequency of such activities.
  2. 2. Plan of Good Operating Practices. The plan of good operating practices shall, at a minimum:
    1. a. Be developed with recommendations from third party combustion systems experts:
    2. b. Describe how the application of modern technology of control, and practices for operating and maintaining the equipment, will minimize visible emissions;
    3. c. Describe any operating conditions other than startup, shutdown and soot blowing during which the facility proposes to take advantage of the exception in 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c);
    4. d. Propose the duration and frequency of startup, shutdown, soot blowing and any other specified conditions;
    5. e. Document the need for visible emission limitations greater than 15% opacity during startup, shutdown, soot blowing and any other specified operating conditions;
    6. f. Propose visible emission limitations that the facility will comply with during startup, shutdown, soot blowing and other specified operating conditions;
    7. g. Describe all necessary corrective action procedures and include schedules for implementing such procedures; and
    8. h. Propose record keeping and monitoring procedures sufficient to enable the Department to determine that visible emissions comply with the plan.
  3. 3. Department Action.
    1. a. Upon completion of review, the Department shall either approve or disapprove the plan of good operating practices.
    2. b. The terms and conditions of an approved plan shall be incorporated into the facility’s Operating Permit.
    3. c. A Department approval shall specify the visible emission limitations for each operating condition, (i.e. startup, shutdown, soot blowing and other specified operating conditions approved by the Department); and specify corresponding monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements, and other conditions necessary to ensure compliance with the visible emission limitations contained in the approval.
    4. d. Modifications to those portions of an approved plan that are not incorporated into the facility’s Operating Permit shall be maintained on-site and made available to Department representatives upon request. Modifications to an approved plan shall be submitted to the Department for review with the facility’s Operating Permit renewal application. The Department may require modification of an approved plan.
  4. 4. Notice of Exceedances. Any facility operating pursuant to a Department approval issued under this exception shall notify the Department of any exceedance of a visible emission limitation in the time and manner required by the relevant permit deviation provisions in the facility’s Operating Permit. Opacity excursions greater than 27% that qualify as allowed under 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.b. and 310 CMR 7.06(1)(c)1.c. shall not be considered deviations under the operating permit.
(2) From Incinerators.
1. (a) No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the emission of smoke from any incinerator which has a shade, density, or appearance equal to or greater than No. 1 of the Chart or exceeding 20% opacity at any time.
2. (b) No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation of an incinerator so as to emit contaminant(s), exclusive of uncombined water or smoke subject to 310 CMR 7.06(2)(a) of such opacity which, in the opinion of the Department, could be reasonably controlled through the application of modern technology of control and a good Standard Operating Procedure.
3. (c) No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit emissions from any incinerator of any particles that have a dimension equal to or greater than 100 microns.
(3) From Marine Vessels. Marine vessels shall be subject to the provisions of 310 CMR 7.06(1)(a) and 7.06(1)(b). 310 CMR 7.06(3) shall apply only in the Merrimack Valley Air Pollution Control District, Metropolitan Boston Air Pollution Control District, and the Southeastern Massachusetts Air Pollution Control District.
(4) From Aircraft. After December 31, 1972, no person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the emission from an aircraft of smoke which has a shade, density, or appearance equal or greater than No. 2 of the Chart for a period of time in excess of ten seconds during landing, takeoff, or taxiing operations.
(5) From Spark-ignited Internal Combustion Engines.
1. (a) No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit emission of visible air contaminants, other than water, from internal combustion engines of:
  1. 1. portable or stationary equipment, other than motor vehicles, for longer than ten consecutive seconds; or
  2. 2. a motor vehicle after the vehicle has moved more than 100 feet from a place where the vehicle was stationary; or
  3. 3. a motor vehicle, for more than five consecutive seconds, under any condition of cruising or acceleration.
(6) From Non-stationary Source Diesel Engines. No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit excessive emission of visible air contaminants, other than water, from a diesel engine.