Title: Basics of the Clean Air Interstate Rule and the Clean Air Mercury Rule
1Basics of the Clean Air Interstate Rule and the
Clean Air Mercury Rule
- Brian J. Hug
- Division Chief, Air Quality Planning and Policy
Division
2Topics
- Basics of CAIR
- Basics of CAMR
- Maryland Specific Data/ Analysis
- Questions?
3PM2.5 and 8Hr Ozone Nonattainment Areas
Source EPA
48Hr Ozone Nonattainment Areas in Maryland
5PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas in Maryland
Baltimore Region Washington Region Washington
County Nonattainment Area
6National EGU Emissions
Source EPA
7Maryland 2002 NOx/ VOC Inventory Emissions by
Source Type
VOC Emissions TPD
NOx Emissions TPD
Source MDE 2002 PEI
8CAIR Basics
- Through the use a cap and trade approach, CAIR
requires reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and
nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by EGUs. - SO2 and NOx contribute to the formation of fine
particles and NOx contributes to the formation of
ground-level ozone. - CAIR covers 28 eastern states and the District of
Columbia. In this rule, EPA finds that SO2 and
NOx emissions from 23 states and the District of
Columbia contribute to unhealthy levels of fine
particles in downwind states. In addition, NOx
emissions in 25 eastern states and the District
of Columbia contribute to unhealthy levels of
8-hour ozone in other downwind states. - States must achieve the required emission
reductions using one of two compliance options
1) meet the states emission budget by requiring
power plants to participate in an
EPA-administered interstate cap and trade system
that caps emissions in two stages, or 2) meet an
individual state emissions budget through
measures of the states choosing.
9CAIR Basics (2)
- CAIR provides a Federal framework requiring
states to reduce emissions of SO2 and NOx. EPA
anticipates that states will achieve this
primarily by reducing emissions from the power
generation sector. - If states choose to meet their emissions
reductions requirements by controlling power
plant emissions through an interstate cap and
trade program, EPAs modeling shows that - In 2010, CAIR will reduce SO2 emissions by 4.3
million tons -- 45 lower than 2003 levels,
across states covered by the rule. By 2015, CAIR
will reduce SO2 emissions by 5.4 million tons, or
57, from 2003 levels in these states. At full
implementation, CAIR will reduce power plant SO2
emissions in affected states to just 2.5 million
tons, 73 below 2003 emissions levels. -
- CAIR also will achieve significant NOx
reductions across states covered by the rule. In
2009, CAIR will reduce NOx emissions by 1.7
million tons or 53 from 2003 levels. In 2015,
CAIR will reduce power plant NOx emissions by 2
million tons, achieving a regional emissions
level of 1.3 million tons, a 61 reduction from
2003 levels.
10CAIR CAPS
Emission Caps (million tons) Annual SO2 2010
3.6 2015 2.5 Annual NOx 2009 1.5 2015
1.3 Seasonal NOx 2009 0.58 2010 0.48
Source EPA
11CAIR in 2010
Source EPA
12CAIR in 2015
Source EPA
13Maryland SO2 Benefits
CAIR Reduces Marylands SO2 Emissions Accordin
g to EPA, by 2015 CAIR will help Maryland sources
reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by
245,000 tons or 91.
Source EPA
14Maryland NOx Benefits
CAIR Reduces Marylands SO2 Emissions According
to EPA, By 2015 CAIR will help Maryland sources
reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by
56,000 tons or 82 from 2003 levels.
Nationally, EPA expects CAIR to reduce SO2
emissions by 57 and NOx by 61 by 2015.
Maryland is expected to have a parallel reduction
of 91 and 82. Based strictly on these
percentages it appears MD will be a net seller of
emission credits (meaning our facilities may be
more apt to add controls and not purchase credits
under the cap and trade program).
Source EPA
15Reductions in Transport
What do we think CAIR is going to mean with
respect to utility controls in states surrounding
Maryland (and identified in CAIR as key
contributors to our air quality problems)? These
states identified below were identified in the
CAIR air quality modeling work as states that
significantly impact Marylands air quality. The
percentage emission reductions are based on EPAs
assessment of how much emission reductions are
expected via CAIR in 2015.
Source EPA
16Some Maryland Comments - CAIR
- Rule is a good starting point for EGU control
- CAIR alone does not get MD into attainment of the
8hr Ozone Standard - CAIR modeling does show possible attainment of
the PM2.5 standard but MDE is not in 100
agreement (modeling concerns) - IPM Modeling Questions
- The need for stronger caps in quicker timeframes
for attainment i.e. the OTC Position
Source EPA
17Mercury Basics
Forms of mercury. Mercury is a naturally
occurring element that is found in air, water and
soil. It exists in several forms elemental or
metallic mercury, inorganic mercury compounds,
and organic mercury compounds. Sources of
mercury. Mercury is found in many rocks
including coal. When coal is burned, mercury is
released into the environment. Coal-burning power
plants are the largest human-caused source of
mercury emissions to the air in the United
States, accounting for over 40 percent of all
domestic human-caused mercury emissions. Burning
hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking
mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well
as the improper treatment and disposal of
products or wastes containing mercury, can also
release it into the environment.
18Mercury Ingestion
-
- Concentrations of mercury in the air are usually
low. However, atmospheric mercury falls to Earth
through rain, snow and dry deposition and enters
lakes, rivers and estuaries. Once there, it can
transform into, methylmercury, and can build up
in fish tissue. - Americans are exposed to methylmercury primarily
by eating contaminated fish. Because the
developing fetus is the most sensitive to the
toxic effects of methylmercury, women of
childbearing age are regarded as the population
of greatest concern. Children who are exposed to
methylmercury before birth may be at increased
risk of poor performance on neurobehavioral
tasks, such as those measuring attention, fine
motor function, language skills, visual-spatial
abilities and verbal memory.
Source EPA
19Global Mercury Emissions
Source EPA
20Maryland Mercury Emissions
Source MDE 2003 EGU Testing, 2002 Non-EGU Testing
21National Mercury Emissions
Source EPA
Source EPA
22Deposition
Source EPA
23The Clean Air Mercury Rule
- The Clean Air Mercury Rule establishes standards
of performance limiting mercury emissions from
new and existing coal-fired power plants and
creates a market-based cap-and-trade program that
will reduce nationwide utility emissions of
mercury in two distinct phases. - The first phase cap is 38 tons and emissions will
be reduced by taking advantage of co-benefit
reductions that is, mercury reductions achieved
by reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen
oxides (NOx) emissions under CAIR the new Base
Case. - In the second phase, due in 2018, coal-fired
power plants will be subject to a second cap,
which will reduce emissions to 15 tons upon full
implementation.
24Cap and Trade Basics
In the Clean Air Mercury Rule, EPA has assigned
each state an emissions budget for mercury, and
each state must submit a State Plan revision
detailing how it will meet its budget for
reducing mercury from coal-fired power plants.
The rule includes a model cap-and-trade program
that states can adopt to achieve and maintain
their mercury emissions budgets. Although states
and tribes are not required to adopt the
EPA-administered cap-and-trade program, EPA
believes most will do so. The state and tribal
emission budgets are permanent, regardless of
growth in the electric sector.
25Cap and Trade Basics (2)
MD Annual EGU Hg Budget (in tons) 2010-2017
0.49 2018 and thereafter 0.193
MD Air Sources EGUs Portland Cement
Plants Pulp and Paper Mills Medical Waste
Incinerators Municipal Waste Combustors
26Some Maryland Comments - CAMR
- CAA Section 111 vs 112 (MACT) issues
- Co-benefits with CAIR
- The OTC Position on Mercury (2008 Co-benefits,
2010 review, 2015 hard cap) - Non-EGU Sources
- Bay Connection
- Cap and Trade Concerns (Hot Spots)
27Thanks..Brian HugDivision Chief, Planning
and Policy Division410-537-4125bhug_at_mde.state.md
.us