§ 65.3 - Compliance with standards and operation and maintenance requirements.

§ 65.3 Compliance with standards and operation and maintenance requirements.

(a) Requirements.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the emission standards and established parameter ranges of this part shall apply at all times except during periods of startup, shutdown (as defined in § 65.2), malfunction, or nonoperation of the regulated source (or specific portion thereof) resulting in cessation of the emissions to which this part applies. However, if a startup, shutdown, malfunction, or period of nonoperation of one portion of a regulated source does not affect the ability of a particular emission point to comply with the specific provisions to which it is subject, then that emission point shall still be required to comply with the applicable provisions of this part during the startup, shutdown, malfunction, or period of nonoperation. For example, if there is an over pressure in the reactor area, a storage vessel in a chemical manufacturing process unit would still be required to be controlled in accordance with subpart C of this part. Similarly, the degassing of a storage vessel would not affect the ability of a process vent to meet the requirements of subpart D or G of this part.

(2) Sections 65.106 through 65.118 shall apply at all times except during periods of startup or shutdown (as defined in § 65.2), malfunction, process unit shutdown (as defined in § 65.2), or nonoperation of the regulated source (or specific portion thereof) in which the lines are drained and depressurized resulting in cessation of the emissions to which subpart F of this part applies.

(3) During startups, shutdowns, and malfunctions when the emission standards of this part do not apply pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, the owner or operator shall implement, to the extent reasonably available, measures to prevent or minimize emissions in excess of those that would have occurred if there were no startup, shutdown, or malfunction and the owner or operator complied with the relevant provisions of this part. The measures to be taken may include, but are not limited to, air pollution control technologies, recovery technologies, work practices, pollution prevention, monitoring, and/or changes in the manner of operation of the regulated source. Backup control devices are not required but may be used if available. This paragraph (a)(3) does not apply to Group 2A or Group 2B process vents.

(4) Malfunctions shall be corrected as soon as practical after their occurrence. This paragraph (a)(4) does not apply to Group 2A or Group 2B process vents.

(5) Operation and maintenance requirements established pursuant to section 112 of the Act are enforceable independent of emissions limitations or other requirements in relevant standards.

(b) Compliance determination procedures -

(1) Parameter monitoring: Compliance with operating conditions. The parameter monitoring data for emission points that are required to perform continuous monitoring shall be used to determine compliance with the required operating conditions for the monitored control devices or recovery devices. For each excursion, except for excused excursions and as provided for in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the owner or operator shall be deemed to have failed to have applied the control in a manner that achieves the required operating conditions. Excused excursions are provided for in § 65.156(d)(2).

(2) Parameter monitoring: Excursions. If the conditions of paragraph (b)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section are met, an excursion is not a violation and, in cases where continuous monitoring is required, the excursion does not count toward the number of excused excursions. Nothing in this paragraph (b)(2) shall be construed to allow or excuse a monitoring parameter excursion caused by any activity that violates other applicable provisions of this part.

(i) During periods of startup, shutdown, or malfunction (and the source is operated during such periods in accordance with § 65.3(a)(3)), a monitoring parameter is outside its established range or monitoring data cannot be collected; or

(ii) During periods of nonoperation of the regulated source or portion thereof (resulting in cessation of the emissions to which the monitoring applies).

(3) Operation and maintenance procedures. Determination of whether acceptable operation and maintenance procedures are being used will be based on information available to the Administrator that may include, but is not limited to, monitoring results, review of operation and maintenance procedures (including the startup, shutdown, and malfunction plan, if applicable, required in § 65.6(a), as applicable), review of operation and maintenance records, inspection of the regulated source, and alternatives approved as specified in § 65.7.

(4) Emissions standards. Paragraphs (b)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section shall govern the use of data, tests, and requirements to determine compliance with emissions standards. Paragraphs (b)(4)(i) and (ii) do not apply to Group 2A or Group 2B process vents. Compliance with design, equipment, work practice, and operational standards, including those for equipment leaks, shall be determined according to paragraph (b)(5) of this section.

(i) Performance test. The Administrator will determine compliance with emission standards of this part based on the results of performance tests conducted according to the procedures specified in subpart G of this part, unless otherwise specified in a subpart of this part.

(ii) Operation and maintenance requirements. The Administrator will determine compliance with emission standards of this part by evaluation of an owner or operator's conformance with operation and maintenance requirements, including the evaluation of monitoring data, as specified in subparts of this part.

(5) Design, equipment, work practice, or operational standards. Paragraphs (b)(5)(i) and (ii) do not apply to Group 2A or Group 2B process vents.

(i) Records and inspection. The Administrator will determine compliance with design, equipment, work practice, or operational standards by review of records, inspection of the regulated source, and other procedures specified in this part.

(ii) Operation and maintenance. The Administrator will determine compliance with design, equipment, work practice, or operational standards by evaluation of an owner or operator's conformance with operation and maintenance requirements as specified in paragraph (a) of this section, in other subparts of this part, and in applicable provisions of § 65.6(b).

(c) Finding of compliance. The Administrator will make a finding concerning a regulated source's compliance with an emission standard, design standard, work practice, operational standard or operating and maintenance requirement as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section upon obtaining all the compliance information required by the relevant standard (including the written reports of performance test results, monitoring results, and other information, if applicable) and any information available to the Administrator needed to determine whether proper operation and maintenance practices are being used. Standards in this part and methods of determining compliance are given in metric units followed by the equivalents in English units. The Administrator will make findings of compliance with the standards of this part using metric units.

(d) Compliance times. All terms that define a period of time for completion of required tasks (for example, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually) unless specified otherwise in the section or paragraph that imposes the requirement refer to the standard calendar periods.

(1) Notwithstanding time periods specified for completion of required tasks, time periods may be changed by mutual agreement between the owner or operator and the Administrator as specified in § 65.5(h)(3) (for example, a period could begin on the compliance date or another date, rather than on the first day of the standard calendar period). For each time period that is changed by agreement, the revised period applies until it is changed. A new request is not necessary for each recurring period.

(2) When the period specified for compliance is a standard calendar period, if the initial compliance date occurs after the beginning of the period, compliance shall be required according to the schedule specified in the following paragraphs, as appropriate:

(i) Compliance shall be required before the end of the standard calendar period within which the compliance deadline occurs if there remain at least 3 days for tasks that must be performed weekly, at least 2 weeks for tasks that must be performed monthly, at least 1 month for tasks that must be performed each quarter, or at least 3 months for tasks that must be performed annually; or

(ii) In all other cases, compliance shall be required before the end of the first full standard calendar period after the period within which the initial compliance deadline occurs.

(3) In all instances where a provision requires completion of a task during each of multiple successive periods, an owner or operator may perform the required task at any time during the specified period provided the task is conducted at a reasonable interval after completion of the task during the previous period.

[65 FR 78285, Dec. 14, 2000, as amended at 71 FR 20471, Apr. 20, 2006]