View Rule

This proposal will address the agency's residual risk and technology review (RTR) of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Plywood and Composite Wood Products (PCWP). The PCWP NESHAP, subpart DDDD, was promulgated pursuant to section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) on July 30, 2004, and was amended on February 16, 2006, and October 29, 2007. The NESHAP established emission limitations and work practice requirements based on maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for controlling emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emitted from PCWP facilities. The HAP emitted from lumber dry kilns and plywood, particle board, medium density fiberboard, hardboard, (structural) fiberboard, oriented strand board (OSB), and engineered wood products manufacturing processes located at PCWP facilities include formaldehyde, methanol, acetaldehyde, acrolein, phenol, and propionaldehyde. This action will implement the residual risk review requirements of CAA section 112(f)(2) and the technology review requirements of CAA section 112(d)(6). The statute directs the EPA to promulgate emission standards under CAA 112(f)(2) if such standards are required to provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health or to prevent, taking relevant factors into account, an adverse environmental effect. Any such standards are to be promulgated within eight years after promulgation of MACT standards under CAA section 112(d). CAA section 112(d)(6) requires the EPA to review and revise the MACT standards as necessary, taking into account developments in practices, processes and control technologies, no less often than every eight years. Pursuant to a court order related to the review of 13 source categories, the EPA must complete seven final RTR actions by December 31, 2018, and six additional RTR actions by June 30, 2020. The EPA currently plans to complete this action by June 30, 2020. In addition, this rulemaking will further respond to the 2007 remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals of the original PCWP MACT standards and address HAP emissions from previously unregulated process units at PCWP facilities.