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112(n) - Studies: Utilities, Coke Ovens, POTWs, Mercury, Hydrogen Sulfide

(n) Other provisions: Requires that the EPA perform studies concerning HAP emissions and control technologies from electric utility steam-generating units, coke oven production, and publicly-owned treatment works. This includes a study of mercury , associated emissions, health and environmental effects, and control technologies for mercury. Additionally, the EPA must assess the public health hazards associated with emissions of hydrogen sulfide from oil and gas extraction, and emissions of hydrofluoric acid in areas that do not have comprehensive health and safety regulations addressing hydrofluoric acid. The Hydrogen Flouride report was issued by the Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO) in September 1993. The report number is EPA 550-R-93-001. "Hydrogen Flouride Study: Report to Congress. Order from NTIS . NTIS order number is PB 94-121308. For information about the mercury study contact Chuck French (french.chuck@epa.gov).

The full text of CAA Section 112(n) follows:

 (n)Other provisions.- 
     (1) Electric utility steam generating units.- 
          (A)  The Administrator  shall  perform a  study of  the
       hazards to  public health reasonably  anticipated to occur
       as  a  result  of  emissions  by  electric  utility  steam
       generating units of pollutants listed under subsection (b)
       after  imposition of  the  requirements of  this Act.  The
       Administrator shall  report the  results of this  study to
       the  Congress  within  3  years  after  the  date  of  the
       enactment of  the Clean  Air Act  Amendments of  1990. The
       Administrator   shall   develop   and   describe   in  the
       Administrator's  report  to  Congress alternative  control
       strategies  for  emissions  which may  warrant  regulation
       under  this  section.  The  Administrator  shall  regulate
       electric  utility  steam   generating  units  under   this
       section, if  the  Administrator finds  such regulation  is
       appropriate and necessary after considering the results of
       the study required by this subparagraph. 
          (B) The  Administrator shall  conduct, and  transmit to
       the  Congress not  later than  4 years  after the  date of
       enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, a study
       of   mercury  emissions   from   electric  utility   steam
       generating  units, mu-nicipal waste  combustion units, and
       other sources,  including area  sources. Such  study shall
       consider  the rate and mass of  such emissions, the health
       and environmental effects of such  emissions, technologies
       which are available
       to control such emissions, and the costs of such technolo-
       gies. 
          (C)  The National  Institute  of  Environmental  Health
       Sciences shall  conduct, and transmit to  the Congress not
       later  than 3  years after  the date  of enactment  of the
       Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, a study to determine the
       threshold  level of  mercury exposure below  which adverse
       human health effects are not expected to occur. Such study
       shall include  a threshold  for mercury concentrations  in
       the  tissue  of  fish  which may  be  consumed  (including
       consumption  by  sensitive  populations)  without  adverse
       effects to public health. 
  (2) Coke oven production technology study.- 
          (A) The Secretary  of the Department of  Energy and the
       Administrator shall jointly  undertake a  6-year study  to
       assess coke oven  production emission control technologies
       and to assist in  the development and commercialization of
       technically  practicable  and economically  viable control
       technologies  which have  the  potential to  significantly
       reduce  emissions of  hazardous air  pollutants from  coke
       oven   production   facilities.  In   identifying  control
       technologies,  the Secretary  and the  Administrator shall
       consider the  range of  existing coke oven  operations and
       battery   design  and  the   availability  of  sources  of
       materials  for such coke ovens as  well as alternatives to
       existing coke oven production design. 
          (B) The Secretary and  the Administrator are authorized
       to  enter  into agreements  with  persons  who propose  to
       develop,  install  and  operate  coke  production emission
       control technologies which have the potential for signifi-
       cant  emissions reductions  of  hazardous  air  pollutants
       provided  that  Federal  funds  shall not  exceed  50  per
       centum of  the cost of  any project assisted  pursuant to
       this paragraph. 
          (C)  The  Secretary  shall  prepare annual  reports  to
       Congress  on the status of the research program and at the
       completion of the study  shall make recommendations to the
       Administrator  identifying  practicable  and  economically
       viable  control  technologies  for  coke  oven  production
       facilities   to  reduce  residual  risks  remaining  after
       implementation of the standard under subsection (d). 
          (D) There are authorized to  be appropriated $5,000,000
       for  each of the fiscal  years 1992 through  1997 to carry
       out the program authorized by this paragraph. 
     (3) Publicly  owned treatment works.- The  Administrator may
  conduct,  in cooperation with the  owners and operators of pub-
  licly owned treatment works,  studies to characterize emissions
  of  hazardous air  pollutants  emitted by  such facilities,  to
  identify industrial, commercial and residential discharges that
  contribute  to   such  emissions  and  to  demonstrate  control
  measures for  such  emissions. When  promulgating any  standard
  under  this  section  applicable to  publicly  owned  treatment
  works, the Administrator may  provide for control measures that
  include   pretreatment  of  discharges   causing  emissions  of
  hazardous air
  pollutants and process or product  substitutions or limitations
  that may be effective in reducing such  emissions. The Adminis-
  trator  may  prescribe  uniform  sampling,  modeling  and  risk
  assessment methods for use in implementing this subsection.  
  (4) Oil and gas wells; pipeline facilities.- 
          (A) Notwithstanding the  provisions of subsection  (a),
       emissions from  any oil  or gas exploration  or production
       well (with its  associated equipment)  and emissions  from
       any  pipeline  compressor or  pump  station  shall not  be
       aggregated  with  emissions   from  other  similar  units,
       whether  or not  such units  are in  a contiguous  area or
       under common  control, to determine whether  such units or
       stations are major sources, and in the case  of any oil or
       gas  exploration or  production well (with  its associated
       equipment), such emissions shall not be aggregated for any
       purpose under this section. 
          (B)  The  Administrator  shall  not list  oil  and  gas
       production  wells (with  its associated  equipment) as  an
       area source category under subsection (c), except that the
       Administrator may  establish an  area source  category for
       oil and  gas production wells located  in any metropolitan
       statistical area or consolidated  metropolitan statistical
       area  with a  population in  excess of  1 million,  if the
       Administrator determines that  emissions of hazardous  air
       pollutants from such wells  present more than a negligible
       risk of adverse effects to public health. 
     (5)  Hydrogen sulfide.-  The  Administrator  is directed  to
  assess  the  hazards  to  public  health  and  the  environment
  resulting from the emission of hydrogen sulfide associated with
  the  extraction of oil and natural gas resources. To the extent
  practicable, the assessment shall  build upon and not duplicate
  work conducted for an assessment pursuant to section 8002(m) of
  the  Solid Waste  Disposal Act  and shall  reflect consultation
  with  the  States. The  assessment  shall include  a  review of
  existing State and  industry control standards, techniques  and
  enforcement.  The Administrator  shall report  to  the Congress
  within 24 months after  the date of enactment of  the Clean Air
  Act Amendments  of 1990 with  the findings of  such assessment,
  together with  any recommendations, and  shall, as appropriate,
  develop  and  implement a  control  strategy  for emissions  of
  hydrogen sulfide  to protect human health  and the environment,
  based  on the  findings of  such assessment,  using authorities
  under this Act including sections 111 and this section. 
     (6) Hydrofluoric  acid.- Not later  than 2  years after  the
  date of enactment of the Clean  Air Act Amendments of 1990, the
  Administrator shall, for  those regions of the country which do
  not  have  comprehensive  health and  safety  regulations  with
  respect to hydrofluoric acid, complete a study of the potential
  hazards of hydrofluoric acid and the uses of hydrofluoric  acid
  in industrial and commercial  applications to public health and
  the environment considering a range of events including worst-
  case accidental releases and  shall make recommendations to the
  Congress for the reduction of such hazards, if appropriate. 
     (7) RCRA  facilities.-  In  the  case  of  any  category  or
  subcategory of sources the air emissions of which are regulated
  under  subtitle  C  of  the   Solid  Waste  Disposal  Act,  the
  Administrator shall  take into account any  regulations of such
  emissions which are promulgated  under such subtitle and shall,
  to  the  maximum extent  practicable  and  consistent with  the
  provisions  of this  section, ensure  that the  requirements of
  such subtitle and this section are consistent. 

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