Minnesota Administrative Rules

7017.1170 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTROL REQUIREMENTS FOR CEMS.

Subpart 1.

Exclusion from applicability.

The owner or operator of a CEMS may submit to the commissioner a notification of exclusion from the applicability of the requirements of subparts 4 and 5 if the actual emissions of the emission unit or units being monitored by the CEMS are less than ten tons per year or if the emission unit or units being monitored by the CEMS operates less than 120 hours per quarter. Facilities with CEMS utilizing this exclusion shall comply with the following alternative quality assurance and control audit procedure:

A.

conduct a minimum of one cylinder gas audit annually, except that during calendar years in which a relative accuracy test audit (RATA) is performed on the CEMS no CGA is required; and

B.

conduct a minimum of one RATA every five calendar years.

The owner or operator of a CEMS that has utilized an exclusion under this subpart shall submit notification with the following quarterly excess emissions report, in the event that the conditions which made the CEMS eligible for the exclusion no longer apply. No exclusion under this subpart affects the owner's or operator's obligation to comply with similar quality assurance provisions that may be imposed under other applicable requirements or compliance documents.

Subp. 2.

Quality assurance plan required.

The owner or operator of the facility shall develop and implement a written quality assurance plan that covers each CEMS. The plan shall be on site and available for inspection within 60 days after March 8, 1999, or within 30 days after monitor certification, whichever is later. The plan shall be revised as needed in order to keep it up to date with the facility's current policies and procedures. The plan shall contain all of the information required by Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, part 60, appendix F, section 3. The plan shall include the manufacturer's spare parts list for each CEMS and require that those parts be kept at the facility unless the commissioner gives written approval to exclude specific spare parts from the list. The commissioner may approve requested exclusions if the commissioner determines that it is not reasonable to keep a specific part on site after consideration of the consequences of a malfunction of the part, the likelihood of a malfunction, the time required to obtain the part, and other pertinent factors.

Subp. 3.

Daily calibration drift assessment and adjustment.

The facility owner or operator shall conduct daily calibration drift assessments and make adjustments as needed according to the procedure listed in items A and B and Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 60.13(d)(1), for each pollutant concentration and diluent monitor. The calibration drift assessment shall be conducted on each monitor range. The span value specified in the applicable requirement or compliance document shall be used to determine the zero and span calibration points. If no span value is specified in the applicable requirement or compliance document, the owner or operator shall use a span value equivalent to 1.5 times the emission limit.

A.

For an extractive CEMS, minimum drift assessment procedures shall include introducing applicable zero and span gas mixtures into the measurement system as near the probe as is practical. Gases within ± two percent of tag value shall be used to perform the span (upscale) drift assessment. The span and zero gas mixtures shall be the same composition as specified in the applicable performance specification.

B.

For a nonextractive, in situ CEMS, minimum drift assessment procedures shall include upscale checks using a certified calibration gas cell or test cell which is functionally equivalent to a known gas concentration. The zero check may be performed by computing the zero value from upscale measurements or by mechanically producing a zero condition.

Subp. 4.

Semiannual cylinder gas audit (CGA).

The facility owner or operator shall conduct a CGA on each concentration and diluent monitor on each CEMS. The CGA must be conducted on each monitor range. A CGA is required at least once every calendar half year, except that a CGA is not required during any calendar half year in which a RATA was performed on the CEMS. The initial CGA must be completed within 180 days following March 8, 1999, for CEMS which were certified prior to that date or within 180 days following certification of the CEMS for CEMS which are certified on or after that date. The CGA's shall be conducted at least three months apart but no more than eight months apart. A CGA shall be conducted according to the procedures in Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, part 60, appendix F, section 5.1.2. If the monitored emission unit was operated for less than 24 hours during the calendar half year, a CGA is not required on that CEMS during that calendar half year.

Subp. 5.

Relative accuracy test audits (RATA).

An initial relative accuracy test audit (RATA) shall be completed on each CEMS within 365 days following March 8, 1999, for CEMS which are certified prior to that date or within 365 days following certification of the CEMS for CEMS which are certified on or after that date. An additional RATA is required on each CEMS periodically according to items A and B.

A.

A RATA is required on each monitor range, every calendar year, with the following exceptions:

(1)

a RATA is not required in any calendar year if a RATA conducted in the previous year, for that CEMS, demonstrated a relative accuracy value of less than 15 percent; and

(2)

a RATA is not required on any monitor whose associated emission unit operated less than 48 hours during the calendar year.

If the facility uses either of the exceptions in subitem (1) or (2), the next RATA shall be conducted during the first half of the following calendar year.

B.

RATA's shall be conducted at least three months apart and according to the procedures in Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, part 60, appendix F, section 5.1.1.

Subp. 6.

Criteria for excessive CEMS audit inaccuracy.

The criteria for excessive inaccuracy are:

A.

for RATA's, the relative accuracy value specified in the appropriate Performance Specification of Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, part 60, appendix B; and

B.

for CGA's, the average audit value must be within 15 percent of the cylinder gas value or five ppm, whichever is greater.

Subp. 7.

Calibration gases.

Gas mixtures must not be used after the manufacturer's certification expiration data. The expiration date must be clearly labeled on the container of each gas.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 116.07

History:

23 SR 1764

Published Electronically:

November 29, 2007