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Update on Mercury Emissions Monitoring Under CAMR

Update on Mercury Emissions Monitoring Under CAMR. Background. Most major technical issues are behind us but some challenges remain Industry has begun ordering mercury emission monitoring systems

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Update on Mercury Emissions Monitoring Under CAMR

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  1. Update on Mercury Emissions Monitoring Under CAMR

  2. Background • Most major technical issues are behind us but some challenges remain • Industry has begun ordering mercury emission monitoring systems • Approximately 1100 electric generating units are affected by CAMR - manufacturers of Hg CEMS are confident that they can produce well over 1000 CEMS per year

  3. Mercury Monitoring - Next Steps • Test and promulgate instrumental and sorbent-based mercury reference methods • Finalize development of NIST-traceable calibration gases and protocols • Develop training materials and conduct training for EPA, States and sources • Ordering, installation and certification of monitors by sources • Collect, QA, and report data

  4. Evaluation and Validation of Alternative Reference Methods • EPA and industry (EPRI and others) are completing remaining field validation tests for instrumental and sorbent trap-based reference methods that provide alternatives to the lengthy and complex Ontario Hydro reference method • A sorbent trap reference method is considered to be another viable alternative method since it combines thermal desorption techniques allowing direct onsite analysis • EPA and EPRI are currently completing sorbent trap method validation studies using a modified EPA Method 301 which compares existing data from sorbent trap systems against data from the Ontario Hydro reference method. • Results are favorable (ie., good agreement with Ontario Hydro)

  5. Availability of Alternative Reference Methods CAMD/OAQPS/ORD is preparing a rule package for both the instrumental and sorbent-based reference methods • Process being expedited through direct final rule making effort • Preliminary rule package currently being reviewed by OGC • Final rule tentatively scheduled for April publication in the Federal Register

  6. NIST-Traceable Hg Calibration Standards • EPA and NIST continue their collaborative work to provide NIST traceability for elemental and oxidized mercury calibration standards • NIST-traceable gas protocols are expected to be available in fiscal year 2007 for use in certifying CEMS and sorbent trap monitoring systems

  7. NIST-Traceable Hg Calibration Standards To date EPA • Has completed preliminary draft elemental mercury gas traceability protocol this month, external draft to go to industry and vendors for implementation and comment in March • Is preparing oxidized mercury gas traceability protocol - draft also to be completed in March

  8. NIST-Traceable Hg Calibration Standards To date NIST • Has developed draft certification procedures for elemental gas generators • Invited major elemental gas generator vendors to come in and begin the calibration gas certification process • Is preparing oxidized mercury gas certification procedures – draft to be completed in March

  9. Issues Improve reliability of mercury emission monitoring systems Improve probe design for wet stack conditions Improve mobility of probes for stratification testing and reference method traversing Reduce time and complexity of Ontario Hydro reference method Need NIST-traceable elemental and oxidized mercury calibration gas standards Need commercially available mercury emission monitoring systems in time for CAMR compliance Answers Field tests and design improvements continue at rapid pace, resulting in higher precision, better data availability, and improved QA test results Substantial improvements made resulting in reduced plugging Vendors continue to develop lighter, more compact probe designs that are being field tested by EPA and industry EPA and industry conducting field validations of a simpler, less time consuming instrumental reference method, and are developing an alternative sorbent trap reference method with rapid on-site analysis EPA working with NIST to finalize gas standards and develop traceability protocols for elemental and oxidized mercury by 2007 for use in certifying CEMS and sorbent trap monitoring systems By 2007, mercury emission monitoring system vendors can produce over 1000 systems per year; therefore instrument availability to comply with CAMR should not be a problem Summary of Mercury Emission Monitoring Issues and Answers

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