Section 7570. Definitions

A. For the purpose of applying this article in the context of the Regulations for the Control and Abatement of Air Pollution and related uses, the words or terms shall have the meanings given them in subsection C of this section.

B. As used in this article, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in 9VAC5-10, General Definitions, unless otherwise required by context.

C. Terms defined.

"Administrator" means the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or an authorized representative.

"BART-eligible source" means an existing stationary facility as defined in this subsection.

"Best available retrofit technology" or "BART" means an emission limitation based on the degree of reduction achievable through the application of the best system of continuous emission reduction for each pollutant that is emitted by an existing stationary facility. The emission limitation shall be established, on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the technology available, the costs of compliance, the energy and nonair quality environmental impacts of compliance, any pollution control equipment in use or in existence at the source, the remaining useful life of the source, and the degree of improvement in visibility that may reasonably be anticipated to result from the use of such technology.

"Existing stationary facility" means any of the following stationary sources of air pollutants, including any reconstructed source, which were not in operation prior to August 7, 1962, and were in existence on August 7, 1977, and have the potential to emit 250 tons per year or more of any air pollutant. In determining potential to emit, fugitive emissions, to the extent quantifiable, must be counted.

1. Fossil-fuel fired steam electric plants of more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input,

2. Coal cleaning plants (thermal dryers),

3. Kraft pulp mills,

4. Portland cement plants,

5. Primary zinc smelters,

6. Iron and steel mill plants,

7. Primary aluminum ore reduction plants,

8. Primary copper smelters,

9. Municipal incinerators capable of charging more than 250 tons of refuse per day,

10. Hydrofluoric, sulfuric, and nitric acid plants,

11. Petroleum refineries,

12. Lime plants,

13. Phosphate rock processing plants,

14. Coke oven batteries,

15. Sulfur recovery plants,

16. Carbon black plants (furnace process),

17. Primary lead smelters,

18. Fuel conversion plants,

19. Sintering plants,

20. Secondary metal production facilities,

21. Chemical process plants,

22. Fossil-fuel boilers of more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input,

23. Petroleum storage and transfer facilities with a capacity exceeding 300,000 barrels,

24. Taconite ore processing facilities,

25. Glass fiber processing plants, and

26. Charcoal production facilities.

"Federal class I area" means any federal land that is classified or reclassified class I.

"Federal land manager" or "FLM" means the secretary of the department with authority over the federal class I area (or the secretary's designee).

"Federally enforceable" means all limitations and conditions that are enforceable by the administrator under the federal Clean Air Act including those requirements developed pursuant to 40 CFR Parts 60 and 61, requirements within any applicable implementation plan, and any permit requirements established pursuant to 40 CFR 52.21 or under regulations approved pursuant to 40 CFR Parts 51, 52, or 60.

"Fugitive emissions" means those emissions that could not reasonably pass through a stack, chimney, vent, or other functionally equivalent opening.

"In existence" means that the owner has obtained all necessary preconstruction approvals or permits required by federal, state, or local air pollution emissions and air quality laws or regulations and either has (i) begun, or caused to begin, a continuous program of physical on-site construction of the facility or (ii) entered into binding agreements or contractual obligations, which cannot be cancelled or modified without substantial loss to the owner, to undertake a program of construction of the facility to be completed in a reasonable time.

"In operation" means engaged in activity related to the primary design function of the source.

"Integral vista" means a view perceived from within the mandatory federal class I area of a specific landmark or panorama located outside the boundary of the mandatory federal class I area.

"Mandatory federal class I area" means any area identified in subpart D of 40 CFR Part 81.

"Potential to emit" means the maximum capacity of a stationary source to emit a pollutant under its physical and operational design. Any physical or operational limitation on the capacity of the source to emit a pollutant including air pollution control equipment and restrictions on hours of operation or on the type or amount of material combusted, stored, or processed, shall be treated as part of its design if the limitation or the effect it would have on emissions is federally enforceable. Secondary emissions do not count in determining the potential to emit of a stationary source.

"Reasonably attributable" means attributable by visual observation or any other technique the board deems appropriate.

"Regional haze" means visibility impairment that is caused by the emission of air pollutants from numerous sources located over a wide geographic area. Such sources include, but are not limited to, major and minor stationary sources, mobile sources, and area sources.

"Secondary emissions" means emissions that occur as a result of the construction or operation of an existing stationary facility but do not come from the existing stationary facility. Secondary emissions may include, but are not limited to, emissions from ships or trains coming to or from the existing stationary facility.

"State operating permit" means a permit issued under the Article 5 (9VAC5-80-800 et seq.) of Part II of 9VAC5-80, Permits for Stationary Sources.

"State operating permit program" means the permit program established by and codified in Article 5 (9VAC5-80-800 et seq.) of Part II of 9VAC5-80, Permits for Stationary Sources.

"Visibility-impairing pollutants" means sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_X), and particulate matter. PM₁₀ may be used as an indicator for particulate matter. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ammonia and ammonia compounds may be considered to be visibility-impairing pollutants if the board determines that emissions of these pollutants may have an impact on visibility impairment in an area.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia; §§ 110, 111, 123, 129, 171, 172 and 182 of the Clean Air Act; 40 CFR Parts 51 and 60.