Dallas-Fort Worth: Lead Latest Planning Activities

Latest events and activities related to the DFW area’s compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for lead.

Last updated: 10/30/2012

Notification of Cessation of Facility Operations

Based on a requirement in the Agreed Order between the TCEQ and Exide, a letter from Exide to the Executive Director was received dated October 9, 2012, stating that Exide has elected to permanently shut down operations at their Frisco Battery Recycling Center. Effective November 1, 2012, Exide will begin curtailing certain recycling operations and all recycling operations will cease operation by November 30, 2012. The facility will be considered permanently shut down as of that date.

Letter from Exide

Collin County Attainment Demonstration for the 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and Agreed Order

The Exide Agreed Order and Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 2008 Lead NAAQS were adopted by the commission on August 8, 2012.

On June 4, 2012, the City of Frisco and Exide approved an agreement that would result in the sale of approximately 180 acres of undeveloped land surrounding Exide's plant. Under the terms of the agreement, the land around Exide's plant will be sold to the Frisco Community Development Corporation and the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. The agreement stipulates that Exide will retain ownership of the federal and state permitted plant site. As part of the proposed agreement, Exide would cease business operations.

The SIP and Agreed Order were revised to reflect this agreement. Exide is required to notify the TCEQ by November 1, 2012 of the date they will cease operations.

The SIP revision contains a reasonably available control measure and a reasonably available control technology analysis, demonstration of attainment through air dispersion modeling, a control strategy demonstration, an emissions inventory, a demonstration of reasonable further progress, and contingency measures. The Agreed Order makes the control strategies and contingency measures included in the Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision legally enforceable.

Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision (2011-001-SIP-NR)

Agreed Order (2011-024-MIS-NR)

Lead Open House in Frisco

Representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Texas Department of State Health Services came to Frisco to talk with residents about environmental concerns regarding the Exide battery recycling facility. The state and federal regulators were available to answer questions regarding air quality measurements, waste and air permitting issues, soil and water impacts, possible health effects, and air quality plans. The open house was held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, May 21, 2012, at the training room at the Frisco Police Headquarters building located at 7200 Stonebrook Parkway.

Proposed Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 2008 Lead NAAQS (2011-001-SIP-NR) and Agreed Order (2011-024-MIS-NR)

On July 28, 2011, approximately 100 people attended a public hearing on this proposal in Frisco, Texas. The close of the 30-day public comment period ended on Monday, August 8, 2011.

Comments and transcript of public hearing

The Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP revision is scheduled for adoption on December 7, 2011. The SIP revision is due to the EPA June 30, 2012.

On June 22, 2011, the commission approved proposal of the Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 2008 Lead NAAQS and the associated Agreed Order between the TCEQ and Exide Technologies. The SIP revision provides air dispersion modeling to demonstrate that the nonattainment area will attain the 2008 lead NAAQS by the December 31, 2015, attainment date, and includes a reasonably available control technology (RACT) analysis, a reasonably available control measures (RACM) analysis, a reasonable further progress (RFP) demonstration, an emissions inventory, and a contingency plan. To ensure compliance with the 2008 lead NAAQS, the Agreed Order proposal was approved concurrently with the SIP revision. The Agreed Order provides enforceable measures to reduce emissions necessary for the Collin County lead nonattainment area to attain the 2008 lead NAAQS by the attainment date, and contains contingency measures designed to ensure continued compliance with the standard.

Proposed Collin County Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision (Project No. 2011-001-SIP-NR)

Proposed Agreed Order (Project No. 2011-024-MIS-NR)

Agreed Order

EPA Designates Part of Collin County as a Lead Nonattainment Area

In the November 22, 2010 Federal Register, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the determination that an area in Collin County, Texas surrounding Exide Technologies battery recycling plant was not meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead. In October 2008, the EPA lowered the standard tenfold from its 1978 level of 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter to 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter.

Texas’ lead attainment demonstration SIP will be due to the EPA on June 30, 2012, and Collin County must attain the new lead standard before the December 31, 2015, attainment date.

For more information on the Collin County lead nonattainment area and attainment demonstration SIP, visit TCEQ's Air Pollution from Lead page.

EPA’s Proposed Designation Letter and Revised Boundary Recommendation

On June 14, 2010 the EPA sent a letter notifying the state that the EPA intends to designate the portion of Collin County recommended by Texas as nonattainment for the 2008 NAAQS for lead.

EPA's June 14, 2010, letter

On August 17, 2010, the TCEQ submitted a comment to the EPA in support of the designation boundary and correcting references to certain monitoring data.

TCEQ comment on EPA responses, August 17, 2010

On October 13, 2010, the governor submitted a revised boundary recommendation to the EPA. The revised recommendation takes in to account a permit alteration that reduces the permitted allowable emission rate contained in Exide Technologies’ air permit no. 1147A. This revised recommendation uses the same methodology as the original recommendation, but incorporates reduced permit limits in the dispersion modeling, thereby reducing the size of the nonattainment area.

Governor Perry's October 13, 2010, Boundary Recommendation

2008 Lead-Standard Attainment Designation and Boundary Recommendation

On August 26, 2009, the commission approved a recommendation concerning designations under the EPA’s 2008 NAAQS for lead. The 2008 standard, along with guidance for determining nonattainment area boundaries, was published in the Federal Register on November 12, 2008. The 2008 standard strengthens the original 1978 lead standard tenfold, dropping it from 1.5 to 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter.

On October 14, 2009, Texas Governor Rick Perry submitted the state’s recommendation concerning designations and boundaries under the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6 office.

Recommendation Package

Collin County Second 10-Year Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for Lead

On August 26, 2009, the commission adopted a SIP revision to address a federally required second 10-year maintenance plan for Collin County for the 1978 lead NAAQS. The commission also adopted an order with Exide Technologies to make contingency measures for the aforementioned second 10-year maintenance plan legally enforceable.

Second 10-Year Lead Maintenance Plan SIP Revision Recommended for Adoption

Agreed Order with Exide Technologies Recommended for Adoption

Get more information and contact the TCEQ

TCEQ Contacts

Lead monitoring data and calculated design values for the Collin County lead nonattainment area

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