Controlling Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs)
Background
Area affected: HGB
End date: None
Applicability Period: Year-round
Source type: Point source
Emission(s) targeted: Highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOCs)
Rule/Citation: 30 TAC 115, Subchapter H (PDF)(WP)(HTML) 
Description: On Dec 13, 2002, the TCEQ first adopted regulations to control emissions of highly-reactive volatile organic compounds in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria nonattainment area.
The regulations were adopted after results from the Texas 2000 Air Quality Study (TexAQS), a comprehensive research project conducted in August and September 2000 on ground-level ozone air pollution in the HGB and East Texas regions, revealed that:
- industrial source emissions of volatile organic compounds were likely significantly understated in earlier emissions inventories;
- HRVOCs play a significant role in ground-level ozone formation in the HGB area.
In response to these findings, the December 2002 revision included new rules to reduce HRVOC emissions from four key industrial sources: fugitives, flares, process vents, and cooling towers.
Analysis showed that limiting emissions of ethylene, propylene, 1,3-butadiene, and butenes in conjunction with an 80 percent reduction in NOx is equivalent in terms of air quality benefit to that resulting from a 90 percent point source NOx reduction requirement. As such, the HRVOC rules are performance based, emphasizing monitoring, recordkeeping, reporting, and enforcement, rather than establishing individual unit emission rates.
On October 22, 2003, the HRVOC rules were revised in order to make a variety of changes which correct typographical errors, update cross-references, add flexibility, and amend requirements to achieve the intended VOC emission reductions of the program. Further revisions were adopted on March 10, 2004, to change the compliance date for cooling-tower heat-exchange systems in the eight-county HGB ozone nonattainment area from no later than December 31, 2004, to no later than December 31, 2005.
Rulemaking Documents
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Rule/Citation: 30 TAC 115, Subchapter H (PDF)(WP)(HTML)
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Title
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Date
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Log Number
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Associated SIP
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PDF
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WP
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| Adoption | Mar 10, 2004 | 2004-008-115-AI | N/A |
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| Plain-Language Summary | Mar 10, 2004 | 2004-008-115-AI | N/A |
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| Proposal | October 22, 2003 | 2004-008-115-AI | N/A |
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| Adoption | Oct 22, 2003 | 2003-027-115-AI | N/A |
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| Plain-Language Summary | Oct 22, 2003 | 2003-027-115-AI | N/A |
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| Proposal | Apr 30, 2003 | 2003-027-115-AI | N/A |
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| Adoption | Dec 13, 2002 | 2002-046b-115-AI 2002-046d-115-AI |
Dec 2002 HGB | ||
| Withdrawal | Jun 26, 2002 | 2002-046d-115-AI | Dec 2002 HGB |
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| Proposal | Jun 26, 2002 | 2002-046d-115-AI | Dec 2002 HGB |
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| Proposal | Jun 5, 2002 | 2002-046b-115-AI | Dec 2002 HGB |
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