Compliance Deadline is Jan. 1, 2025 for New and Amended Rules in Ozone Nonattainment Areas
November 2024—TCEQ revised Title 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapters 115 and 117 regarding volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions controls. These updates pertain to Bexar County, Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB), which are designated as ozone nonattainment areas classified as either severe or moderate.
On April 24, 2024, TCEQ adopted amendments to 30 TAC Chapter 115 and Chapter 117 . Compliance with these rules is required by Jan. 1, 2025. The updated rule provisions for each nonattainment area (Bexar County, DFW, and HGB) are summarized below. Note these summaries are not exhaustive of the rule changes. For additional information, visit the TCEQ Controlling Ozone Pollution webpage.
30 TAC, Chapter 115
Chapter 115 amendments affect stationary VOC sources in the Bexar County, DFW, and HGB areas. For a full list of Chapter 115 rule changes, refer to Chapter 115: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Rule Revisions for Ozone Nonattainment Areas.
For questions regarding changes to Chapter 115, email siprules@tceq.texas.gov.
Bexar County
The compliance date for the rules adopted April 24, 2024, including the new Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) rules applicable in the Bexar County 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area, is Jan. 1, 2025. The rules add new requirements for source categories covered in 19 divisions of Chapter 115. The following updated rules may be applicable to your facility.
Subchapter B, Division 1: Storage of VOCs
Subchapter B, Division 2: Vent Gas Control
Subchapter B, Division 3: Water Separation
Subchapter B, Division 4: Industrial Wastewater
Subchapter B, Division 6: Batch Processes
Subchapter B, Division 7: Oil and Natural Gas Service in Ozone Nonattainment Areas
Subchapter C, Division 1: Loading and Unloading of VOCs
Subchapter C, Division 2: Filling Gasoline Storage Tanks at Fuel Dispensing Facilities
Subchapter C, Division 3: VOC Leaks from Transport Vessels
Subchapter D, Division 1: Process Unit Turnaround and Vacuum-Producing Systems in Petroleum Refineries
Subchapter D, Division 3: Fugitive Emission Control in Petroleum Refining, Natural Gas/Gasoline Processing, and Petrochemical Processes
Subchapter E, Division 1: Degreasing Processes
Subchapter E, Division 2: Surface Coating Processes
Subchapter E, Division 3: Flexographic and Rotogravure Printing
Subchapter E, Division 4: Offset Lithographic Printing
Subchapter E, Division 5: Surface Coating Processes
Subchapter E, Division 6: Industrial Cleaning Solvents
Subchapter F, Division 1: Cutback Asphalt
Subchapter F, Division 2: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
New Chapter 115 rules put contingency measures in place that can be activated if the DFW area fails to meet reasonable further progress (RFP) requirements or fails to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date. These contingency measures are required by provisions of the federal Clean Air Act (FCAA), §172(c)(9) and §182(c)(9).
Sources that would be affected by contingency measures include cold solvent cleaning, open-top vapor degreasing, conveyorized degreasing, industrial maintenance coatings, traffic marking coatings, industrial cleaning solvents, industrial adhesives, and emulsified asphalt.
If, in the future, TCEQ publishes notice in the Texas Register that the DFW area has failed to attain the ozone NAAQS or demonstrate RFP, affected sources must comply with new contingency measures no later than 270 days after publication of that notice.
The following updated rules may be applicable to your facility.
Subchapter B, Division 1: Storage of VOCs
Subchapter B, Division 2: Process Vents: New Controls for Bakeries
Subchapter B, Division 7: Oil and Natural Gas Service in Ozone Nonattainment Areas
Subchapter E, Division 1: Degreasing Processes
Subchapter E, Division 3: Flexographic and Rotogravure Printing
Subchapter E, Division 4: Offset Lithographic Printing
Subchapter E, Division 5: Surface Coating Processes
Subchapter E, Division 6: Industrial Cleaning Solvents
Subchapter E, Division 7: Miscellaneous Industrial Adhesive
Subchapter F, Division 1: Cutback Asphalt
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB)
New Chapter 115 rules put contingency measures in place that can be activated if the HGB area fails to meet RFP requirements or fails to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date. These contingency measures are required by provisions of FCAA, §172(c)(9) and §182(c)(9).
Sources that would be affected by contingency measures include cold solvent cleaning, open-top vapor degreasing, conveyorized degreasing, industrial maintenance coatings, traffic marking coatings, industrial cleaning solvents, industrial adhesives, and emulsified asphalt.
If, in the future, TCEQ publishes notice in the Texas Register that the HGB area has failed to attain the ozone NAAQS or demonstrate RFP, affected sources must comply with new contingency measures no later than 270 days after publication of that notice.
The following updated rules may be applicable to your facility.
Subchapter B, Division 7: Oil and Natural Gas Service in Ozone Nonattainment Areas
Subchapter E, Division 1: Degreasing Processes
Subchapter E, Division 3: Flexographic and Rotogravure Printing
Subchapter E, Division 5: Surface Coating Processes
Subchapter E, Division 6: Industrial Cleaning Solvents
Subchapter E, Division 7: Miscellaneous Industrial Adhesives
Subchapter F, Division 1: Cutback Asphalt
30 TAC, Chapter 117
Affected sources in Bexar County must comply with the new and amended Chapter 117 rules applicable to that area by Jan. 1, 2025. Affected sources in Wise County must comply by Nov. 7, 2025.
The Chapter 117 rules adopted April 24, 2024, affect stationary NOX sources in the Bexar County, DFW, and HGB ozone nonattainment areas, including changes to administrative provisions in the rule, new and revised definitions, and amendments to multiple divisions. This includes new provisions for major sources of NOX affecting industrial, commercial, and institutional sources (ICI), utility electric generation sources, cement kilns, and revised provisions for major and minor sources of NOX affecting ICI sources.
For a full list of Chapter 117 rule changes, refer to Chapter 117: Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) Rule Revisions for Ozone Nonattainment Areas.
For questions regarding the Chapter 117 rulemaking, email siprules@tceq.texas.gov.
Bexar County
New rules in Subchapter B, Division 2 implement RACT for stationary gas turbines, duct burners used in turbine exhaust ducts, and gas-fired lean-burn stationary reciprocating internal combustion engines located at major sources of NOX in Bexar County. These rules contain emission specifications and corresponding testing, monitoring and reporting, and recordkeeping provisions.
DFW and HGB areas
RACT provisions for major sources of NOX in the DFW and HGB 2008 ozone NAAQS severe nonattainment areas remain unchanged. These areas continue using previously established RACT for NOX major sources.
The rules addressing stationary diesel engines at both major and minor ICI sources of NOX for both the DFW and HGB areas contain revised NOX and ammonia emissions monitoring requirements. Owners and operators of stationary diesel engines that meet the criteria outlined in the revised rules will no longer be required to conduct NOX emissions monitoring using emissions monitoring systems or to monitor ammonia emissions using any of the methods specified in Chapter 117. For major and minor ICI NOX source rule provisions in the HGB area, see Subchapter B, Division 3 and Subchapter D, Division 1, respectively. For major and minor ICI NOX source rule provisions in the DFW area, see Subchapter B, Division 4 and Subchapter D, Division 2, respectively.