Unless specifically defined in the Texas Clean Air Act (TCAA) or in the rules of the commission, the terms used by the commission have the meanings commonly ascribed to them in the field of air pollution control. In addition to the terms that are defined by the TCAA, and in §101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions), the following words and terms, when used in Subchapter B, Divisions 5 and 6 of this chapter (relating to Nonattainment Review Permits and Prevention of Significant Deterioration Review); and Subchapter C, Division 1 of this chapter (relating to Plant-Wide Applicability Limits), have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Actual emissions--Actual emissions as of a particular date are equal to the average rate, in tons per year, at which the unit actually emitted the pollutant during the 24-month period that precedes the particular date and that is representative of normal source operation, except that this definition shall not apply for calculating whether a significant emissions increase has occurred, or for establishing a plant-wide applicability limit. Instead, paragraph (3) of this section relating to baseline actual emissions shall apply for this purpose. The executive director shall allow the use of a different time period upon a determination that it is more representative of normal source operation. Actual emissions shall be calculated using the unit's actual operating hours, production rates, and types of materials processed, stored, or combusted during the selected time period. The executive director may presume that the source-specific allowable emissions for the unit are equivalent to the actual emissions, e.g., when the allowable limit is reflective of actual emissions. For any emissions unit that has not begun normal operations on the particular date, actual emissions shall equal the potential to emit of the unit on that date.
(2) Allowable emissions--The emissions rate of a stationary source, calculated using the maximum rated capacity of the source (unless the source is subject to federally enforceable limits that restrict the operating rate, or hours of operation, or both), and the most stringent of the following:
(3) Baseline actual emissions--The rate of emissions, in tons per year, of a federally regulated new source review pollutant.
(4) Basic design parameters--For a process unit at a steam electric generating facility, the owner or operator may select as its basic design parameters either maximum hourly heat input and maximum hourly fuel consumption rate or maximum hourly electric output rate and maximum steam flow rate. When establishing fuel consumption specifications in terms of weight or volume, the minimum fuel quality based on British thermal units content shall be used for determining the basic design parameters for a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit. The basic design parameters for any process unit that is not at a steam electric generating facility are maximum rate of fuel or heat input, maximum rate of material input, or maximum rate of product output. Combustion process units will typically use maximum rate of fuel input. For sources having multiple end products and raw materials, the owner or operator shall consider the primary product or primary raw material when selecting a basic design parameter. The owner or operator may propose an alternative basic design parameter for the source's process units to the executive director if the owner or operator believes the basic design parameter as defined in this paragraph is not appropriate for a specific industry or type of process unit. If the executive director approves of the use of an alternative basic design parameter, that basic design parameter shall be identified and compliance required in a condition in a permit that is legally enforceable.
(5) Begin actual construction--In general, initiation of physical on-site construction activities on an emissions unit that are of a permanent nature. Such activities include, but are not limited to, installation of building supports and foundations, laying of underground pipework, and construction of permanent storage structures. With respect to a change in method of operation, this term refers to those on-site activities other than preparatory activities that mark the initiation of the change.
(6) Building, structure, facility, or installation--All of the pollutant-emitting activities that belong to the same industrial grouping, are located in one or more contiguous or adjacent properties, and are under the control of the same person (or persons under common control). Pollutant-emitting activities are considered to be part of the same industrial grouping if they belong to the same "major group" (i.e., that have the same two-digit code) as described in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1972, as amended by the 1977 supplement.
(7) Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions--shall represent an amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted, and shall be computed by multiplying the mass amount of emissions in tons per year (tpy) for the GHGs, as defined in §101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions), by the gas's associated global warming potential as published in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 98, Subpart A, Table A-1 - Global Warming Potentials, and summing the resultant values.
(8) Clean coal technology--Any technology, including technologies applied at the precombustion, combustion, or post-combustion stage, at a new or existing facility that will achieve significant reductions in air emissions of sulfur dioxide or oxides of nitrogen associated with the utilization of coal in the generation of electricity, or process steam that was not in widespread use as of November 15, 1990.
(9) Clean coal technology demonstration project--A project using funds appropriated under the heading "Department of Energy-Clean Coal Technology," up to a total amount of $2.5 billion for commercial demonstration of clean coal technology, or similar projects funded through appropriations for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The federal contribution for a qualifying project shall be at least 20% of the total cost of the demonstration project.
(10) Commence--As applied to construction of a major stationary source or major modification, means that the owner or operator has all necessary preconstruction approvals or permits and either has:
(11) Construction--Any physical change or change in the method of operation (including fabrication, erection, installation, demolition, or modification of an emissions unit) that would result in a change in actual emissions.
(12) Contemporaneous period--For major sources the period between:
(13) De minimis threshold test (netting)--A method of determining if a proposed emission increase will trigger nonattainment or prevention of significant deterioration review. The summation of the proposed project emission increase in tons per year with all other creditable source emission increases and decreases during the contemporaneous period is compared to the significant level for that pollutant. If the significant level is exceeded, then prevention of significant deterioration and/or nonattainment review is required.
(14) Electric utility steam generating unit--Any steam electric generating unit that is constructed for the purpose of supplying more than one-third of its potential electric output capacity and more than 25 megawatts electrical output to any utility power distribution system for sale. Any steam supplied to a steam distribution system for the purpose of providing steam to a steam-electric generator that would produce electrical energy for sale is included in determining the electrical energy output capacity of the affected facility.
(15) Federally regulated new source review pollutant--As defined in subparagraphs (A) - (E) of this paragraph:
(16) Greenhouse gases (GHGs)--as defined in §101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions).
(17) Lowest achievable emission rate--For any emitting facility, that rate of emissions of a contaminant that does not exceed the amount allowable under applicable new source performance standards promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under 42 United States Code, §7411, and that reflects the following: Cont'd...