(a) Visible emission evaluator training providers must:
  (1) ensure that training meets the general and delivery standards approved by the executive director;
  (2) follow the criteria and procedures of Method 9 as established by United States Environmental Protection Agency;
  (3) provide a six to eight hour mandatory lecture session for first time students, and those students desiring to attend the lecture session again as a refresher;
  (4) present the lecture session to the new students prior to any field training or testing;
  (5) present the lecture session in a setting that is conducive to learning;
  (6) use visual aids and handouts to clarify topics that are taught; and
  (7) provide one proctor for 24 attendees or less, two proctors for 25 to 100 attendees, and an additional proctor for every 50 attendees over 100.
(b) Visible emission evaluator training shall include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
  (1) opacity history to include Ringlemann equivalency;
  (2) court cases that uphold opacity readings and procedures;
  (3) applicability of Federal and State Method 9 opacity regulations;
  (4) Federal and State New Source Performance Standards;
  (5) Federal and State New Source Review program;
  (6) State operating permits;
  (7) State Implementation Plans;
  (8) scientific principles of opacity;
  (9) methodology of reading visible emissions, to include, but not limited to:
    (A) position of sun;
    (B) multiple stacks;
    (C) water vapor plumes;
    (D) slant angle correction;
    (E) "red sky" concerns;
    (F) not staring at plume;
    (G) meteorology;
    (H) wind direction and speed; and
    (I) contrasting background;
  (10) applicability and uses of Method 22, 203A, 203B, and 203C;
  (11) proper documentation methods using the various field forms; and
  (12) field testing instructions.
(c) The training topics may be modified at the discretion of the executive director.
(d) The training provider will issue a certificate of completion to attendees of the lecture session which will contain the training provider's name, title of course (visible emission evaluator course classroom lecture), student's name, location of lecture, and date of lecture.
(e) The training provider shall develop and submit for executive director approval an exit questionnaire that shall be administered to the attendees upon completion of the lecture. This questionnaire is for determining the effectiveness of the training session and the ability of the instructor to convey the necessary information. The completed questionnaires shall be kept on file for a minimum of three years and be made available to the agency upon request.

Source Note: The provisions of this §30.506 adopted to be effective September 27, 2007, 32 TexReg 6523; amended to be effective September 29, 2016, 41 TexReg 7489