Virginia Law

A. Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, no owner or other person shall engage in or permit any applicable operation (such as the manufacture, packaging, distribution, marketing, application, sale or use, or contracting for the application, sale or use, of any product) in violation of a standard prescribed under this chapter after the effective date of such standard.

1. Compliance with standards in this chapter, other than opacity standards, shall be determined by emission tests established by 9VAC5-45-30, unless specified otherwise in the applicable standard.

2. Compliance with federal requirements in this chapter may be determined by alternative or equivalent methods only if approved by the administrator. For purposes of this subsection, federal requirements consist of the following:

a. New source performance standards established pursuant to § 111 of the federal Clean Air Act.

b. All terms and conditions in a federal operating permit, including any provisions that limit a source's potential to emit, unless expressly designated as not federally enforceable.

c. Limitations and conditions that are part of an implementation plan.

d. Limitations and conditions that are part of a § 111(d) or § 111(d)/129 plan.

e. Limitations and conditions that are part of a federal construction permit issued under 40 CFR 52.21 or any construction permit issued under regulations approved by EPA in accordance with 40 CFR Part 51.

f. Limitations and conditions that are part of an operating permit issued pursuant to a program approved by EPA into an implementation plan as meeting EPA's minimum criteria for federal enforceability, including adequate notice and opportunity for EPA and public comment prior to issuance of the final permit and practicable enforceability.

3. Compliance with opacity standards in this chapter shall be determined by conducting observations in accordance with Reference Method 9 or any alternative method. For purposes of determining initial compliance, the minimum total time of observations shall be three hours (30 six-minute averages) for the emission test or other set of observations (meaning those fugitive-type emission sources subject only to an opacity standard). Opacity readings of portions of plumes that contain condensed, uncombined water vapor shall not be used for purposes of determining compliance with opacity standards.

4. The opacity standards prescribed under this chapter shall apply at all times except during periods of startup, shutdown, malfunction, and as otherwise provided in the applicable standard. This exception shall not apply to the following federal requirements:

a. Limitations and conditions that are part of an implementation plan.

b. Limitations and conditions that are part of a federal construction permit issued under 40 CFR 52.21 or any construction permit issued under regulations approved by EPA in accordance with 40 CFR Part 51.

c. Limitations and conditions that are part of an operating permit issued pursuant to a program approved by EPA into an implementation plan as meeting EPA's minimum criteria for federal enforceability, including adequate notice and opportunity for EPA and public comment prior to issuance of the final permit and practicable enforceability.

B. No owner or other person subject to the provisions of this chapter shall fail to conduct emission tests as required under this chapter.

C. No owner or other person subject to the provisions of this chapter shall fail to install, calibrate, maintain, and operate equipment for continuously monitoring and recording emissions or process parameters or both as required under this chapter.

D. No owner or other person subject to the provisions of this chapter shall fail to provide notifications and reports, revise reports, maintain records, or report emission test or monitoring results as required under this chapter.

E. At all times, including periods of startup, shutdown, soot blowing and malfunction, owners shall, to the extent practicable, maintain and operate any equipment associated with an operation subject to the provisions of this chapter including associated air pollution control equipment in a manner consistent with air pollution control practices for minimizing emissions. Determination of whether acceptable operating and maintenance procedures are being used will be based on information available to the board, which may include, but is not limited to, monitoring results, opacity observations, review of operating and maintenance procedures, and inspection of the operation.

F. At all times the disposal of volatile organic compounds shall be accomplished by taking measures, to the extent practicable, consistent with air pollution control practices for minimizing emissions. Volatile organic compounds shall not be intentionally spilled, discarded in sewers that are not connected to a treatment plant, or stored in open containers or handled in any other manner that would result in evaporation beyond that consistent with air pollution control practices for minimizing emissions.

G. For the purpose of submitting compliance certifications or establishing whether or not an owner or other person has violated or is in violation of any standard in this chapter, nothing in this chapter shall preclude the use, including the exclusive use, of any credible evidence or information, relevant to whether a source would have been in compliance with applicable requirements if the appropriate emission or compliance test or procedure had been performed.