Section 225.250  Initial Certification and Recertification Procedures for Emissions Monitoring

a)         The owner or operator of an EGU must comply with the following initial certification and recertification procedures for a CEMS (i.e., a CEMS or an excepted monitoring system (sorbent trap monitoring system) pursuant to 40 CFR 75.15, incorporated by reference in Section 225.140) required by Section 225.240(a)(1).  The owner or operator of an EGU that qualifies for, and for which the owner or operator elects to use, the low-mass-emissions excepted methodology pursuant to 40 CFR 75.81(b), incorporated by reference in Section 225.140, must comply with the procedures set forth in subsection (c) of this Section.  

1)         Requirements for Initial Certification.  The owner or operator of an EGU must ensure that, for each CEMS required by Section 225.240(a)(1) (including the automated data acquisition and handling system), the owner or operator successfully completes all of the initial certification testing required pursuant to 40 CFR 75.80(d), incorporated by reference in Section 225.140, by the applicable deadline in Section 225.240(b).  In addition, whenever the owner or operator of an EGU installs a monitoring system to meet the requirements of this Subpart B in a location where no such monitoring system was previously installed, the owner or operator must successfully complete the initial certification requirements of 40 CFR 75.80(d).

2)         Requirements for Recertification.  Whenever the owner or operator of an EGU makes a replacement, modification, or change in any certified CEMS, or an excepted monitoring system (sorbent trap monitoring system) pursuant to 40 CFR 75.15, and required by Section 225.240(a)(1), that may significantly affect the ability of the system to accurately measure or record mercury mass emissions or heat input rate or to meet the quality-assurance and quality-control requirements of 40 CFR 75.21 or appendix B to 40 CFR 75, each incorporated by reference in Section 225.140, the owner or operator of an EGU must recertify the monitoring system in accordance with 40 CFR 75.20(b), incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.  Furthermore, whenever the owner or operator of an EGU makes a replacement, modification, or change to the flue gas handling system or the EGU's operation that may significantly change the stack flow or concentration profile, the owner or operator must recertify each CEMS, and each excepted monitoring system (sorbent trap monitoring system) pursuant to 40 CFR 75.15, whose accuracy is potentially affected by the change, all in accordance with 40 CFR 75.20(b).  Examples of changes to a CEMS that require recertification include, but are not limited to, replacement of the analyzer, complete replacement of an existing CEMS, or change in location or orientation of the sampling probe or site.

3)         Approval Process for Initial Certification and Recertification.  Subsections (a)(3)(A) through (a)(3)(D) of this Section apply to both initial certification and recertification of a CEMS required by Section 225.240(a)(1).  For recertifications, the words "certification" and "initial certification" are to be read as the word "recertification", the word "certified" is to be read as the word "recertified", and the procedures set forth in 40 CFR 75.20(b)(5) are to be followed in lieu of the procedures set forth in subsection (a)(3)(E) of this Section.

A)        Notification of Certification.  The owner or operator must submit to the Agency, USEPA Region 5, and the Administrator of the USEPA written notice of the dates of certification testing, in accordance with Section 225.270.

B)        Certification Application.  The owner or operator must submit to the Agency a certification application for each monitoring system.  A complete certification application must include the information specified in 40 CFR 75.63, incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.

C)        Provisional Certification Date.  The provisional certification date for a monitoring system must be determined in accordance with 40 CFR 75.20(a)(3), incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.  A provisionally certified monitoring system may be used pursuant to this Subpart B for a period not to exceed 120 days after receipt by the Agency of the complete certification application for the monitoring system pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(B) of this Section.  Data measured and recorded by the provisionally certified monitoring system, in accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR 75, will be considered valid quality-assured data (retroactive to the date and time of provisional certification), provided that the Agency does not invalidate the provisional certification by issuing a notice of disapproval within 120 days after the date of receipt by the Agency of the complete certification application.

D)        Certification Application Approval Process.  The Agency must issue a written notice of approval or disapproval of the certification application to the owner or operator within 120 days after receipt of the complete certification application required by subsection (a)(3)(B) of this Section.  In the event the Agency does not issue a written notice of approval or disapproval within the 120-day period, each monitoring system that meets the applicable performance requirements of 40 CFR 75 and which is included in the certification application will be deemed certified for use pursuant to this Subpart B.

i)          Approval Notice.  If the certification application is complete and shows that each monitoring system meets the applicable performance requirements of 40 CFR 75, then the Agency must issue a written notice of approval of the certification application within 120 days after receipt.

ii)         Incomplete Application Notice.  If the certification application is not complete, then the Agency must issue a written notice of incompleteness that sets a reasonable date by which the owner or operator must submit the additional information required to complete the certification application.  If the owner or operator does not comply with the notice of incompleteness by the specified date, the Agency may issue a notice of disapproval pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(D)(iii) of this Section.  The 120-day review period will not begin before receipt of a complete certification application.

iii)         Disapproval Notice.  If the certification application shows that any monitoring system does not meet the performance requirements of 40 CFR 75, or if the certification application is incomplete and the requirement for disapproval pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(D)(ii) of this Section is met, the Agency must issue a written notice of disapproval of the certification application.  Upon issuance of such notice of disapproval, the provisional certification is invalidated, and the data measured and recorded by each uncertified monitoring system will not be considered valid quality-assured data beginning with the date and hour of provisional certification (as defined pursuant to 40 CFR 75.20(a)(3)).  The owner or operator must follow the procedures for loss of certification set forth in subsection (a)(3)(E) of this Section for each monitoring system that is disapproved for initial certification.

iv)        Audit Decertification.  The Agency may issue a notice of disapproval of the certification status of a monitor in accordance with Section 225.260(b).

E)         Procedures for Loss of Certification.  If the Agency issues a notice of disapproval of a certification application pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(D)(iii) of this Section or a notice of disapproval of certification status pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(D)(iv) of this Section, the owner or operator must fulfill the following requirements:

i)          The owner or operator must substitute the following values for each disapproved monitoring system and for each hour of EGU operation during the period of invalid data specified pursuant to 40 CFR 75.20(a)(4)(iii) or 75.21(e), continuing until the applicable date and hour specified pursuant to 40 CFR 75.20(a)(5)(i), each incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.  For a disapproved mercury pollutant concentration monitor and disapproved flow monitor, respectively, the maximum potential concentration of mercury and the maximum potential flow rate, as defined in sections 2.1.7.1 and 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to 40 CFR 75, incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.  For a disapproved moisture monitoring system and disapproved diluent gas monitoring system, respectively, the minimum potential moisture percentage and either the maximum potential CO₂ concentration or the minimum potential O₂ concentration (as applicable), as defined in sections 2.1.5, 2.1.3.1, and 2.1.3.2 of appendix A to 40 CFR 75, incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.  For a disapproved excepted monitoring system (sorbent trap monitoring system) pursuant to 40 CFR 75.15 and disapproved flow monitor, respectively, the maximum potential concentration of mercury and maximum potential flow rate, as defined in sections 2.1.7.1 and 2.1.4.1 of appendix A to 40 CFR 75, incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.

ii)         The owner or operator must submit a notification of certification retest dates and a new certification application in accordance with subsections (a)(3)(A) and (B) of this Section.

iii)         The owner or operator must repeat all certification tests or other requirements that were failed by the monitoring system, as indicated in the Agency's notice of disapproval, no later than 30 unit operating days after the date of issuance of the notice of disapproval.

b)         Exemption.

1)         If an emissions monitoring system has been previously certified in accordance with 40 CFR 75 and the applicable quality assurance and quality control requirements of 40 CFR 75.21 and appendix B to 40 CFR 75 are fully met, the monitoring system will be exempt from the initial certification requirements of this Section. 

2)         The recertification provisions of this Section apply to an emissions monitoring system required by Section 225.240(a)(1) exempt from initial certification requirements pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this Section.

c)         Initial certification and recertification procedures for EGUs using the mercury low mass emissions excepted methodology pursuant to 40 CFR 75.81(b).  The owner or operator that has elected to use the mercury-low-mass-emissions-excepted methodology for a qualified EGU pursuant to 40 CFR 75.81(b) must meet the applicable certification and recertification requirements in 40 CFR 75.81(c) through (f), incorporated by reference in Section 225.140.

d)         Certification Applications.  The owner or operator of an EGU must submit an application to the Agency within 45 days after completing all initial certification or recertification tests required pursuant to this Section, including the information required pursuant to 40 CFR 75.63.