Updated Insights into Louisiana's Toxic Emissions Data Inventory (TEDI) System

摘要

Under Chapter 51, "Comprehensive Toxic Air Pollutant Emission Control Program" of the Louisiana Air Quality Regulations, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is directed to regulate the industrial community in order to reduce the total amount of statewide emissions of toxic air pollutants (TAPs). In addition, our program is required to be consistent with Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) and applicable Federal ambient air standards. Chapter 51 requires an annual inventory of TAP emissions from regulated sources. The resulting database is called the Toxic Emissions Data Inventory (TEDI). This paper updates a previous report on TEDI data presented October 30, 1997 to include 1997 TAP emissions data. Today's discussion reviews pollution classifications, reporting formats, data base elements, and apparent trends in overall totals of TAP emissions. These trends in Louisiana TAP emissions are presented by source category, parish, and pollutant category. The TEDI data thus far indicate that overall TAP emissions decreased by forty-one percent (41%) in 1997 with respect to 1991. The reduction of Class I TAPs was forty-six percent (46%) over the same period About thirty-eight percent (38%) of the state's TAP emissions are specific toxic pollutants that are not listed as federal hazardous air pollutants (HAP) in Section 112(b) of the Clear: Air Act (CAA). Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are by far the largest components of this group of non-HAP toxic pollutants. The HAP with the largest emissions by weight is methanol. Pulp and paper mills and fertilizer plants are the two source categories that emit the largest amount of TAPs. The data indicate that oil and gas production facilities have reduced their TAP emissions by the greatest percentage, over eighty-nine percent (89%). Combined TAP emissions from facilities located in either Ascension Parish or St James Parish accounted for the largest amounts of TAP emitted within the state in 1997.