Section 115.212 - Control Requirements(a) The owner or operator of each volatile organic compound (VOC) transfer operation, transport vessel, and marine vessel in the Beaumont/Port Arthur, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston/Galveston areas shall comply with the following control requirements.(1) General VOC loading. At VOC loading operations other than gasoline terminals, gasoline bulk plants, and marine terminals, vapors from the transport vessel caused by the loading of VOC with a true vapor pressure greater than or equal to 0.5 psia under actual storage conditions must be controlled by: (A) a vapor control system which maintains a control efficiency of at least 90%; or(B) a vapor balance system, as defined in § 115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions); or(2) Disposal of transported vapors. After unloading, transport vessels must be kept vapor-tight until the vapors in the transport vessel are returned to a loading, cleaning, or degassing operation and discharged in accordance with the control requirements of that operation.(3) Leak-free requirements. All land-based VOC transfer to or from transport vessels shall be conducted such that:(A) All liquid and vapor lines are:(i) equipped with fittings which make vapor-tight connections that close automatically when disconnected; or(ii) equipped to permit residual VOC after transfer is complete to discharge into a recovery or disposal system which routes all VOC emissions to a vapor control system or a vapor balance system. After VOC transfer, if necessary to empty a liquid line, the contents may be placed in a portable container, which is then closed vapor-tight and disposed of properly.(B) There are no VOC leaks, as defined in § 101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions), when measured with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer, and no liquid or vapor leaks, as detected by sight, sound, or smell, from any potential leak source in the transport vessel and transfer system (including, but not limited to, liquid lines, vapor lines, hatch covers, pumps, and valves, including pressure relief valves).(C) All gauging and sampling devices are vapor-tight except for necessary gauging and sampling. Any nonvapor-tight gauging and/or sampling shall: (i) be limited in duration to the time necessary to practicably gauge and/or sample; and(ii) not occur while VOC is being transferred.(D) Any openings in a transport vessel during unloading are limited to minimum openings which are sufficient to prevent collapse of the transport vessel.(E) If VOC is loaded through the hatches of a transport vessel, then pneumatic, hydraulic, or other mechanical means shall force a vapor-tight seal between the loading arm's vapor collection adapter and the hatch. A means shall be provided which prevents liquid drainage from the loading device when it is removed from the hatch of any transport vessel, or which routes all VOC emissions to a vapor control system. After VOC transfer, if necessary to empty a liquid line, the contents may be placed in a portable container, which is then closed vapor-tight and disposed of properly.(4) Gasoline terminals. The following additional control requirements apply to the transfer of gasoline at gasoline terminals. (A) A vapor control system must be used to control the vapors from loading each transport vessel.(B) Vapor control systems and loading equipment at gasoline terminals shall be designed and operated such that gauge pressure does not exceed 18 inches of water and vacuum does not exceed six inches of water in the gasoline tank-truck.(C) Each gasoline terminal shall be equipped with sensors and other equipment designed and connected to monitor the status of the control device. If the control device malfunctions or is not operational, the system shall automatically stop gasoline transfer to the transport vessel(s) immediately.(D) As an alternative to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, the following requirements apply to gasoline terminals which have a variable vapor space holding tank design that can process the vapors independent of transport vessel loading. Such gasoline terminals shall be equipped with sensors and other equipment designed and connected to monitor the status of the control device. If the variable vapor space holding tank serving the loading rack(s) does not have the capacity to store additional vapors for processing by the control device at a later time and the control device malfunctions or is not operational, the system shall automatically stop gasoline transfer to the transport vessel(s) immediately.(5) Gasoline bulk plants. The following additional control requirements apply to transfer of gasoline at gasoline bulk plants. (A) A vapor balance system must be used between the storage tank and transport vessel. Alternatively, a vapor control system which maintains a control efficiency of at least 90% may be used to control the vapors.(B) While filling a transport vessel from a storage tank: (i) the transport vessel, if equipped for top loading, must use a submerged fill pipe; and(ii) gauge pressure must not exceed 18 inches of water and vacuum must not exceed six inches of water in the gasoline tank-truck tank.(6) Marine terminals. The following control requirements apply to marine terminals in the Houston/Galveston area. (A) VOC emissions shall not exceed 0.09 pound from the vapor control system vent per 1,000 gallons (10.8 mg/liter) of VOC loaded into the marine vessel, or the vapor control system shall maintain a control efficiency of at least 90%. Alternatively, a vapor balance system or pressurized loading may be used to control the vapors.(B) Only leak-free marine vessels, as defined in § 115.10 of this title, shall be used for loading operations.(C) All gauging and sampling devices shall be vapor-tight except for necessary gauging and sampling. Any nonvapor-tight gauging and/or sampling shall: (i) be limited in duration to the time necessary to practicably gauge and/or sample; and(ii) not occur while VOC is being transferred.(D) When non-dedicated loading lines are used to load VOC with a true vapor pressure less than 0.5 psia (or a flash point of 150 degrees Fahrenheit or greater) and the preceding transfer through these lines was VOC with a true vapor pressure equal to or greater than 0.5 psia, the residual VOC vapors from this preceding transfer must be controlled by the vapor control system, vapor balance system, or pressurized loading as specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.(7) Once-in-always-in. Any loading or unloading operation that becomes subject to the provisions of this subsection by exceeding provisions of § 115.217(a) of this title (relating to Exemptions) will remain subject to the provision of this subsection, even if throughput or emissions later fall below exemption limits unless and until emissions are reduced to no more than the controlled emissions level existing before implementation of the project by which throughput or emission rate was reduced to less than the applicable exemption limits in § 115.217(a) of this title; and(A) the project by which throughput or emission rate was reduced is authorized by any permit or permit amendment or standard permit or permit by rule required by Chapter 116 or Chapter 106 of this title (relating to Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification; and Permits by Rule). If a permit by rule is available for the project, compliance with this subsection must be maintained for 30 days after the filing of documentation of compliance with that permit by rule; or(B) if authorization by permit, permit amendment, standard permit, or permit by rule is not required for the project, the owner/operator has given the executive director 30 days' notice of the project in writing.(b) The owner or operator of each land-based VOC transfer operation and transport vessel in the covered attainment counties shall comply with the following control requirements. (1) General VOC loading in Aransas, Bexar, Calhoun, Gregg, Matagorda, Nueces, San Patricio, Travis, and Victoria Counties. At VOC loading operations other than gasoline terminals and gasoline bulk plants, vapors from the transport vessel caused by the loading of VOC with a true vapor pressure greater than or equal to 1.5 psia under actual storage conditions must be controlled by: (A) a vapor control system which maintains a control efficiency of at least 90%;(B) a vapor balance system, as defined in § 115.10 of this title; or(2) Disposal of transported vapors. After unloading, transport vessels must be kept vapor-tight until the vapors in the transport vessel are returned to a loading, cleaning, or degassing operation and discharged in accordance with the control requirements of that operation.(3) Leak-free requirements. All land-based VOC transfer to or from transport vessels shall be conducted such that:(A) all liquid and vapor lines are:(i) equipped with fittings which make vapor-tight connections and that close automatically when disconnected; or(ii) equipped to permit residual VOC after transfer is complete to discharge into a recovery or disposal system which routes all VOC emissions to a vapor control system or a vapor balance system. After VOC transfer, if necessary to empty a liquid line, the contents may be placed in a portable container, which is then closed vapor-tight and disposed of properly.(B) there are no VOC leaks, as defined in § 101.1 of this title, when measured with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer, and no liquid or vapor leaks, as detected by sight, sound, or smell, from any potential leak source in the transport vessel and transfer system (including, but not limited to, liquid lines, vapor lines, hatch covers, pumps, and valves, including pressure relief valves);(C) all gauging and sampling devices are vapor-tight except for necessary gauging and sampling. Any nonvapor-tight gauging and/or sampling shall: (i) be limited in duration to the time necessary to practicably gauge and/or sample; and(ii) not occur while VOC is being transferred;(D) any openings in a transport vessel during unloading are limited to minimum openings which are sufficient to prevent collapse of the transport vessel;(E) if VOC is loaded through the hatches of a transport vessel, then pneumatic, hydraulic, or other mechanical means shall force a vapor-tight seal between the loading arm's vapor collection adapter and the hatch. A means shall be provided which prevents liquid drainage from the loading device when it is removed from the hatch of any transport vessel, or which routes all VOC emissions to a vapor control system. After VOC transfer, if necessary to empty a liquid line, the contents may be placed in a portable container, which is then closed vapor-tight and disposed of properly.(4) Gasoline terminals. The following additional control requirements apply to gasoline transfer at gasoline terminals. (A) A vapor control system must be used to control the vapors from loading the transport vessel.(B) Vapor control systems and loading equipment at gasoline terminals shall be designed and operated such that gauge pressure does not exceed 18 inches of water and vacuum does not exceed six inches of water in the gasoline tank-truck.(C) Each gasoline terminal shall be equipped with sensors and other equipment designed and connected to monitor the status of the control device. If the control device malfunctions or is not operational, the system shall automatically stop gasoline transfer to the transport vessel(s) immediately.(D) As an alternative to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, the following requirements apply to gasoline terminals which have a variable vapor space holding tank design that can process the vapors independent of transport vessel loading. Such gasoline terminals shall be equipped with sensors and other equipment designed and connected to monitor the status of the control device. If the variable vapor space holding tank serving the loading rack(s) does not have the capacity to store additional vapors for processing by the control device at a later time and the control device malfunctions or is not operational, the system shall automatically stop gasoline transfer to the transport vessel(s) immediately.(5) Gasoline bulk plants. The following additional control requirements apply to gasoline transfer at gasoline bulk plants.(A) A vapor balance system must be used between the storage tank and transport vessel. Alternatively, a vapor control system which maintains a control efficiency of at least 90% may be used to control the vapors.(B) While filling a transport vessel from a storage tank: (i) the transport vessel, if equipped for top loading, must use a submerged fill pipe; and(ii) gauge pressure must not exceed 18 inches of water and vacuum must not exceed six inches of water in the gasoline tank-truck tank.30 Tex. Admin. Code § 115.212
The provisions of this §115.212 adopted to be effective February 19, 1990, 15 TexReg 549; amended to be effective July 17, 1991, 16 TexReg 3719; amended to be effective August 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 4683; amended to be effective December 3, 1993, 18 TexReg 8538; amended to be effective May 27, 1994, 19 TexReg 3703; amended to be effective June 16, 1995, 20 TexReg 4048; amended to be effective March 7, 1996, 21 TexReg 1548; amended to be effective May 22, 1997, 22 TexReg 4213; amended to be effective July 21, 1999, 24 TexReg5488;amended to be effective December 2, 1999, 24 TexReg 10559; amended to be effective January 18, 2001, 26 TexReg 493