Section NR 436.06 - Alternate fuel variancesThe department may grant temporary variances from the emission limitations of chs. NR 400 to 499 to air contaminant sources which request such variances in order to switch from a regular fuel to an alternate fuel which is in more plentiful supply, provided that the conditions of this section are met.
(1) If the department of administration, division of energy and intergovernmental relations has certified that a switch from the fuel regularly used by the applicant to an alternate fuel which would cause an emission limitation to be exceeded is needed to protect public health, safety or welfare in the applicant's part of the state, the department may grant a temporary variance from the requirements provided that all of the following conditions are met: (a) The applicant has submitted a list of steps which will be implemented without delay to minimize adverse effects caused by the switch in fuels permitted by the variance, including all feasible steps to minimize use of the alternate fuel through energy conservation and other measures.(b) The applicant has provided, or has agreed to provide within 5 days after the date the variance is granted, information on the type, quantity and quality of fuel and rate of consumption in use before and to be used after the switch in fuels.(c) Granting the variance would be unlikely to cause or exacerbate a violation of any primary ambient air quality standard.(d) Litigation for violation of an emission limitation prescribed in chs. NR 400 to 499 or an ambient air quality standard prescribed in ch. NR 404 is not presently pending.(e) The applicant has agreed to submit no later than 90 days from the date that the variance is granted a plan and time schedule for preventing the recurrence of the conditions which necessitated a variance request.(f) The applicant submitted and implemented in good faith any plan required to be submitted as a condition to a previously-granted variance.(g) After July 1, 1978, if the applicant uses natural gas or distillate oil as a regular fuel, the applicant has submitted and received department approval of a plan to minimize dependence on these fuels while complying with the emission limitations of chs. NR 400 to 499.(2) If the division of energy and intergovernmental relations has not certified that a switch in fuels is needed, the department may grant a temporary variance from the emission limitations of chs. NR 400 to 499 only if the conditions of sub. (1) are met and the applicant has submitted documentation of the unavailability of the fuel regularly used and of any alternate fuel which the air contaminant source has the capability to burn in compliance with emission limitations. (3) When granting a variance is likely to cause a secondary standard (but not a primary standard) to be violated or exacerbated, the following conditions shall apply: (a) The variance must specify an expiration date no later than 45 days from the date the variance is granted.(b) Prior to granting a variance extension which expires on a date more than 45 days after the date the variance was originally granted, the department shall do all of the following: 1. Determine either that the applicant's regular fuel is unavailable or that certification by the division of energy and intergovernmental relations of the need for a switch in fuels in the applicant's part of the state remains in effect.2. Evaluate through ambient air quality monitoring or dispersion modeling or both the air quality impact of granting the variance and determine that maintenance of the primary standards is not being endangered.3. Solicit and consider public comment on permitting the extension.(4) When granting a variance is unlikely to cause any ambient air quality standard to be violated, the following conditions shall apply:(a) The variance must specify an expiration date no later than 60 days from the date the variance is granted.(b) Prior to granting a variance extension which expires on a date more than 60 days after the date the variance was originally granted, the department shall do both of the following: 1. Determine either that the applicant's regular fuel is unavailable or that certification by the division of energy and intergovernmental relations of the need for a switch in fuels in the applicant's part of the state remains in effect.2. Evaluate through ambient air monitoring or dispersion modeling or both the air quality impact of granting the variance. If the evaluation indicates that maintenance of the air standards is not being endangered, an extension may be granted. If the evaluation indicates that a secondary air standard has been or may be violated, the procedure in sub. (3) (b) shall apply.(5) The department may rescind or amend a variance granted under this section at any time.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 436.06
Renum. NR 154.02(4) and am. Register, September, 1986, No. 369, eff. 10-1-86; am. (1) (intro.), (3) (b) (intro.), (4) (b) (intro.), 2., Register, December, 1996, No. 492, eff. 1-1-97; am. (3) (b) 2., Register, October, 1999, No. 526, eff. 11-1-99.