The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published a notice of final agency action addressing a Clean Air Act Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) non-applicability determination for a renewable fuels project (“Project”) in California. See 86 Fed. Reg. 70837.
The non-applicability determination addresses an AltAir Paramount, LLC (“AAP”) renewable fuels project utilizing a portion of a closed crude oil refinery.
An EPA Region 9 memorandum describes in detail the federal agency’s determination regarding non-applicability.
AAP is described as planning to convert the remainder of the existing Paramount refinery in California into a renewable fuels facility (i.e., “Renewable Fuels Project”). The refinery’s remaining equipment would be re-used and repurposed. Further, it is stated that equipment will be installed and unneeded equipment eliminated.
EPA states that between 2014 and 205 portions of the refinery were:
. . .converted from processing crude oil and other petroleum products to processing renewable feedstocks like vegetable oils and tallow to produce renewable diesel, jet fuel, and naphtha.
Also described are Project upgrades to existing equipment that are stated to:
- Improve efficiencies
- Reduce operation emissions
The EPA non-applicability determination concluded that the Renewable Fuels Project would not result in a major PSD modification.
A copy of the Federal Register Notice and the EPA Region 9 memorandum can be downloaded here.
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