(a) Alternative means of emission limitation. An owner or operator of an affected source may request a determination of alternative means of emission limitation to the requirements of design, equipment, work practice, or operational standards of this subpart or of a subpart referenced by this subpart. If, in the judgment of the Administrator, an alternative means of emission limitation will achieve a reduction in HAP emissions at least equivalent to the reduction in emissions from that source achieved under any design, equipment, work practice, or operational standards (but not performance standards) in this subpart, the Administrator will publish in the Federal Register a notice permitting the use of the alternative means for purposes of compliance with that requirement.

(1) The notice may condition the permission on requirements related to the operation and maintenance of the alternative means.

(2) Any such notice shall be published only after public notice and an opportunity for a hearing.

(b) Content of submittal.

(1) In order to obtain approval, any person seeking permission to use an alternative means of compliance under this section shall collect, verify, and submit to the Administrator information showing that the alternative means achieves equivalent emission reductions. An owner or operator of an affected source seeking permission to use an alternative means of compliance who has not previously performed testing shall also submit a proposed test plan. If the owner or operator seeks permission to use an alternative means of compliance based on previously performed testing, they shall submit the results of testing, a description of the procedures followed in testing or monitoring, and a description of pertinent conditions during testing or monitoring.

(2) The owner or operator who requests an alternative means of emissions limitation shall submit a description of the proposed testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting that will be used and the proposed basis for demonstrating compliance.

(3) For storage vessels, the owner or operator shall include the results of actual emissions tests using full-size or scale-model storage vessels that accurately collect and measure all regulated HAP emissions using a given control technique, and that accurately simulate wind and account for other emission variables such as temperature and barometric pressure, or an engineering analysis that the Administrator determines to be an accurate method of determining equivalence.

(4) For proposed alternatives to equipment leak requirements referenced by this subpart, the owner or operator shall also submit the information specified in and meet the requirements for alternate means of emission limitation specified in the referenced subparts.