ABSTRACT
The EPA proposed Section 316(b) rules for new sources on August 10, 2000 (65 FR 49060). Under the proposed rule, most new facilities would have had to install closed-cycle cooling systems (nearly all of these would use cooling towers). During public meetings and in written comments, the environmental community and several states have supported the use of dry cooling as the appropriate technology for addressing AEIs, while industry and several other federal agencies supported an approach involving site-specific evaluation. The EPA published the final new-facility rules on December 18, 2001 (66 FR 65256). The new rules provide two alternative tracks. Under Track I, a fast track that does not consider actual site-specific environmental impacts, companies must meet a stringent set of rules, including installation of cooling towers or other equivalent flow-reduction measures, coupled with restrictions on the total flow volume, the ratio of intake flow volume to surface water body volume, and the intake velocity. In addition, plants are required to use other intake technologies. Since the process of obtaining permits becomes more predictable and timely, Track I may be attractive to many new facilities. Under Track II, companies must conduct intensive site-specific studies and projections at the facility in order to demonstrate to the permitting authority that an alternative set of intake controls
Anticipated Magnitude of Impact*
Type of AEI Once-Through Wet Cooling Dry Cooling Cooling Tower Tower
Impingement H L L Entrainment H L L Energy penalty N M to H H Additional air emissions N M to H H Additional fuel usage N M to H H Water quality Heat: + or – Biocides: L to M Biocides: M to H Biocides: L Water consumption L M M to H Solid wastes L L L Noise L M M to H Land use/habitat Aquatic: M to H Aquatic: L Aquatic: L Terrestrial: L Terrestrial: L to M Terrestrial: M to H Plumes N M to H N Air circulation N L Unknown, but potentially M to H
Note: Not all types of environmental impacts should be assigned the same weight. *H = high, M = moderate, L = low, N = none.
