MATS - Mercury & Toxics Standards

On February 16, 2012, EPA published the Mercury and Toxics Standards (MATS) rule (40 CFR 63, Subpart UUUUU), establishing national emissions limitations for certain hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emitted from coal-fired and oil-fired electric utilities. According to the EPA, the MATS rule effects approximately 1200 electric generating units across 600 locations nationwide.

The MATS rule covers Mercury, hazardous air pollutants, acid gases, organic hazardous air pollutants and particulate. Mercury emission limitations are the focus of this article.

The MATS rule establishes Mercuty emission limitations for Existing coal and oil fired units as follows:

• Existing coal-fired units:

• 1.2 lb per Tbtu or .013 lbs per GWh for non low rank coal

• 4.0 lb per Tbtu or .040 lbs per GWh for low rank coal

• 2.5 lb per Tbtu or .030 per GWh for IGCC units

• Existing oil-fired units

• 0.2 lbper Tbto or .002 lbs per GWh for liquid fired (continental) or solid oil derived units

• 0.04 lb per Tbtu or .0004 lbs per GWh for liquid fired (noncontinental)units

Individual EGU testing requirements fall into two main categories, Low Emission EGU (LEE) and all others. Qualifying as an LEE