Title 40
SECTION 61.107
61.107 Emission determination.
§ 61.107 Emission determination.(a) Facility owners or operators may, in lieu of monitoring, estimate radionuclide emissions in accordance with appendix D, or other procedure for which EPA has granted prior approval.
(b) Radionuclide emission rates from existing point sources (stacks or vents) shall be measured in accordance with the following requirements or within the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section, or other procedures for which EPA has granted prior approval:
(1) Effluent flow rate measurements shall be made using the following methods:
(i) Reference Method 2 of appendix A to part 60 of this chapter shall be used to determine velocity and volumetric flow rates for stacks and large vents.
(ii) Reference Method 2A of appendix A to part 60 of this chapter shall be used to measure flow rates through pipes and small vents.
(iii) The frequency of the flow rate measurements shall depend upon the variability of the effluent flow rate. For variable flow rates, continuous or frequent flow rate measurements shall be made. For relatively constant flow rates only periodic measurements are necessary.
(2) Radionuclides shall be directly monitored or extracted, collected, and measured using the following methods:
(i) Reference Method 1 of appendix A part 60 of this chapter shall be used to select monitoring or sampling sites.
(ii) The effluent stream shall be directly monitored continuously using an in-line detector or representative samples of the effluent stream shall be withdrawn continuously from the sampling site following the guidance presented in ANSIN13.1-1969 “Guide to Sampling Airborne Radioactive Materials in Nuclear Facilities” (including the guidance presented in appendix A of ANSIN13.1) (incorporated by reference - see § 61.18). The requirements for continuous sampling are applicable to batch processes when the unit is in operation. Periodic sampling (grab samples) may be used only with EPA's prior approval. Such approval may be granted in cases where continuous sampling is not practical and radionuclide emission rates are relatively constant. In such cases, grab samples shall be collected with sufficient frequency so as to provide a representative sample of the emissions.
(iii) Radionuclides shall be collected and measured using procedures based on the principles of measurement described in appendix B, Method 114. Use of methods based on principles of measurement different from those described in appendix B, Method 114 must have prior approval from the Administrator. EPA reserves the right to approve alternative measurement procedures in whole or in part.
(iv) A quality assurance program shall be conducted that meets the performance requirements described in appendix B, Method 114.
(3) When it is impractical to measure the effluent flow rate at an existing source in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section or to monitor or sample an effluent stream at an existing source in accordance with the site selection and sample extraction requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the facility owner or operator may use alternative effluent flow rate measurement procedures or site selection and sample extraction procedures provided that:
(i) It can be shown that the requirements of paragraphs (b) (1) and (2) of this section are impractical for the effluent stream.
(ii) The alternative procedure will not significantly underestimate the emissions.
(iii) The alternative procedure is fully documented.
(iv) The owner or operator has received prior approval from EPA.
(4)(i) Radionuclide emission measurements in conformance with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section shall be made at all release points which have a potential to discharge radionuclides into the air in quantities which could cause an effective dose equivalent in excess of 1% of the standard. All radionuclides which could contribute greater than 10% of the potential effective dose equivalent for a release point shall be measured. For other release points which have a potential to release radionuclides into the air, periodic confirmatory measurements should be made to verify the low emissions.
(ii) To determine whether a release point is subject to the emission measurement requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, it is necessary to evaluate the potential for radionuclide emissions for that release point. In evaluating the potential of a release point to discharge radionuclides into the air, the estimated radionuclide release rates shall be based on the discharge of the uncontrolled effluent stream into the air.
(5) Environmental measurements of radionuclide air concentrations at critical receptor locations may be used as an alternative to air dispersion calculations in demonstrating compliance with the standards if the owner or operator meets the following criteria:
(i) The air at the point of measurement shall be continuously sampled for collection of radionuclides.
(ii) Those radionuclides released from the facility, which are the major contributors to the effective dose equivalent must be collected and measured as part of the environmental measurements program.
(iii) Radionuclide concentrations which would cause an effective dose equivalent greater than or equal to 10% of the standard shall be readily detectable and distinguishable from background.
(iv) Net measured radionuclide concentrations shall be compared to the concentration levels in Table 2 of appendix E to determine compliance with the standard. In the case of multiple radionuclides being released from a facility, compliance shall be demonstrated if the value for all radionuclides is less than the concentration level in Table 2 and the sum of the fractions that result when each measured concentration value is divided by the value in Table 2 for each radionuclide is less than 1.
(v) A quality assurance program shall be conducted that meets the performance requirements described in appendix B, Method 114.
(vi) Use of environmental measurements to demonstrate compliance with the standard is subject to prior approval of EPA. Applications for approval shall include a detailed description of the sampling and analytical methodology and show how the above criteria will be met.
(c) The following facilities may use either the methodologies and quality assurance programs described in paragraph (b) of this section or may use the following:
(1) [Reserved]
(2) Uranium mills may determine their emissions in conformance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Regulatory Guide 4.14 dated April 1980. In addition, they may conduct a quality assurance program as described in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Regulatory Guide 4.15 dated February 1979.
(d) Radionuclide emission rates from new point sources (stacks or vents) as defined in subpart A shall be measured in accordance with the following requirements, or other procedures for which EPA has granted prior approval:
(1) Effluent flow rate measurements shall be made using the following methods:
(i) ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 “Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stacks and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities” (incorporated by reference - see § 61.18) shall be used to determine velocity and volumetric flow rates for stacks and large vents.
(ii) ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 shall be used to measure flow rates through pipes and small vents.
(iii) The frequency of the flow rate measurements shall depend upon variability of the effluent flow rate. For variable flow rates, continuous or frequent flow rate measurements shall be made. For relatively constant flow rates only periodic measurements are necessary.
(2) Radionuclide shall be directly monitored or extracted, collected and measured using the following methods:
(i) ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 shall be used to select monitoring or sampling sites.
(ii) The effluent stream shall be directly monitored continuously with an in-line detector or representative samples of the effluent stream shall be withdrawn continuously from the sampling site following the guidance presented in ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999. The requirements for continuous sampling are applicable to batch processes when the unit is in operation. Periodic sampling (grab samples) may be used only with EPA's prior approval. Such approval may be granted in cases where continuous sampling is not practical and radionuclide emission rates are relatively constant. In such cases, grab samples shall be collected with sufficient frequency so as to provide a representative sample of the emissions.
(iii) Radionuclides shall be collected and measured using procedures based on the principles of measurement described in appendix B, Method 114 of this part. Use of methods based on principles of measurement different from those described in appendix B, Method 114 of this part must have prior approval from the Administrator. EPA reserves the right to approve measurement procedures.
(iv) A quality assurance program shall be conducted that meets the performance requirements described in ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999.
(e) When it is impractical to measure the effluent flow rate at a source in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) or (d) of this section or to monitor or sample an effluent stream at a source in accordance with the site selection and sample extraction requirements of paragraph (b)(2) or (d) of this section, the facility owner or operator may use alternative effluent flow rate measurement procedures or site selection and sample extraction procedures provided that:
(1) It can be shown that the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) or (2) or (d) of this section are impractical for the effluent stream.
(2) The alternative procedure will not significantly underestimate the emissions.
(3) The alternative procedure is fully documented.
(4) The owner or operator has received prior approval from EPA.
(f) Radionuclide emission measurements in conformance with the requirements of paragraph (b) or (d) of this section shall be made at all release points that have a potential to discharge radionuclides into the air in quantities that could cause an effective dose equivalent in excess of 1% of the standard. All radionuclides that could contribute greater than 10% of the potential effective dose equivalent for a release point shall be measured. With prior EPA approval, DOE may determine these emissions through alternative procedures. For other release points that have a potential to release radionuclides into the air, periodic confirmatory measurements shall be made to verify the low emissions.
(g) To determine whether a release point is subject to the emission measurement requirements of paragraph (b) or (d) of this section, it is necessary to evaluate the potential for radionuclide emissions for that release point. In evaluating the potential of a release point to discharge radionuclides into the air for the purposes of this section, the estimated radionuclide release rates shall be based on the discharge of the effluent stream that would result if all pollution control equipment did not exist, but the facilities operations were otherwise normal.
(h) Environmental measurements of radionuclide air concentrations at critical receptor locations may be used as an alternative to air dispersion calculations in demonstrating compliance with the standard if the owner or operator meets the following criteria:
(1) The air at the point of measurement shall be continuously sampled for collection of radionuclides.
(2) Those radionuclides released from the facility that are the major contributors to the effective dose equivalent must be collected and measured as part of the environmental measurement program.
(3) Radionuclide concentrations that would cause an effective dose equivalent of 10% of the standard shall be readily detectable and distinguishable from background.
(4) Net measured radionuclide concentrations shall be compared to the concentration levels in Table 2 of appendix E of this part to determine compliance with the standard. In the case of multiple radionuclides being released from a facility, compliance shall be demonstrated if the value for all radionuclides is less than the concentration level in Table 2 of appendix E of this part, and the sum of the fractions that result when each measured concentration value is divided by the value in Table 2 of appendix E of this part for each radionuclide is less than 1.
(5) A quality assurance program shall be conducted that meets the performance requirements described in appendix B, Method 114 of this part.
(6) Use of environmental measurements to demonstrate compliance with the standard is subject to prior approval of EPA. Applications for approval shall include a detailed description of the sampling and analytical methodology and show how the above criteria will be met.
[54 FR 51697, Dec. 15, 1989, as amended at 61 FR 46212, Sept. 5, 1995; 61 FR 68981, Dec. 30, 1996; 65 FR 62156, Oct. 17, 2000; 67 FR 57167, Sept. 9, 2002]