APPENDIX G Air Quality Modeling Protocol & Air Quality Impact Analysis Documentation

167 Pages·2013·10.53 MB·English

APPENDIX G

Air Quality Modeling
Protocol & Air Quality
Impact Analysis
Documentation
Air Quality Modeling Protocol
October 15, 2013
mk017-13

Ms. Margaret Valis
Chief, Impact Assessment and Meteorology
NYSDEC – Division of Air Resources
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-3254

Subject: Caithness Long Island II, LLC
Caithness Long Island Energy Center II
Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York
Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling Protocol

Dear Ms. Valis:

TRC has been retained by Caithness Long Island II, LLC (Caithness) to prepare a
prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permit application for a proposed
approximately 752-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power facility to be constructed in the
Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York. The approximate Universal Transverse
Mercator (UTM) coordinates of the Caithness Long Island Energy Center II are 673,621
meters Easting, 4,520,851 meters Northing, in Zone 18, NAD83.

Caithness is proposing to install two (2) General Electric (GE) 7FA.05 combustion
turbines at the facility. The combustion turbines will be primarily natural gas-fired with
distillate fuel oil with a sulfur concentration of no greater than 15 ppm (“ultra-low sulfur
diesel” or “ULSD”) as backup fuel. Dry low NO burners and Selective Catalytic
x
Reduction (SCRs) will be used, in addition to water injection when firing ULSD, to reduce
nitrogen oxides (NO ) emissions from the combustion turbines. The firing of primarily
x
natural gas and ULSD as backup in the combustion turbines will minimize emissions of
particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microns (PM-10), sulfur
dioxide (SO ) and sulfuric acid mist (H SO ). Additionally, an oxidation catalyst will be
2 2 4
installed to control the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic
compounds (VOC).

Exhaust gases from each combustion turbine will flow into an adjacent heat recovery
steam generator (HRSG) equipped with natural gas-fired duct burners. Each HRSG will
produce steam to be used in the steam turbine generator. Combustion products will be
discharged through two (2) exhaust stacks. Supporting auxiliary equipment includes a
gas/ULSD fired auxiliary boiler, two (2) emergency diesel generators, and an emergency
diesel firepump.
Ms. Margaret Valis
October 15, 2013
Page 2 of 2

Enclosed please find two (2) copies of the atmospheric dispersion modeling protocol for
the Caithness Long Island Energy Center II project located in the Town of Brookhaven,
Suffolk County, New York.

The enclosed protocol contains a project and site description and a preliminary site plan.
The protocol also contains a detailed description of the modeling methodology proposed
for the air quality impact analysis to be included in the PSD permit application.

Please feel free to contact me or Ted Main at 201-508-6954 or 201-508-6960,
respectively, should you have any questions regarding the enclosed protocol. We look
forward to working with you on this project.

Sincerely,

TRC

Michael D. Keller
Senior Project Manager

cc: A. Coulter, U.S. EPA
M. Garber, Caithness
R. Ain, Caithness
T. Grace, Caithness
M. Murphy, Beveridge and Diamond
S. Gordon, Beveridge and Diamond
T. Main, TRC
C. Adduci, TRC
K. Maher, TRC
TRC Project File 206458

W:\keller\mk017-13.ltr.doc
AIR QUALITY MODELING PROTOCOL

Prepared for

Caithness Long Island II, LLC
Caithness Long Island Energy Center II
Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County,
New York

Submitted to

New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation

Prepared by

TRC
1200 Wall Street West, 5th Floor
Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071

October 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1-1
2.0 AREA DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................ 2-1
3.0 FACILITY DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................. 3-5
3.1 Equipment/Fuels ............................................................................................................ 3-5
3.2 Operation ........................................................................................................................ 3-5
3.3 Selection of Sources for Modeling ................................................................................ 3-6
3.4 Exhaust Stack Configuration and Emission Parameters ............................................. 3-6
3.5 Good Engineering Practice Stack Height ...................................................................... 3-7
4.0 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................... 4-1
4.1 New Source Review ........................................................................................................ 4-1
4.1.1 Attainment Status ....................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.2 Prevention of Significant Deterioration ............................................................... 4-2
4.1.3 Preconstruction Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Exemption ............................ 4-3
4.2 New York State Requirements ...................................................................................... 4-4
5.0 MODELING METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 5-1
5.1 Model Selection .............................................................................................................. 5-1
5.2 Surrounding Area and Land Use ................................................................................... 5-1
5.3 Meteorological Data ....................................................................................................... 5-2
5.4 Land Cover Analyses ......................................................................................................5 -4
5.4.1.1 Methodology ....................................................................................................... 5-4
5.5 Sources ............................................................................................................................ 5-7
5.6 Load Analysis .................................................................................................................. 5-7
5.7 Startups/Shutdowns....................................................................................................... 5-7
5.8 1-Hour NO Modeling..................................................................................................... 5-9
2
5.9 Receptor Grid ............................................................................................................... 5-10
5.9.1 Basic Grid ............................................................................................................. 5-10
5.10 Background Ambient Air Quality ................................................................................. 5-11
5.11 NAAQS/NYAAQS Analysis .......................................................................................... 5-11
5.12 PSD Increment Analysis ............................................................................................... 5-12
5.13 Additional Impact Analyses ......................................................................................... 5-12
5.13.1 Assessment of Impacts Due to Growth ................................................................ 5-12
5.13.2 Assessment of Impacts on Soils and Vegetation ................................................. 5-12
5.13.3 Impact on Visibility .............................................................................................. 5-13
5.13.4 Impacts on Class I Areas ...................................................................................... 5-13
5.14 Modeling Submittal ...................................................................................................... 5-13
6.0 NEW YORK STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ANALYSES ..................... 6-1
6.1 Fine Particulates (PM-2.5) ............................................................................................. 6-1
6.2 Acid Deposition ............................................................................................................. 6-2
6.3 Toxic Air Pollutant Analysis .......................................................................................... 6-2
6.4 Accidental Releases ....................................................................................................... 6-3
6.5 Combustion Turbine Visible Plume Analysis ............................................................... 6-3
6.5.1 TRC Visible Plume Model ..................................................................................... 6-4
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)

Section Page

6.5.2 Combustion Visible Plume Modeling Methodology .............................................. 6-5
6.6 LIPA Project Cumulative Impact Assessment .............................................................. 6-6
6.7 Local Large Combustion Source Cumulative Analysis ................................................. 6-6
6.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ........................................................................................... 6-6
7.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 7-1

LIST OF TABLES
Table No. Page

Table 3-1: Combustion Turbine Source Parameters ................................................................... 3-10
Table 3-1: Combustion Turbine Source Parameters (continued) .............................................. 3-11
Table 3-2: Combustion Turbine Emission Rates ........................................................................ 3-12
Table 3-3: Auxiliary Boiler Exhaust Characteristics and Emissions .......................................... 3-13
Table 3-4: Emergency Diesel Generator Exhaust Characteristics and Emissions .................... 3-14
Table 3-5: Emergency Diesel Fire Pump Exhaust Characteristics and Emissions .................... 3-15
Table 4-1: Comparison of Proposed Project Emissions Increases to PSD Significant Modification
Thresholds and Non-attainment NSR Major Modification Thresholds ..................... 4-7
Table 4-2: National Ambient Air Quality Standards, PSD Increments, Significant Monitoring
Concentrations, and Significant Impact Levels .......................................................... 4-8
Table 4-3: New York Ambient Air Quality Standards ................................................................. 4-9
Table 5-1: Comparison of Surface Parameters for the Brookhaven Airport Meteorological Tower
and the Facility Site .................................................................................................... 5-14
Table 5-2: Combustion Turbine Modeled Emission Rates and Exhaust Parameters During Rapid
Startup on Natural Gas ............................................................................................... 5-15
Table 5-3: Maximum Measured Ambient Air Quality Concentrations ...................................... 5-16

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No. Page

Figure 2-1: Site Location Map ...................................................................................................... 2-3
Figure 2-2: Site Location Aerial Photograph ............................................................................... 2-4
Figure 3-1: Preliminary Site Plan ................................................................................................. 3-9
Figure 5-1: Full Modeling Domain and 3-Kilometer Radius Around the Caithness Long Island
Energy Center II Site .................................................................................................. 5-17
Figure 5-2: Wind Rose for the Brookhaven Airport Meteorological Tower (2008 – 2012) ...... 5-18
Figure 5-3: Location of the Proposed Caithness Long Island Energy Center II and the
Brookhaven Airport .................................................................................................... 5-19
Figure 5-4: Land Use Within One Kilometer (4-Sectors) of the Brookhaven Meteorological
Tower ......................................................................................................................... 5-20
Figure 5-5: Land Use Within One Kilometer of the Brookhaven Meteorological Tower .......... 5-21
Figure 5-6: Land Use Within One Kilometer of the Caithness Long Island Energy Center II
Site ............................................................................................................................. 5-22
Figure 5-7: Land Use Within Five Kilometers of the Brookhaven Airport Meteorological
Tower ..........................................................................................................................5-23

ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No. Page

Figure 5-8: Land Use Within Five Kilometers of the Caithness Long Island Energy Center II
Site ............................................................................................................................. 5-24
Figure 5-9: Land Use (NLCD 2006) Within One Kilometer of the Brookhaven Meteorological
Tower .......................................................................................................................... 5-25
Figure 5-10: Land Use (NLCD 2006) Within One Kilometer of the Caithness Long Island Energy
Center II Site .............................................................................................................. 5-26

iii
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Caithness Long Island II, LLC (Caithness) is proposing to construct an approximately 752-
megawatt (MW) primarily natural gas fired 2-on-1 combined cycle power facility (Caithness
Long Island Energy Center II or CLI-II) on a parcel of land that borders the existing Caithness
Long Island Energy Center in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York. The
proposed facility (combustion turbines) will be primarily fueled by natural gas with ultra-low
sulfur diesel (ULSD) as emergency backup.

Because the proposed facility is located in an attainment area for sulfur dioxide (SO ), nitrogen
2
dioxide (NO ), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter
2
less than 10 micrometers (m) (PM-10) and will potentially emit more than 100 tons per year of
several air pollutants, it will be subject to 6 NYCRR Part 231/Prevention of Significant
Deterioration (PSD) permitting. Further, the project is subject to the New York State
Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the potential environmental impacts of the
project will be assessed and discussed in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to be
reviewed by the Town of Brookhaven, serving as Lead Agency. This protocol is prepared to
satisfy the air quality assessment requirements of both the SEQRA DEIS and Part 231/PSD
construction permit review process. The additional SEQRA air quality assessment requirements
are presented in Section 6.

For PM-2.5, Suffolk County is in the process of being redesignated from nonattainment to
attainment status. U.S. EPA established annual and 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for PM-2.5 in 1997, and strengthened the 24-hour NAAQS in 2006. When
these NAAQS were established, EPA determined that the New York City (NYC) metro area,
encompassing NYC and surrounding counties (including Suffolk County) in New York,
Connecticut and New Jersey should be designated as nonattainment. Since then, PM-2.5
concentrations have steadily improved, and, in 2010 and 2012, respectively, U.S. EPA
determined (based on multiple years of data) that the entire NYC metro area had attained the
PM-2.5 annual and 24-hour NAAQS, paving the way for formal redesignation (75 Fed. Reg.
69589; 77 Fed. Reg. 76867).

New York submitted a formal PM-2.5 redesignation request in June 2013. The submission
included a maintenance plan to ensure continued compliance with the PM-2.5 NAAQS. The
plan provides recorded and projected emissions inventories of PM-2.5 and its precursors,
including future motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for transportation conformity
purposes. U.S. EPA has already determined that New York’s MVEBs are adequate. Since April
2013, U.S. EPA has proposed fifteen (15) PM-2.5 nonattainment area redesignation requests for
approval, with twelve (12) already finalized. Formal action on New York’s redesignation request
1-1
is expected in the near future – well in advance of agency action on CLI-II’s air permit
application. Therefore, for the purposes of this air quality modeling protocol, the proposed
project’s air quality modeling analyses will assess the project’s compliance assuming the area
that the project is to be located in is designated attainment for PM-2.5.

Non-attainment New Source Review (NNSR) rules will apply to NO and volatile organic
x
compound (VOC) emissions (as precursors to the non-attainment pollutant ozone). Caithness
expects that emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO ), PM-10, PM-2.5, and CO will exceed the
x
pollutant specific PSD significant emission rates (SER) and, consequently, an air dispersion
modeling analysis will be required for these pollutants. Furthermore, an air quality assessment
to determine the potential impact of the project emissions on the NAAQS/NYAAQS will be
prepared to satisfy the requirements for the SEQRA DEIS.

Suffolk County is designated as moderate non-attainment for the 8-hour ozone standard. Since
the existing facility is a major source, if potential annual emissions of NO and/or VOC exceed
x
the major source thresholds (i.e., 25 tons per year of NO and/or 25 tons per year of VOC), the
x
proposed facility will be subject to NNSR.

The air quality analysis will be required to demonstrate that CLI-II will be compliant with all
applicable PSD increment levels, National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and New
York Ambient Air Quality Standards (NYAAQS). Initially, the air quality impact of the proposed
facility will be modeled using potential emission rates to determine if the facility will yield
significant air quality impacts (i.e., maximum modeled concentrations greater than the PSD
significant impact concentrations). The significance modeling will be performed for multiple
operating loads. The pollutant-specific “worst-case” operating scenario determined from the
significance modeling analysis will be used in all subsequent modeling, including any PSD
increment and multiple source NAAQS/NYAAQS analyses, if necessary.

On August 20, 2013, representatives from Caithness and TRC Environmental Corporation
(TRC), Caithness’ environmental consultants on the project, attended a pre-application meeting
with representatives of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
in Albany, New York. The meeting was held to discuss key issues related to the permitting of the
proposed facility. This modeling protocol has been prepared to describe the techniques that are
proposed for completing the air quality modeling analyses for both the SEQRA DEIS/FEIS and
the Part 231/PSD requirements that will be required to demonstrate that CLI-II will comply with
requirements related to ambient impacts, such as compliance with ambient air quality
standards, PSD increments (for the Part 231/PSD air permit application), and state ambient
guideline concentrations for air toxics. The proposed modeling procedures are intended to be
consistent with guidance provided by U.S. EPA in the “Guideline on Air Quality Models” which
appears in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Appendix W of 40 CFR Part 51, the “Draft
1-2