Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Regulator Responsibility:

The state of Texas through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), maintains and updates a comprehensive suite of rules limiting the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from many sources.

Texas Administrative Code:

The VOC emission rules are proscribed in the Texas Administrative Code Title 30, Part 1, Chapter 115, and various sub-chapters, as shown below:

Texas Administrative Code

TITLE 30  ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PART 1 TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CHAPTER 115 CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Subchapters

SUBCHAPTER A:  DEFINITIONS
SUBCHAPTER B: GENERAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SOURCES
SUBCHAPTER C: VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND TRANSFER OPERATIONS
SUBCHAPTER D: PETROLEUM REFINING, NATURAL GAS PROCESSING, AND PETROCHEMICAL PROCESSES
SUBCHAPTER E: SOLVENT-USING PROCESSES
SUBCHAPTER F: MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL SOURCES
SUBCHAPTER G: CONSUMER-RELATED SOURCES
SUBCHAPTER H: HIGHLY-REACTIVE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SUBCHAPTER J: ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Each Sub-Chapter has a number of Divisions, further categorizing the regulations. For example, the Sub-Chapter E Solvent-Using Processes is divided into the following Divisions:


SUBCHAPTER E  SOLVENT-USING PROCESSES Divisions

DIVISION 1:  DEGREASING PROCESSES
DIVISION 2: SURFACE COATING PROCESSES
DIVISION 3: FLEXOGRAPHIC AND ROTOGRAVURE PRINTING
DIVISION 4: OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING
DIVISION 5: CONTROL REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COATING PROCESSES
DIVISION 6: INDUSTRIAL CLEANING SOLVENTS
DIVISION 7: MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ADHESIVES

Finally, the emission rules for each Division are organized into the same group of sections as shown below:


DIVISION 6  INDUSTRIAL CLEANING SOLVENTS Rules

§115.460:  Applicability and Definitions
§115.461:  Exemptions
§115.463:  Control Requirements
§115.464:  Alternate Control Requirements
§115.465:  Approved Test Methods and Testing Requirements
§115.468:  Monitoring and Recordkeeping Requirements
§115.469:  Compliance Schedules

The section number 115 identifies the section as belonging to Chapter 115 CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. The 3-digit number following 115. is a non-significant chronological number. Of the sections, Control Requirements and Compliance Schedules are especially relevant. Control Requirements define the emission limits for VOCs. Compliance Schedules indicate the date that the rules come into effect.

Navigating the Rules

Note that SUBCHAPTER E: SOLVENT-USING PROCESSES publishes rules both in DIVISION 2: SURFACE COATING PROCESSES  and in DIVISION 5: CONTROL REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COATING PROCESSES .  Where a coating category is regulated in both divisions, the Division 5 rules supersede the Division 2 rules.

TCEQ has posted a website that makes it easier to navigate the many regulations. The following link:http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/stationary-rules/ozone takes you to this page:

>>You are here: Home / Air Quality / Air Quality Rules: Stationary Sources / Controlling Ozone Pollution

Controlling Ozone Pollution
The Rules in Title 30, Texas Administrative Code, Chapters 115 and 117 are part of the State Implementation Plan strategy to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone. These rules reduce ozone by limiting VOC and NOx emissions from stationary sources.

Controlling Air Pollution from Volatile Organic Compounds

Rules limit VOC emissions from the following sources:

You can link to any of the areas of interest. For example, the link and pages for Industrial Cleaning Solvents is reproduced below. These pages provide more context for the Rules listed in Section 1. Note that Rule Citation allows you to link to the specific Rule in the Code. Using the Controlling Ozone Pollution page in section 3 with the text of the Administrative Code in section 1, you can research the applicable rules, context, and timetable for adoption.

March 1, 2013 Rule Changes:

Note that the rules for two VOC emission sources were changed effective March 1, 2013: Rule Project No. 2010-025-115-EN Storage of VOC. The complete description of the deliberations leading to the change can be found at the following link:http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/legal/rules/hist_rules/Complete.10s/10025115/10025115_ado_clean.pdf. The revised rule is now listed under Sub-Chapter B Division 1: STORAGE OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. Rule Project No. 2010-016-115-EN Solvent-Using Processes. The complete description of the deliberations leading to the change can be found at the following link:http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/legal/rules/hist_rules/Complete.10s/10016115/10016115_ado_clean.pdf.  The revised rule is now listed under Sub-Chapter E Solvent Using Processes in several Divisions.

The Texas Secretary of State also publishes solvent and coatings rules:

http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=30&pt=1&ch=115&sch=E