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Fact Sheet
November 2012
Information for Irrigation Engine Owners
This fact sheet will assist you in understanding your obligations under the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE). Requirements for this rule begin May 3, 2013.
What is the rule?
EPA issued a final rule that will reduce emissions of toxic air pollutants from reciprocating internal combustion engines including irrigation equipment. Toxic air pollutants, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are suspected of causing cancer and other serious health effects. The majority of irrigation engines in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska have less than 300 horsepower. This new rule will have minor impact on this equipment. Engines with more than 300 horsepower will have additional regulatory requirements.
- Irrigation owners and operators
- Iowa has less than 625,000 irrigated acres
- Kansas has between 2,500,000 and 4,999,999 irrigated acres
- Missouri has between 625,000 and 1,249,999 irrigated acres
- Nebraska has more than 5,000,000 irrigated acres
- Municipal utilities
- Oil and gas extraction and pipelines
- Pipeline transportation
- General medical and surgical hospitals
- Other area sources for hazardous air pollutants (defined below)
What is an area source for hazardous air pollutants?
An area source for hazardous air pollutants is one that emits less than 10 tons per year of any single hazardous pollutant and less than 25 tons per year of all hazardous pollutants combined.
- According to national and state irrigation associations almost all pivot irrigation engines are:
- Less than or equal to 300 horsepower
- Located in rural and agricultural areas
- Run on diesel or gas
This rule applies to all stationary engines. Records need to be kept for five years and all engines need to limit duration of startup and shutdown time to less than 30 minutes per event.
- If the engine is less than 300 brake horsepower, requirements are less stringent. They include:
- Change oil filter annually or every 1,000 hours of operation
- Inspect the air cleaner (filter) annually or every 1,000 hours of operation
- Inspect all hoses and belts annually or every 500 hours of operation
- If the engine is more than 300 brake horsepower, requirements are more stringent. They include:
- Notify EPA and your state permitting agency
- Install a clean crank case ventilation and/or catalyst to reduce pollutants from exhaust
- Monitor inlet temperature and pressure drop, or exhaust carbon monoxide concentration
- Test the engine every 8,760 hours of operation or every three years
- Report to the state annually that the standard is being met
Contact for EPA Region 7:
David Peter, environmental engineer, at 913-551-7397 or by email at peter.david@epa.gov
For further information, please visit the following website: www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/rice/ricepg.html