Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass): SOR/2020-205

Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 154, Number 20

Registration
SOR/2020-205 September 21, 2020

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

P.C. 2020-653 September 20, 2020

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 332(1) footnote a of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 footnote b, the Minister of the Environment published in the Canada Gazette, Part 1, on June 8, 2019, a copy of the proposed Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass), substantially in the annexed form, under the title Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations Amendment Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass), and persons were given an opportunity to file comments with respect to the proposed Regulations or to file a notice of objection requesting that a board of review be established and stating the reasons for the objection;

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 93(3) of that Act, the National Advisory Committee has been given an opportunity to provide its advice under section 6 footnote c of that Act;

And whereas, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, pursuant to subsection 93(4) of that Act, the proposed Regulations do not regulate an aspect of a substance that is regulated by or under any other Act of Parliament in a manner that provides, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, sufficient protection to the environment and human health;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health, pursuant to subsections 93(1) and 330(3.2) footnote d of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 footnote b, makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass).

Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass)

Amendments

1 (1) The definitions biomass and biomass boiler in section 4 of the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations footnote 1 are replaced by the following:

(2) Section 4 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

2 (1) Paragraph 5(3)(l) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:

(2) Section 5 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following after subsection (3):

Percentage of input energy

(4) For the purpose of paragraph (3)(l), the percentage of the input energy in a biomass boiler’s or biomass heater’s combustion chamber resulting from the introduction of biomass is to be determined, for a given hour while the boiler or heater is in a steady state, by the formula

Ebio/(Ebio + Egnc + Ecfg + Eo + Es) × 100

where

Ebio is the input energy resulting from the introduction of biomass for the given hour, determined by the formula

Qbio × HHVbio

where

Ecng is the input energy resulting from the introduction of commercial grade natural gas for the given hour, determined by the formula

Qcng × HHVcng

where

Egff is the input energy resulting from the introduction of gaseous fossil fuel, other than commercial grade natural gas, for the given hour, determined by the formula

Qgff × HHVgff

where

Eo is the input energy resulting from the introduction of a fuel other than biomass or gaseous fossil fuel during the given hour, determined by the formula

i(Qi × HHVi)

where

Es is the input energy, expressed in GJ, that originates from a source other than the combustion of fuel in the boiler’s or heater’s combustion chamber during the given hour, determined in accordance with generally accepted engineering principles.

Request for information

(5) A responsible person for a biomass boiler or biomass heater must, on the Minister’s request, provide to the Minister any of the following:

3 Subsection 43(1) of the Regulations is amended by adding the following after paragraph (d):

Coming into Force

4 These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Issues

Boilers combusting predominantly solid or liquid biomass are intentionally excluded from the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (MSAPR). However, the definitions of biomass and biomass boiler prior to the Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass) failed to exclude these boilers while co-firing with some natural gas. Since boilers combusting predominantly solid and liquid biomass were not intended to be regulated under the MSAPR, amendments have been made to clarify the exclusion.

Background

The MSAPR came into force in June 2016. The MSAPR work to protect the environment and the health of Canadians by establishing nationally consistent air pollutant emission standards for key industrial sources and equipment. By establishing emission intensity limits, the MSAPR implement base-level industrial emission requirements (BLIERs) agreed to through the Air Quality Management System (AQMS) for gaseous fossil fuel–fired industrial boilers and heaters, stationary spark-ignition engines, and cement manufacturing facilities.

The MSAPR target natural gas boilers and heaters, as they are the largest segment of the boiler and heater population in Canada. There are some boilers, largely at pulp and paper mills, that co-fire biomass with natural gas in order to use the waste material available to these facilities. It is not feasible for these biomass boilers to meet nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission standards designed for natural gas boilers and BLIERs had not been developed for biomass, which is why they were excluded from the MSAPR.

The definition of biomass boiler prior to the Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass) was “a boiler that can reach its rated capacity by combusting only biomass.” Following the publication of the MSAPR, it became evident that there are some biomass boilers that burn predominantly biomass and co-fire with some natural gas in order to generate enough heat to operate properly. These boilers cannot reach their rated capacity without using natural gas. Without modifying the definition, these units would be required to meet the MSAPR NOx emission standards, which was not the intent of the MSAPR as they burn predominantly biomass and cannot meet emission standards designed for the combustion of natural gas. New units could potentially face the same issue in absence of the amendments to the MSAPR.

Objective

The Regulations Amending the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass) [the amendments] are intended to ensure that boilers and heaters that combust predominantly solid or liquid biomass are excluded from the MSAPR.

Description

The amendments to the MSAPR

Regulatory development

Consultation

The Department of the Environment (the Department) held consultations with stakeholders, including owners, operators and manufacturers of boilers and heaters, industry associations, non-governmental organizations, as well as provincial and territorial representatives, in the process of developing the amendments. In November 2018, the Department invited stakeholders to participate on stakeholder engagement webinars to discuss the amendments. The feedback received was favourable. There was general agreement that the amendments provided more certainty as to the types of excluded equipment.

On June 8, 2019, the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations Amendment Regulations (Part 1 — Biomass) were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for a 60-day public comment period. During the comment period, two comments were received. An industry association requested that the amendments be published as soon as possible and another industry stakeholder expressed support for the amendments. These comments align with the feedback received following the stakeholder engagement webinars in November 2018.

Modern treaty obligations and Indigenous engagement and consultation

Pursuant to the Cabinet Directive on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation, the Department conducted an assessment of modern treaty implications on the amendments. The assessment did not identify any modern treaty implications or obligations. Several National Indigenous organizations were invited to participate in the stakeholder engagement webinars held in November 2018 and they were informed of the 60-day public comment period following the publication of the amendments in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on June 8, 2019. No concerns were raised.

Instrument choice

A regulatory amendment is the only instrument available to modify existing regulations.

Regulatory analysis

Impact on businesses, the Government of Canada or Canadian consumers

Businesses: The amendments are not expected to result in cost impacts for businesses, as they ensure that biomass boilers and heaters are not subject to the MSAPR. The amendments better align with the original intent of the MSAPR by indicating that biomass boilers and heaters that combust predominantly biomass are excluded.

Government and Canadian consumers: The amendments have no impact on the Government or Canadian consumers.

Small business lens

The small business lens does not apply, as there are no identified small businesses that could be affected by the amendments.

One-for-one rule

The one-for-one rule applies since there is a change in administrative burden on businesses (both an increase and a decrease), resulting from offsetting added and removed reporting requirements. Following the Treasury Board Secretariat’s standard costing model, and using a 7% discount rate, the annualized net decrease in administrative costs for affected businesses (it is assumed that only one business will be impacted) is approximately $5 (in 2012 Canadian dollars). This represents an “out” under the one-for-one rule.

Regulatory cooperation and alignment

The amendments are not expected to have any impact on regulatory cooperation and alignment.

Strategic environmental assessment

The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) that was conducted for the Canadian ambient air quality standards and implementation of industrial emission requirements, including those for the MSAPR, concluded that the MSAPR will result in important positive environmental effects including direct reductions in emissions of key air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds, from major industrial sources. The amendments, which confirm the original MSAPR policy intent to exclude biomass boilers, and which add biomass heaters, do not meaningfully change the conclusions of the SEA.

Gender-based analysis plus and other distributional issues

No groups (based on factors such as gender, sex, age, language, education, geography, culture, ethnicity, income, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity) are expected to be affected disproportionately by the amendments. No concerns have been expressed by stakeholders or the public regarding the possible consequences of the amendments.

Implementation, compliance and enforcement, and service standards

Compliance promotion and enforcement activities will continue for the MSAPR regulatees. The amendments come into force upon registration.

Contacts

Jennifer Kerr
Director
Air Emissions Priorities Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Email: ec.airpur-cleanair.ec@canada.ca

Matthew Watkinson
Director
Regulatory Analysis and Valuation Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
200 Sacré-Cœur Boulevard, 10th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Email: eccc.darv-ravd.eccc@canada.ca