IN BRIEF

April 1, 2012
EPA Extends Tune-up Deadline for Area-Source Boilers For the time being, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not pursue enforcement action

EPA Extends Tune-up Deadline for Area-Source Boilers

For the time being, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not pursue enforcement action against facilities that missed the March 21, 2012, deadline to conduct a boiler tune-up as required by the Boiler Area Source Rule.

A no-action-assurance letter issued March 13 (http://1.usa.gov/NAA_letter) will remain in effect until Oct. 1, 2012, or the effective date of a final rule, whichever comes first.

The tune-up requires stack testing to measure carbon monoxide and oxygen. Many operators of older boilers told the EPA their facilities would have to undergo alterations, such as the installation of a sampling port or platform, for such testing to be conducted and that more time was needed. Additionally, many said their older boilers would have to be repaired to meet the requirement that combustion be optimized consistent with manufacturer specifications.

Units subject to the tune-up requirement include existing coal units with heat-input capacity of less than 10 million Btuh and existing biomass and oil units.

“Even though the EPA has extended the tune-up deadline for area-source boilers, we strongly recommend that these facilities take the necessary steps to meet this and other compliance requirements set forth in the rule,” Welch Goggins, president and chief executive officer of Cleaver-Brooks Inc., provider of boiler-room products and systems, said.

For more information about Boiler Area Source Rule requirements, go to www.cleaverbrooks.com/epa.

USGBC Introduces Green Classroom Pro Certificate

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently introduced Green Classroom Professional (GCP), a certificate program for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and parents.

“The Green Classroom Professional certificate aims to empower educators and decision-makers to dramatically improve the learning environment, increasing comfort, health, and performance for students and teachers alike,” Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at the USGBC, said.

Participants are guided through 12 modules covering key classroom-health topics. The final assessment is made up of animated and narrated scenarios, along with multiple-choice questions, guiding teachers through situations they may encounter in the classroom.

The online course takes two to three hours to complete. Certification is valid for five years.

For more information, visit http://centerforgreenschools.org/greenclassroom.

ASHRAE DOAS Webinar Set

ASHRAE will present a free Webinar titled “Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems — A Path to Balancing Energy and IEQ” April 19 from 1-4 p.m. EDT.

Three professional-development hours or three American Institute of Architects learning units are available.

For more information and to register, visit www.ashrae.org/doaswebcast, call 678-539-1200, or write to [email protected].