Air Permitting is broken down into three major programs required by the Clear Air Act (CAA).
Acid Rain Permits (Title IV)
Title IV permits are generally issued to power plants and other facilities that emit pollutants, such as sulfur, into the air. States and local governments issue these permits and some states package them into a Title V operating permit.
If no modification is performed, these permits are generally renewed every five years.
Preconstruction Permits (New Source Review)
New Source Review (NSR) permits are issued to review environmental controls for new building facilities and modifications to existing facilities that create a significant increase of a regulated pollutant. Routine and scheduled maintenance does not require a permit so long as equipment is replaced with same model. Most NSR permits are issued by state and local regulators, though some are issued by the EPA.
NSR permits are generally valid for ten years so long as no modifications are made.
Operating Permits (Title V)
Major sources of pollutants and certain other pollutants are required to obtain a Title V operating permit under the CAA. Title V permits are issued by the prime regulators, state and local governments, under CAA Part 70. The EPA in limited circumstances will issue them under CAA Part 71.
These permits are renewed at least annually if no modification is made.
Exceptions to CAA
Permit-by-rule (PBR)
Some states offer permit-by-rule (PBR) for air permits. PBRs are for facilities that stay under a threshold for emissions within their specific industries. They generally do not have to filed, but a copy of emission calculation records must be kept in order to defend the PBR.
First American Safety and Environmental Services can obtain and maintain permits that contain a single facility to multiple facilities in multiple states. Call us at (432) 638-2255 for more information.