Plantwide Applicability Limits: A Legitimate Alternative to Major New Source Review Permitting
Posted: January 19th, 2012
Introduction There have been a number of recent developments regarding U.S. EPA’s interpretation of the major New Source Review (NSR) air permitting rules that are related to the NSR Reform provisions of December 2002. When these new interpretations are considered […]
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“Black Carbon” Emissions
Posted: January 18th, 2012
Introduction Four sessions at the U.S. EPA – AWMA Information Exchange that was held in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina this past December were either directly or indirectly related to Black Carbon emissions. There is growing momentum both domestically and […]
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The Future of Secondary Materials as Fuel
Posted: January 18th, 2012
Introduction Many questions related to the regulatory status of facilities that use secondary materials as alternative fuels are anticipated to be answered in 2010. In simple terms, if a combustion source uses a secondary material that is characterized as solid […]
Read articleThe Hammer Falls Again as U.S. EPA Proposes Revisions to “MACT Hammer” Regulations
Posted: January 18th, 2012
What is the “MACT Hammer”? As part of the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990, Congress established a list of source categories and subcategories for which U.S. EPA was tasked to develop new Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards, […]
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Not So Fast – Getting That Air Permit Won’t Be As Easy As You Think
Posted: January 18th, 2012
Introduction Most of the air regulations promulgated by U.S. EPA are developed and implemented to achieve compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The NAAQS represent ambient air concentration levels that are established by U.S. EPA to ensure […]
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This New Suit is a Little Tight: Absurdity and the Greenhouse Gas “Tailoring Rule”
Posted: January 18th, 2012
On May 13, 2010, U.S. EPA issued the final rule known as the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Tailoring Rule (GHG Tailoring Rule). It was subsequently published in the Federal Register on June 3, […]
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Environmental Justice: Fair Treatment, Meaningful Involvement, and Impacts on Air Quality Permitting
Posted: January 18th, 2012
Environmental Justice (EJ) is cited as a top priority of the current U.S. EPA administration. U.S. EPA defines EJ as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the […]
Read articleBack to Basics: The Emissions Inventory – A Critical Tool for Air Quality Compliance
Posted: January 18th, 2012
All air quality operating permits have associated monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements of varying complexity based on the status of the facility (major or minor), type of operations, number of sources, jurisdiction, applicable regulations, etc. Most facilities must keep detailed […]
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2011 and Beyond: The Critical Air Quality Issues Affecting Industry
Posted: January 18th, 2012
The December 2010 “year-end” edition of 4 The Record provides a look ahead into 2011. Even with the recent “Change in Climate” associated with the national political scene; we still see a very active U.S. EPA moving forward with their […]
Read articleAlternative Fuels: Reducing Fuel Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Posted: January 16th, 2012
The use of alternative fuels for heat and power generation is on the rise, an increase that can be attributed to the price surge and volatility of traditional fossil fuels, as well as a general desire to use more environmentally […]
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