ABSTRACT

A facility that proposes to add or modify a source of air pollution may be required to obtain an approved air permit before starting construction of the new source. Local regulations define the permit requirements for small sources. Federal regulations define the air permit application requirements for major stationary sources. The process for evaluation and approval of a new major source permit application is called new source review (NSR). It covers permits for new major sources in both attainment, called prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permits, and nonattainment area (NAA) permits. Although remaining in draft form for the past 25 years, when read with the current NSR regulations, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s New Source Review Workshop Manual continues to provide excellent guidance for preparing an air permit application.1,4

Permit requirements are specific for each pollutant, including each criteria pollutant, precursors to tropospheric ozone (i.e., volatile organic compounds), and each hazardous air pollutant. Depending on the quantity of each pollutant emitted, each may be subject to a local regulation or to federal regulations for NSR.