U.S. EPA Releases Draft Guidance on PM2.5 Permit Modeling 

March 5, 2013

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On March 4, 2013, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released Draft Guidance for PM2.5 Permit Modeling for consideration, review, and comment.  There is also an accompanying question and answer document available for review.

 

The guidance document reflects the EPA’s preliminary recommendations for how a stationary source seeking a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit may demonstrate that it will not cause or contribute to a violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and PSD increments for PM2.5, as required by the Clean Air Act.  The document incorporates the modeling procedures and recommendations from the March 23, 2010 guidance memorandum and further clarifies for procedures for adequately addressing primary and secondarily formed fine PM2.5 in a NAAQS compliance demonstration under the PSD program.

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In summary, this is still guidance, but it will ultimately have an effect on all PSD projects, even those applicants that have already submitted a PSD application but have not received a permit yet.  It will have no effect on existing PSD permits.
 

The PM2.5 Significant Impact Levels (SILs) and Significant Monitoring Concentration (SMC) were revoked on January 22, 2013, so all sources will now be required to submit preconstruction monitoring data.  One may be able to rely on data from existing monitoring sites in most cases and not have to conduct private monitoring.

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EPA will be accepting comments on this draft guidance through April 17, 2013.  For more information, please visit the U.S. EPA’s Web page on Permit Modeling Guidance and note that the U.S. EPA will be holding a webinar on next Wednesday March 13, 2013 from 2:30-4 pm EST.  Register for the webinar at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/897731257.