This webinar was performed by James Westbrook, President of BlueScape Environmental to provide you with practical training from the viewpoint of a facility manager or project developer. For projects in Texas, you will learn how to assess whether a permit is required for new or modified equipment, to review the feasibility of meeting permitting requirements and rule conditions, to complete the steps for writing an application to obtain a permit, and to negotiate permit conditions with the air district. James can be reached at 858-774-2009. For a video presentation, visit BlueScape's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKXZeqMeJms. Also see www.bluescapeinc.com.

1. How Do I Get an Air Permit
in Texas?
A Practical Guide for Facility
Managers
March 11, 2014
James A. Westbrook
jwestbrook@bluescapeinc.com
877-486-9257

2. Topics
• What
situa-ons
trigger
air
permi3ng
requirements?
• Is
an
air
permit
required?
• What
are
the
permi3ng
op-ons
available?
• Air
permi3ng
steps
in
Texas
– Preliminary
design
review
and
permit
feasibility
– Applica-on:
fees,
forms,
rule
review,
New
Source
Review,
special
technical
studies,
etc.
– Applica-on
submiGal
process
– Nego-a-ng
a
final
permit

3. About
the
Presenter
• Nearly
30
years
experience
with
air
permi3ng
na-onwide,
more
than
100
projects
• Power
plants,
industrial
cogen,
LNG
facili-es,
building
materials,
aerospace,
refineries,
oil
&
gas
processing
• Solve
tough
air
permi3ng
issues
and
get
the
permit:
-­‐
Develop
permi3ng
strategy,
quickly
obtain
permits
-­‐
Reduce
impacts
on
opera-onal
flexibility
-­‐
Excel
in
technical
analysis
tools,
emission
controls
and
modeling
-­‐
Develop
workable
monitoring,
recordkeeping
and
repor-ng
-­‐
Established
agency
rela-onships,
lead
nego-a-ons

4. TCEQ
Air
Permi3ng
www.tceq.state.tx.us/permi3ng/air/air_permits.html

5. TCEQ
Air
Permits
Division
Org
Chart

6. diesel
engine
new
coa-ng
process
modified
paint
booth
loading
opera-on
boiler
portable
sprayer
portable
concrete
plant
cooling
tower
chemical
storage
baghouse
hospital
data
center
oil
drilling
refinery
heater
Title
V
facility
heat
trea-ng
merger
third-­‐party
con-guous
proper-es

7. Business
and
Regulatory
Changes
Can
Trigger
Air
Permit
Needs
BUSINESS
CHANGES:
• Change,
expand
or
consolidate
opera-ons
– New
equipment
– Modified
equipment
• Physical
modifica-on
• Change
in
method
of
opera-on
– Change
in
equipment
descrip-on,
permit
condi-ons
• Upgrade,
retrofit
or
replace
equipment
– New
or
modified
equipment
– Change
in
permit
condi-ons
(not
physically
modified)
– Emission
reduc-ons,
and
apply
for
offsets
• Change
of
ownership,
mergers,
acquisi-on
• Rental
equipment
REGULATORY
CHANGES:
• Comply
with
new
emission
control
requirements
• New
Federal
rule
applicability
– Title
V,
NESHAP,
NSPS

8. Why
is
an
Air
Permit
Required?
TAC
Title
30,
Part
1,
Chapter
116.110:
Before
any
actual
work
is
begun
on
the
facility,
any
person
who
plans
to
construct
any
new
facility
or
engage
in
the
modifica:on
of
any
exis:ng
facility
which
may
emit
air
contaminants
into
the
air
of
this
state
shall
either:
-­‐ Obtain
a
permit
under
Sec:on
116.111
(General
Applica:on);
-­‐ Sa:sfy
the
condi:ons
for
a
standard
permit;
-­‐ Sa:sfy
the
condi:ons
for
a
flexible
permit;
-­‐ Sa:sfy
the
condi:ons
for
facili:es
permiHed
by
rule;
or
-­‐ Sa:sfy
the
criteria
for
a
de
minimis
facility
or
source
Modifica:ons
to
exis:ng
permiJng
facili:es
may
be
handled
through
the
amendment
of
an
exis:ng
permit
Consequence
of
non-­‐compliance:
viola3ons,
fines,
even
an
order
to
shutdown!

9. Permit
Review
Approach
• Iden-fy
all
equipment
affected
by
changes
• Establish
permit
ownership
• Know
ways
equipment
will
be
used,
and
alterna-ves
• What
is
the
best
permit
structure
for
opera-ons?
– Will
higher
limits
be
required?
• Is
facility
a
major
or
minor
facility
• Take
ac-on:
-­‐ Document
as
diminimis
if
possible
-­‐ File
for
appropriate
permit
type
-­‐ Complete
case-­‐by-­‐case
NSR
review
if
required

10. TCEQ
General
NSR
Permit
Review
Processes
• De
minimis
• Permits
by
Rule
• Standard
Permits
• Minor
New
Source
Review
Permits
• Major
New
Source
Review
Permits

11.
De
Minimis
Facili-es
&
Sources
• De
minimis
-­‐
do
not
have
to
obtain
and
registra-on
or
authoriza-on
before
construc-on
• Applicable
facili-es
or
sources
considered
de
minimis
– Cleaning
&
stripping
solvent,
50
gal
per
year
– Coa-ngs
(excluding
pla-ng
materials),
100
gal
per
year
– Dyes,
1,000
pounds
per
year
– Bleaches,
1,000
gal
per
year
– Fragrances
(excluding
odorants),
250
gal
per
year
– Water-­‐based
surfactants/detergents,
2,500
gal
per
year
• Indoor
facili-es
or
sources
with
maximum
emissions
under
Effects
Screening
Levels
(ESL)
without
controls
• Published
list:
www.tceq.texas.gov/permi3ng/air/guidance/
newsourcereview/list-­‐of-­‐de-­‐minimis-­‐facili-es.html/at_download/file
• TCEQ
discre-on
on
case-­‐by-­‐case
basis

12.
Permit
By
Rule
Authoriza-ons
• Insignificant
facili-es
&
ac-vi-es
may
be
permiGed
by
rule
(TAC
Chapter
106)
• Also
known
as
a
“Standard
Exemp-on”
• A
facility
may
qualify
for
PBR
if
opera-on
emissions
less
than:
– 250
TPY
CO
or
NOx
– 25
TPY
VOC,
SOx
or
PM
– 15
TPY
PM10
or
10
TPY
PM2.5
• There
are
120
individual
PBRs
that
may
be
claimed
• Common
processes
such
as
boiler
and
heaters
• Maximum
ra-ngs,
emission
limits,
recordkeeping

13.
Standard
Permits
• Standard
permits
are
only
available
for
certain
project
types,
to
streamline
NSR
• Based
on
similarity
from
project
to
project
• To
determine
compliance
with
all
applicable
requirements,
the
permit
review
must
perform:
– Evalua-on
of
representa-ons
– Emissions
calcula-ons
– Evalua-on
of
any
other
supplemental
technical
informa-on
submiGed
• Cannot
be
used
if
triggering
major
NSR
• Best
Available
Control
Technology
(BACT)
required
• Most
standard
permits
processed
in
45
days
• A
few
Standard
Permits
contained
in
a
Rule

14.
Standard
Permits
Project
Type
Examples
• Boilers
• Concrete
Batch
Plants
• CoGon
gins
&
coGon
burr
tub
grinders
• Dry
bulk
fer-lizer
handling
• Electric
genera-ng
units
• Feedmills,
portable
augers,
hay
grinders
• Grain
elevator/grain
handling
• Hot
mix
asphalt
plants
• Municipal
solid-­‐waste
landfills
• Oil
&
gas
facili-es
• Peanut
handling
• Pollu-on
control
projects
• Polyphosphate
blenders
• Portable
grain
augers
• Rock/concrete
crushers
• Sawmills

15.
Minor
NSR
Permits
• Case-­‐by-­‐case
permits
for
minor
sources,
which
do
not
trigger
major
source
permi3ng
• Applica-on
process
includes:
– Ini-al/Administra-ve
review
– Technical
Review
(BACT
&
impact
analysis)
– Draling
the
permit
more
involved,
specific
to
project
• BACT
and
air
quality
modeling
• Also
known
as
“Subchapter
B
Permits”

16.
Major
NSR
Permits
• Case-­‐by-­‐case
permits
for
facili-es
that
trigger
major
source
permi3ng
– AGainment
areas
–
PSD
– NonaGainment
areas
• Title
V
is
is
required
when
a
site
emits
or
has
a
PTE
of:
– 10
TPY
a
single
HAP
or
25
TPY
any
combina-on
of
HAPs
– 100
TPY
of
any
regulated
pollutant

17. Case-­‐by-­‐Case
NSR
• If
not
Permit
by
Rule
or
Standard
permit
• Emission
increases
from
new
or
modified
equipment,
exceeding
applicability
thresholds
• Modified
–
physical
modifica-on
or
change
in
method
of
opera-on
– Throughput
change
without
changing
a
permit
limit
does
not
count
• In
Texas,
generally
for
aGainment
area
pollutants
• Flexible
permits
are
possible;
facility
emission
caps
• NSR
Requirements:
– Best
available
control
technology
– Emission
Offsets,
in
non-­‐aGainment
areas
– Modeling
for
ambient
air
quality
standards

18. Opera-ng
w/o
a
Permit?
• What
if
I
find
I
am
opera-ng
without
a
permit?
• Document
why
and
how
you
learned
about
it
–
you
will
need
these
details!
• Consult
an
aGorney
familiar
with
air
districts
about
poten-al
legal
ac-on
against
your
company,
and
disclosure
needs
• File
an
applica-on
with
TCEQ
as
soon
as
possible
– Depending
on
aGorney
recommenda-on,
work
out
with
TCEQ
permit
engineer
or
enforcement
• Breakdown?
– Has
to
meet
breakdowns
rule,
unforeseen,
no-ce
required

19. Recommenda-ons
• Keep
an
accurate
equipment
inventory
and
log
books
• Periodically
audit
facility
equipment
&
permits,
for
changes
in
rules
or
exemp-ons
• Establish
a
management
of
change
policy,
to
evaluate
changes
for
business
ac-ons
• Permit
by
Rule
or
Standard
Permit
when
possible
– Unless
greater
emission
limits
needed,
then
case-­‐by-­‐case
NSR
• Avoid
major
NSR,
explore
flexible
permi3ng
• Maintain
a
working
rela-onship
with
agency
staff
• Hire
experienced
consultants
and
aGorneys
– Project
permit
design,
avoiding
opera-onal
issues
– Address
issues
before
changes
are
made
– Correc-ve
ac-on,
if
out
of
compliance
with
permit
and
rule
requirements

20. Air Permit Application
Steps in Texas

21. What
are
your
Permi3ng
Objec-ves?
• Get
the
permit,
move
project
development
forward
– Quick,
smooth,
hassle-­‐free
process
• Save
money
on
equipment
and
emission
controls
• Avoid
mistakes
in
equipment
selec-on
• Minimize
regulatory
limita-ons
and
constraints
• Maximize
opera-onal
flexibility
• Get
ahead
of
changing,
stricter
requirements
• Allow
for
future
plant
expansion
if
needed
An
air
permit
is
a
cri3cal
piece
of
business
insurance
!!

22. Air
Permi3ng
Process
-­‐
Summary

23. Applica-on
Process
in
Texas
• Permit
feasibility
review;
review
thresholds
and
project
design
• Pre-­‐applica-on
Mee-ng
with
TCEQ
• Complete
Applica-on
Package
SubmiGal
– Fees
– Cover
LeGer
– Forms
–
general,
equipment-­‐specific
– Technical
Report
–
emissions,
BACT,
applicable
rules
– Air
Quality
Impact
Analysis
– Equipment
Specifica-ons
– Manufacturer
Guarantees
– Site
plans
and
area
maps
• Applica-on
SubmiGal
Mee-ng
• TCEQ
Ini-al
/
Administra-ve
Review
• TCEQ
Technical
Review
• Nego-ate
Permit
Condi-ons

24. Planning
&
Feasibility
Analysis
• Plan
early
at
the
drawing
board
• Technical
Issues
review
–
“fatal-­‐flaw”
analysis
• Data
development
–
project
design,
vendors,
geography
• Issues
List:
– Best
Available
Control
Technology
(BACT),
by
unit
– Prohibitory
Rules
–
exemp-ons,
limits,
monitoring,
recordkeeping
and
repor-ng
requirements
– Startup
and
Shutdown
Emissions,
Varying
Condi-ons
– Emission
Offsets,
by
facility
/
project
– Title
V
and
PSD
permi3ng,
by
facility
/
project
– Air
Quality
Impacts
– Poten-al
to
develop
Emission
Credits
for
sale
• Community
Support
and
Involvement
• How
feasible
is
this
project,
what
must
happen?
• Develop
a
Permi3ng
Strategy
and
Workplan

25. Applicability
Thresholds
• Emissions
calcula-ons
are
used
to
determine
applicability
of
the
following:
– New
Source
Review
• Best
Available
Control
Technology
(BACT)
• Emission
Offsets
• Emission
Limits
• Air
Quality
Impact
Assessment
• Monitoring,
Recordkeeping,
Repor-ng
– New
Source
Performance
Standards
(NSPS)
– Na-onal
Emission
Standards
for
Hazardous
Air
Pollutants
(NESHAP)

26. Air
Quality
Impact
Analysis
• Typically
required
for
case-­‐by-­‐case
NSR
• Na-onal
ambient
air
quality
standards
– NO2,
PM10,
PM2.5,
SO2,
CO
and
VOC
(ozone)
• ESLs
–
effects
screening
levels
for
short-­‐term
and
long-­‐term
health
effects
(ex
benzene)
• Agency
will
run
an
independent
analysis
• Must
show
compliance
to
get
the
permit

27. Subchapter
B
–
Ini-al/Administra-ve
Review
• Typically
take
less
than
30
days
and
consists
of:
– Logging
the
project
into
the
NSR
database
and
assignment
of
project
and
permit
numbers;
– Verifica-on
of
the
address,
legal
en-ty
name,
and
that
the
applica-on
contains
the
appropriate
signatures;
– Determina-on
of
whether
or
not
the
en-ty
is
a
small
business;
– Verifica-on
of
payment
of
fees
and
that
there
are
no
current
delinquent
fees;
– Determina-on
of
the
applicability
of
special
interest
programs
(such
as
the
Air
Pollutant
Watch
List);
– Update
of
informa-on
in
the
TCEQ's
Central
Registry
database;
– Prepara-on
and
submiGal
of
the
site
review
Request
for
Comments
(RFC)
to
the
appropriate
regional
office;
– Determina-on
of
the
type
of
public
no-ce
required
based
on
the
applica-on
informa-on;
– Prepara-on
of
the
first
public
no-ce
package;
– Iden-fica-on
of
affected
legislators;
and
– A
declara-on
that
the
applica-on
is
administra-vely
complete.

28. Subchapter
B
–
Technical
Review
• The
technical
review
primarily
relates
to
source
iden-fica-on
and
air
emission
quan-fica-on,
analysis
of
off-­‐property
health
impacts
of
emissions
(screen
modeling
or
refined
modeling),
determina-on
of
best
available
control
technology
(BACT),
and
applicability
of
any
source
category
or
emission-­‐based
state
and
federal
regula-ons.

29. Permit
Review
and
Nego-a-on
• Carefully
review
the
permit
and
meet
with
the
TCEQ
– Much
can
be
nego-ated
to
allow
flexibility
• Public
Review
and
Comment
period,
if
applicable
–
add
30-­‐45
days
• Final
permit
issuance
for
construc-on
• Do
I
need
the
permit
before
I
can
start
any
construc-on?

30. Permit
Opera-ons
• Start
opera-ons
and
show
compliance
– With
the
permit
and
applicable
rules
and
regula-ons
• Monitoring,
recordkeeping,
and
repor-ng
procedures
–
in
place,
track,
track!
• No-fica-ons
and
protocols
to
agency
• Emissions
source
tes-ng
• TCEQ
ini-al
inspec-on
–
show
all
permit
condi-ons
are
met

31. Summary
-­‐
Air
Permi3ng
• Establish
a
permit
management
program
– Inventory
equipment,
track
changes,
record
determina-ons
• Understand
the
air
permi3ng
steps
• Get
the
right
resources
to
help
you
through
challenging
parts
of
air
permi3ng:
– Designing
a
project
to
meet
your
objec-ves
– Technical
studies,
emissions,
BACT,
modeling
– Nego-a-ng
permit
condi-ons
with
the
agency
• If
you
need
it,
go
get
the
Air
Permit!

32. Contact
Informa-on
James
A.
Westbrook
BlueScape
Environmental
877-­‐486-­‐9257
jwestbrook@bluescapeinc.com
www.bluescapeinc.com
Connect
with
me
on
Linkedin!
The
webinar
presenta:on
will
be
posted
on
Slideshare
and
YouTube
(search
for
BlueScape)