§7475 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

You cannot build a major pollution‑producing plant that starts construction after August 7, 1977 in areas covered by this law unless you get a permit that sets emission limits and meets several requirements. The permit process must include an air‑quality analysis, a public hearing, and a finding that the plant won’t cause or add to pollution beyond allowed increases, national air standards, or other limits. The plant must use the best available control technology, protect highly‑protected federal lands (class I areas), include an analysis of air quality impacts from local growth, and the owner must agree to any needed air monitoring. For some projects in class III areas that would affect class II limits, the EPA Administrator must approve the chosen technology. States must send each major permit application to the EPA and tell the Federal Land Manager and the federal official who manages any nearby class I lands. Those federal officials must help protect air‑quality values (including visibility) and can block a permit unless the owner shows particulate matter and sulfur dioxide will not exceed class I limits. If the Federal Land Manager certifies no adverse impact, a permit may be issued but the permit must meet specific maximum allowable increases: particulate matter — annual 19 µg/m3 and 24‑hour 37 µg/m3; sulfur dioxide — annual 20 µg/m3, 24‑hour 91 µg/m3, 3‑hour 325 µg/m3. A governor can grant a special short‑term variance for certain sulfur dioxide limits after a hearing, subject to possible Presidential review within 90 days; such variances carry alternate limits (low terrain 24‑hr 36 µg/m3 and 3‑hr 130 µg/m3; high terrain 24‑hr 62 µg/m3 and 3‑hr 221 µg/m3) and limits on how often 24‑hour exceedances may occur. Completed permit applications must be approved or denied within one year. The required air‑quality analysis must include up to one year of continuous monitoring data (unless the State allows a shorter period), must be ready by the public hearing, and the EPA had to issue rules for how to do these analyses within six months after August 7, 1977. High terrain area: land 900 feet or more above the stack base. Low terrain area: any other land.

Title 42, §7475

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)No major emitting facility on which construction is commenced after August 7, 1977, may be constructed in any area to which this part applies unless—

(1)a permit has been issued for such proposed facility in accordance with this part setting forth emission limitations for such facility which conform to the requirements of this part;

(2)the proposed permit has been subject to a review in accordance with this section, the required analysis has been conducted in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Administrator, and a public hearing has been held with opportunity for interested persons including representatives of the Administrator to appear and submit written or oral presentations on the air quality impact of such source, alternatives thereto, control technology requirements, and other appropriate considerations;

(3)the owner or operator of such facility demonstrates, as required pursuant to section 7410(j) of this title, that emissions from construction or operation of such facility will not cause, or contribute to, air pollution in excess of any (A) maximum allowable increase or maximum allowable concentration for any pollutant in any area to which this part applies more than one time per year, (B) national ambient air quality standard in any air quality control region, or (C) any other applicable emission standard or standard of performance under this chapter;

(4)the proposed facility is subject to the best available control technology for each pollutant subject to regulation under this chapter emitted from, or which results from, such facility;

(5)the provisions of subsection (d) with respect to protection of class I areas have been complied with for such facility;

(6)there has been an analysis of any air quality impacts projected for the area as a result of growth associated with such facility;

(7)the person who owns or operates, or proposes to own or operate, a major emitting facility for which a permit is required under this part agrees to conduct such monitoring as may be necessary to determine the effect which emissions from any such facility may have, or is having, on air quality in any area which may be affected by emissions from such source; and

(8)in the case of a source which proposes to construct in a class III area, emissions from which would cause or contribute to exceeding the maximum allowable increments applicable in a class II area and where no standard under section 7411 of this title has been promulgated subsequent to August 7, 1977, for such source category, the Administrator has approved the determination of best available technology as set forth in the permit.

(b)The demonstration pertaining to maximum allowable increases required under subsection (a)(3) shall not apply to maximum allowable increases for class II areas in the case of an expansion or modification of a major emitting facility which is in existence on August 7, 1977, whose allowable emissions of air pollutants, after compliance with subsection (a)(4), will be less than fifty tons per year and for which the owner or operator of such facility demonstrates that emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides will not cause or contribute to ambient air quality levels in excess of the national secondary ambient air quality standard for either of such pollutants.

(c)Any completed permit application under section 7410 of this title for a major emitting facility in any area to which this part applies shall be granted or denied not later than one year after the date of filing of such completed application.

(d)(1)Each State shall transmit to the Administrator a copy of each permit application relating to a major emitting facility received by such State and provide notice to the Administrator of every action related to the consideration of such permit.

(2)(A)The Administrator shall provide notice of the permit application to the Federal Land Manager and the Federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of any lands within a class I area which may be affected by emissions from the proposed facility.

(B)The Federal Land Manager and the Federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of such lands shall have an affirmative responsibility to protect the air quality related values (including visibility) of any such lands within a class I area and to consider, in consultation with the Administrator, whether a proposed major emitting facility will have an adverse impact on such values.

(C)(i)In any case where the Federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of any lands within a class I area or the Federal Land Manager of such lands, or the Administrator, or the Governor of an adjacent State containing such a class I area files a notice alleging that emissions from a proposed major emitting facility may cause or contribute to a change in the air quality in such area and identifying the potential adverse impact of such change, a permit shall not be issued unless the owner or operator of such facility demonstrates that emissions of particulate matter and sulfur dioxide will not cause or contribute to concentrations which exceed the maximum allowable increases for a class I area.

(ii)In any case where the Federal Land Manager demonstrates to the satisfaction of the State that the emissions from such facility will have an adverse impact on the air quality-related values (including visibility) of such lands, notwithstanding the fact that the change in air quality resulting from emissions from such facility will not cause or contribute to concentrations which exceed the maximum allowable increases for a class I area, a permit shall not be issued.

(iii)In any case where the owner or operator of such facility demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Federal Land Manager, and the Federal Land Manager so certifies, that the emissions from such facility will have no adverse impact on the air quality-related values of such lands (including visibility), notwithstanding the fact that the change in air quality resulting from emissions from such facility will cause or contribute to concentrations which exceed the maximum allowable increases for class I areas, the State may issue a permit.

(iv)In the case of a permit issued pursuant to clause (iii), such facility shall comply with such emission limitations under such permit as may be necessary to assure that emissions of sulfur oxides and particulates from such facility will not cause or contribute to concentrations of such pollutant which exceed the following maximum allowable increases over the baseline concentration for such pollutants: Maximum allowable increase (in micrograms per cubic meter) Particulate matter: Annual geometric mean19 Twenty-four-hour maximum37 Sulfur dioxide: Annual arithmetic mean20 Twenty-four-hour maximum91 Three-hour maximum325

(D)(i)In any case where the owner or operator of a proposed major emitting facility who has been denied a certification under subparagraph (C)(iii) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Governor, after notice and public hearing, and the Governor finds, that the facility cannot be constructed by reason of any maximum allowable increase for sulfur dioxide for periods of twenty-four hours or less applicable to any class I area and, in the case of Federal mandatory class I areas, that a variance under this clause will not adversely affect the air quality related values of the area (including visibility), the Governor, after consideration of the Federal Land Manager’s recommendation (if any) and subject to his concurrence, may grant a variance from such maximum allowable increase. If such variance is granted, a permit may be issued to such source pursuant to the requirements of this subparagraph.

(ii)In any case in which the Governor recommends a variance under this subparagraph in which the Federal Land Manager does not concur, the recommendations of the Governor and the Federal Land Manager shall be transmitted to the President. The President may approve the Governor’s recommendation if he finds that such variance is in the national interest. No Presidential finding shall be reviewable in any court. The variance shall take effect if the President approves the Governor’s recommendations. The President shall approve or disapprove such recommendation within ninety days after his receipt of the recommendations of the Governor and the Federal Land Manager.

(iii)In the case of a permit issued pursuant to this subparagraph, such facility shall comply with such emission limitations under such permit as may be necessary to assure that emissions of sulfur oxides from such facility will not (during any day on which the otherwise applicable maximum allowable increases are exceeded) cause or contribute to concentrations which exceed the following maximum allowable increases for such areas over the baseline concentration for such pollutant and to assure that such emissions will not cause or contribute to concentrations which exceed the otherwise applicable maximum allowable increases for periods of exposure of 24 hours or less on more than 18 days during any annual period: MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE INCREASE (In micrograms per cubic meter) Period of exposureLowterrain areasHighterrain areas 24-hr maximum3662 3-hr maximum130221

(iv)For purposes of clause (iii), the term “high terrain area” means with respect to any facility, any area having an elevation of 900 feet or more above the base of the stack of such facility, and the term “low terrain area” means any area other than a high terrain area.

(e)(1)The review provided for in subsection (a) shall be preceded by an analysis in accordance with regulations of the Administrator, promulgated under this subsection, which may be conducted by the State (or any general purpose unit of local government) or by the major emitting facility applying for such permit, of the ambient air quality at the proposed site and in areas which may be affected by emissions from such facility for each pollutant subject to regulation under this chapter which will be emitted from such facility.

(2)Effective one year after August 7, 1977, the analysis required by this subsection shall include continuous air quality monitoring data gathered for purposes of determining whether emissions from such facility will exceed the maximum allowable increases or the maximum allowable concentration permitted under this part. Such data shall be gathered over a period of one calendar year preceding the date of application for a permit under this part unless the State, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Administrator, determines that a complete and adequate analysis for such purposes may be accomplished in a shorter period. The results of such analysis shall be available at the time of the public hearing on the application for such permit.

(3)The Administrator shall within six months after August 7, 1977, promulgate regulations respecting the analysis required under this subsection which regulations—

(A)shall not require the use of any automatic or uniform buffer zone or zones,

(B)shall require an analysis of the ambient air quality, climate and meteorology, terrain, soils and vegetation, and visibility at the site of the proposed major emitting facility and in the area potentially affected by the emissions from such facility for each pollutant regulated under this chapter which will be emitted from, or which results from the construction or operation of, such facility, the size and nature of the proposed facility, the degree of continuous emission reduction which could be achieved by such facility, and such other factors as may be relevant in determining the effect of emissions from a proposed facility on any air quality control region,

(C)shall require the results of such analysis shall be available at the time of the public hearing on the application for such permit, and

(D)shall specify with reasonable particularity each air quality model or models to be used under specified sets of conditions for purposes of this part.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1977—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(44), substituted “part;” for “part:”. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(45), inserted provision making applicable requirement of section 7410(j) of this title. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(46), inserted “cause or” before “contribute” and struck out “actual” before “allowable emissions”. Subsec. (d)(2)(C). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(47)–(49), in cl. (ii) substituted “contribute” for “contrbute”, in cl. (iii) substituted “quality-related” for “quality related” and “concentrations which” for “concentrations, which”, and in cl. (iv) substituted “such facility” for “such sources” and “will not cause or contribute to concentrations of such pollutant which exceed” for “together with all other sources, will not exceed”. Subsec. (d)(2)(D). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(50), (51), in cl. (iii) substituted provisions relating to determinations of amounts of emissions of sulfur oxides from facilities, for provisions relating to determinations of amounts of emissions of sulfur oxides from sources operating under permits issued pursuant to this subpar., together with all other sources, and added cl. (iv).

§7475 Preconstruction requirements

Summary

Title 42, §7475

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata