Permit Results
Air Pollution Operating Permits (Federal Part 70)

Air Operating Permits are important. They assist us in meeting our responsibility to protect public health and the environment. They are also important tools that can promote compliance as well as provide industry flexibility in achieving environmental requirements. Below is a summary of these values and some examples from air operating permits issued.

Values

• Protects Public Health & Environment. The DNR permit review includes a comprehensive analysis of the facility's impact on local outdoor air quality. This analysis results in site-specific permit limits to ensure ambient air quality standards are not exceeded. These standards protect public health from the effects of pollutants such as ground-level ozone, particulate matter (dust), sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. At levels over the standards these pollutants can cause adverse effects on human health. Breathing these pollutants at harmful levels can result in respiratory problems, hospitalization for heart or lung disease, and even premature death. A pollutant of particular concern in Wisconsin is ozone, which is formed in the air when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds combine in the presence of sunlight. Ground-level ozone causes lung damage in healthy athletes, triggers asthma attacks, and causes respiratory problems for the elderly. Ozone levels in Southeast Wisconsin violate federal ambient air quality standards.
• Promotes Compliance. These permits consolidate all air pollution control requirements into a single comprehensive "operating permit", through a process that provides opportunity for public input. Past violations may be corrected by including compliance plans and schedules in the permit. In all, the clarity this provides makes it easier for industry to comply with legal limits.
• Provide Flexible Solutions for Business & the Environment. We are continuing to make progress in shifting air permitting into a mode that yields both business and environmental value.

Examples

1. A Shawano County woodworking facility.

• Consolidated & Clarified Applicable Requirements. All applicable requirements were consolidated into this one permit. Emission limits and monitoring requirements were clarified and updated.
• Established Site-Specific Hazardous Air Pollutant Limits. This permit established site-specific emission limits for benzene and formaldehyde, meeting best available control technology requirements.
• Strengthened Fugitive Dust Control & Established Complaint Resolution Process. This permit strengthened fugitive dust mitigation requirements and established a process for resolution of citizen complaints about dust from this facility.

2. A plating facility in Chippewa County.

• Clarified Federal MACT Requirements. With this permit we performed an in-depth analysis for the facility, resulting in clear site-specific permit conditions for a federal MACT standard. This federal standard establishes the maximum achievable control technology for hazardous air pollutant emissions from halogenated solvent degreasing operations. As written, the federal standard is difficult to interpret. For example, during the permit review of the MACT compliance options, it became clear that the facility needed to disconnect one emission vent. This was not understood by the facility prior to the permit review. The permit writer worked with the facility to resolve this matter. In addition, this permit makes it easier for the facility to understand and comply with this complex federal standard by clarifying the monitoring and record keeping requirements for room ventilation.
• Explained Expansion Options. During this permit review, the permit writer helped the facility better understand their expansion options allowed within this permit.

3. A metalworking facility in Waukesha County.

• Consolidated All Requirements into One Permit. This permit consolidated all applicable air pollution control requirements into one document, including conditions from four prior permits. This makes it easier for the facility to understand and comply with legal requirements.
• Air Quality Monitoring. This permit includes a compliance plan and schedule for the installation and operation of an ambient air monitoring device to measure particulate matter concentrations in the air near this facility.