Statistics for Regulatory Decision Making
Air Pollution Operation Permits (Synthetic Minor)

Description

Air pollution operation permits allow facilities to operate an air pollution source. These permits include the Federal Part 70 permits and Synthetic Minor permits. The Federal Clean Air Act and subsequent federal regulations require certain facilities to obtain these permits in order to continue to operate. More information on Air Permit Programs can be found at: Air Permit Programs.

All existing facilities affected by the federal operation permit requirements were required to file applications no later than between May 1994 and October 1995. The DNR received around 1300 permit applications in this 18-month period. Roughly 500 of these applications were for Federal Part 70 permits and 800 for Synthetic Minor permits. The short time for the application due dates (required by the federal regulations) has in many cases led to significant delays from when the applications were received and when drafting the permits began.

The department eliminated the backlog of Federal Part 70 (major source) operation permit applications on December 30, 2004 in accordance with Governor Jim Doyle's Grow Wisconsin Plan. The department's next goal is to eliminate the backlog of Synthetic Minor operation permit applications by issuance of Synthetic Minor permits no later than December 31, 2005; or, by issuance of alternative permits such as general operation permits (GOP) or registration permits (RGP) no later than March 4, 2006.

The table below show the number of operation permit applications reviewed and the number remaining to be reviewed for Synthetic Minor operation permit applications.

Goal

Complete reviews of 159 remaining applications (as of February 2005) no later than December 31, 2004.

Progress Toward Goal

We have completed the review of 9 of the remaining 159 applications on March 31, 2005.

Synthetic Minor operation permit applications backlog elimination for calendar year 2005

**Prior to February 16, 2005, the Department issued 633 synthetic minor permits.

Contact

Keith Pierce
keith.pierce@wisconsin.gov
608-267-0562