Topic - Air Management
Existing Business
Exemptions Based on Actual Emissions

Even if you were not exempt in some of the specific categories, you may be exempt based on your total actual emissions (emission levels below). More information about actual emissions based exemptions is available from DNR's Air Program Permit Exemptions web site and in the Air Program fact sheet on Exemptions from Operation Permits based on Actual Emissions [PDF].

You may wish to attempt the calculations on your own (for assistance, see the fact sheets and worksheet below). If you prefer to have assistance with the calculations, contact DNR air staff or Small Business Clean Air Assistance Program staff (staff links at bottom) for help determining if you are exempt.

Threshold Levels for the Actual Emissions Based Exemption

To qualify for the exemption, you must meet ALL of these levels.

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Particulate Matter (PM), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO) or Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) — do not exceed 10 tons per calendar year for each air contaminant
• Lead — do not exceed 0.5 tons per calendar year
• State Hazardous Air Pollutants — actual emissions less than thresholds in ch. NR 445 (State HAPs list in ch. NR 445, Wis. Admin. Code)
• Affected only by a select list of New Source Performance Standards and National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Pollutants, or solely recordkeeping requirements in one of those standards (refer to a copy of the permit for the allowed NSPS and NESHAP standards)
• If using a control device to achieve these exemption levels, must monitor the device with approved methods (refer to a copy of the permit for the approved monitoring methods)

Calculating Your Eligibility for the Actual Emissions Based Exemption

Whether you attempt the calculations yourself or prefer to contact DNR air staff or Small Business Clean Air Assistance Program staff (staff links at bottom of each web site) for help, please have the following information ready:

1. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) (associated with coatings, solvents, cleaners, raw materials, etc.)
2. Fuel usage for all heating processes (e.g. boilers, furnaces, heating units.) — look at billing statements, purchase records, or invoices for amounts of fuels used in gallons (gal), therms, cubic feet (CF), etc.
3. Actual raw material usage (all processes) for previous 12 months (e.g. paint guns, woodworking equipment, printing presses, etc.)

You can use the Actual Emissions worksheet [Excel] for help performing the calculations needed to determine if you are exempt under the actual emissions based exemption. (Save the file to your own computer after it opens.)

Are you Close to the Exemption Threshold?

If your emissions are close to the threshold level (50% of the threshold or higher) and you want to retain flexibility to grow your business, you may wish to consider a Registration Permit, a streamlined permit option for business.

Exemption Status

Is your business exempt based on actual emissions? Once you have determined your status, click on the appropriate button below.