The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC’s) air program’s aim is to protect the public and the environment from the adverse effects of air pollution.
Title 6 Part 212 of New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations (NYCRR) regulates air pollutant and air contaminant emissions from emissions sources associated with any process operations at facilities in the state. Although Part 212 regulations are not new, NYSDEC has become more diligent in making sure facilities are addressing it with permit modifications and renewals in recent months.
Facilities that are regulated under Part 212 must evaluate the amount of their air contaminant emissions, including criteria, HTAC, and non-criteria/non-HTAC compounds. For those contaminants on the HTAC list, the emissions rate in pound per year (lb/year) is compared to the threshold given to determine if the regulations apply.
If emission thresholds are exceeded, the facility must perform an air modeling screening analysis for the air contaminant using U.S. EPA’s AERSCREEN air dispersion model. Should the screening analysis not demonstrate compliance, they must perform refined air dispersion modeling using U.S. EPA’s AERMOD air dispersion model. If compliance with Part 212 cannot be demonstrated with air dispersion modeling at the current emissions rates, a more stringent permit limit must be taken to bring concentrations down.
Details Courtesy of ALL4.