Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

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Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

• Office of Air Compliance Coordination
• Virginia Ag Summit February 9-10, 2009
• Jerome Brooks [phone]

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Energy Projects

• Pyrolysis
• Methane Digesters (Biogas Processing)
• Gasification
• Waste Combustion (Poultry Litter)

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Air Emissions

• Alternate energy fuels may actually result in
  higher emissions of some pollutants than use of
  conventional fuels.
• Emissions from Waste Energy Projects may be
  sufficient to trigger DEQ New Source Review (NSR)
  Permitting.

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Associated Air Pollutant Emissions

• Nitrogen Oxides
• Sulfur Oxides
• Particulate Matter
• Carbon Monoxide
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Hydrogen Chloride
• Cadmium
• Mercury
• Lead
• Trace amounts of other Hazardous Air Pollutants

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Example Comparison of Poultry Litter to Other
Fuels
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Comparison of Poultry Litter Combustion to Other
Fuels
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Air Quality Impacts

• Ozone Formation
• Regional Haze
• Nutrient Deposition
• Stream Acidification
• Odor

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Odor

• Most of these Waste Energy Projects can create
  odor nuisances. Pollution from animal waste can
  cause respiratory problems, skin infections,
  nausea, and other illnesses for people living
  near these operations.

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Odor Regulation

• Virginias Regulates Odor
• Virginia Air Regulation (Rule 4-2) states no
  owner or other person shall cause or permit to be
  discharged into the atmosphere from any affected
  facility emissions which cause an odor
  objectionable to individuals of ordinary
  sensibility.
• Upon determination that an odor violates Rule 4-2
  the owner shall use such measures as approved by
  the board for the economically and
  technologically feasible control of odorous
  emissions.

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Regulatory Considerations

• Air Permitting
• All projects should be reviewed for applicability
  under the New Source Review (NSR) permit programs
  (pre-construction review)
• Individual permit program
• Requires application of Best Available Control
  Technology (BACT)
• Air Quality Demonstration
• Federal standards may apply

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Objectives of the Minor Source NSR Permit Program

• Assure that emissions increases from new projects
  protect air quality
• Mitigate the impact of emissions increases
  through the application of air pollution control
  practices/ technologies

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Waste Energy Projects that may be subject to NSR
permitting include

• Construction or relocation of a new
  stationary source at an undeveloped site
• Modification or reconstruction of a
  stationary source at an existing site
• Includes adding a new emissions unit at an
  existing source

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Permit conditions may include

• Emissions limitations (lb/hr ton/yr)
• Fuel type and throughput limitations
• Other operational restrictions
• Control device requirements (if applicable)
• Monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting
• Notification requirements
• Stack testing (as appropriate)
• Other performance tests

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Emission Control Requirements

• Add-on controls for control of particulate,
  sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, odor
• Enclosure/containment requirements for raw
  material/ash storage areas
• Fugitive dust control

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Air Permit Threshold Emission RatesMinor Source
(NSR)

• Carbon Monoxide 100 tons per year (tpy)
• Nitrogen Oxides 40 tpy
• Sulfur Dioxide 40 tpy
• Particulate Matter 25 tpy
• Particulate Matter (PM10) 10 tpy
• Volatile Organic Compounds 25 tpy
• Lead 0.6 tpy
• Hydrogen Sulfide 9 tpy

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Determination that a NSR Permit is Required

• Permits need to be issued prior to the
  commencement of on-site construction activities
  of the emissions unit
• Construction activities include the installation
  of equipment supports and foundations,
  underground piping/conduits

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Air Compliance

• Beginning construction or operation of any
  facility requiring an air permit to construct and
  operate is a violation of the Virginia Air
  Regulations and subject to enforcement by DEQ

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To Request a Permit Determination

• Download the state application Form 7
• http//www.deq.virginia.gov/air/justforms.html
• Complete the relevant pages of the form for your
  particular project
• Example Pages 1-3, 4, 11, 14, 17 and 18 for
  boilers, IC engines, turbines
• Submit the completed and signed form to the
  appropriate DEQ regional office
• http//www.deq.virginia.gov/regions/homepage.htm

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Basic information is needed to complete the Form 7

• General information (Pgs 1-3)
• Facility name, contact information, mailing
  address, project dates
• Information on the fuel-burning equipment (Pg 4)
  
• max. rated heat input capacity
• max. rated output (steam quantity, brake HP or
  electrical power
• Fuel types to be used
• Stack and fuels data (Pg 11)
• Proposed emissions rates (Pgs 14 and 17)
• Operating periods (Pg 18)

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Emissions Estimate for the Form 7

• Site-specific data if available
• Compilation of Air Pollution Emissions Factors
  (AP-42)
• http//www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch02/final/c02s0
  4.pdf

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DEQ Regional Offices
NVRO
VRO
PRO
WCRO
SCRO
SWRO
TRO
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DEQ Regional Air Permit Contacts

• NVRO - Terry Darton 703-583-3845
• TRO - Jane Workman 757-518-2112
• PRO - James Kyle 804-527-5047
• SCRO - Jed Brown 434-582-6210
• WCRO Jed Brown 434-582-6210
• SWRO - Rob Feagins 276-676-4835
• VRO - Sharon Foley 540-574-7821

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DEQ Regional Air Compliance Contacts

• NVRO David Hartshorn 703-583-3895
• TRO - Troy Breathwaite 757-518-2006
• PRO Boots King 804-527-5036
• SCRO Frank Adams 540-562-6773
• WCRO Frank Adams 540-562-6773
• SWRO Crystal Bazyk 276-676-4829
• VRO Larry Simmons 540-574-7810