Title V Operating Permit Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants
Title V Operating Permit Key Terms & Definitions
Affected Source: Any stationary source that includes one or more emissions units that are subject to emission reduction requirements or limitations under Title V of the Clean Air Act. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Applicable Requirement: All of the following as they apply to emissions units in a Title V source, including requirements that have been promulgated or approved by the EPA through rulemaking at the time of issuance but have future-effective compliance dates. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Best Available Control Technology (BACT): An emissions limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction of each pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act emitted from or which results from any major emitting facility, which the permitting authority, on a case-by-case basis, taking into account energy, environmental, and economic impacts and other costs, determines is achievable for such facility through application of production processes and available methods, systems, and techniques. (42 U.S.C. § 7479(3))
Clean Air Act (CAA): The comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources, enacted in 1963 and significantly amended in 1970, 1977, and 1990. (42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7671q)
Compliance Certification: A certification submitted by the owner or operator of a facility subject to Title V permitting requirements, certifying the source's compliance status with all applicable requirements, including any applicable monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. (40 C.F.R. § 70.6(c)(5))
Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS): The total equipment necessary for the determination of a gas or particulate matter concentration or emission rate using pollutant analyzer measurements and a conversion equation, graph, or computer program to produce results in units of the applicable emission limitation or standard. (40 C.F.R. § 51.166(b)(43))
Criteria Air Pollutants: The six common air pollutants for which the EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) under the Clean Air Act: carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). (42 U.S.C. § 7408)
Emission Unit: Any part or activity of a stationary source that emits or has the potential to emit any regulated air pollutant or any pollutant listed under section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). (40 C.F.R. § 51.166(b)(48))
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs): Air pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer, reproductive effects, birth defects, or other serious health effects, as listed under section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act. (42 U.S.C. § 7412(b))
Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER): The rate of emissions that reflects the most stringent emission limitation contained in the implementation plan of any State for such class or category of source, or the most stringent emission limitation achieved in practice by such class or category of source, whichever is more stringent. (42 U.S.C. § 7501(3))
Major Source: Any stationary source or group of stationary sources located within a contiguous area and under common control that emits or has the potential to emit, in the aggregate, 10 tons per year or more of any hazardous air pollutant, 25 tons per year or more of any combination of hazardous air pollutants, or 100 tons per year or more of any air pollutant. (42 U.S.C. § 7412(a)(1))
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Standards established by the EPA under the Clean Air Act for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment, including the criteria air pollutants. (42 U.S.C. § 7409)
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP): Emission standards set by the EPA under section 112 of the Clean Air Act for sources of hazardous air pollutants. (42 U.S.C. § 7412)
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS): Emission standards set by the EPA under section 111 of the Clean Air Act for new, modified, or reconstructed stationary sources of air pollution. (42 U.S.C. § 7411)
Nonattainment Area: A geographic area that does not meet (or that contributes to ambient air quality in a nearby area that does not meet) one or more of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the criteria pollutants designated in the Clean Air Act. (42 U.S.C. § 7407(d))
Potential to Emit (PTE): The maximum capacity of a stationary source to emit a pollutant under its physical and operational design, considering any physical or operational limitations on the source. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Predictive Emissions Monitoring Systems (PEMS): A system that uses process and other parameters as inputs to a computer program or other data reduction system to predict values in terms of the applicable emission limitation or standard. (40 C.F.R. § 60.2)
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD): A permitting program under the Clean Air Act designed to protect air quality in attainment areas and ensure that new or modified sources do not cause significant degradation of air quality. (42 U.S.C. § 7470 et seq.)
Regulated Air Pollutant: Nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), any pollutant for which a National Ambient Air Quality Standard has been promulgated, any pollutant that is subject to a New Source Performance Standard, any Class I or II substance subject to a standard promulgated under or established by Title VI of the Clean Air Act, and any pollutant subject to a standard promulgated under section 112 or other requirements established under section 112 of the Clean Air Act. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Responsible Official: A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the company that owns the facility, or a duly authorized representative responsible for the overall operation of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities applying for or subject to a Title V permit. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Section 112(r): The section of the Clean Air Act that requires facilities to develop and implement a Risk Management Plan (RMP) to prevent and mitigate accidental releases of extremely hazardous substances. (42 U.S.C. § 7412(r))
State Implementation Plan (SIP): A collection of regulations, programs, and policies developed and implemented by a state to assure attainment and maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, as required under section 110 of the Clean Air Act. (42 U.S.C. § 7410)
Stationary Source: Any building, structure, facility, or installation that emits or may emit any air pollutant, including any group of stationary sources located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties under common ownership or control. (40 C.F.R. § 70.2)
Title V Operating Permit: A permit issued under Title V of the Clean Air Act that consolidates all air pollution control requirements applicable to the operation of a source, including all emission limitations, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. (42 U.S.C. § 7661a(a))
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, and overseeing state and local permitting authorities in their implementation of Title V permitting programs. (42 U.S.C. § 7601 et seq.)
A Note to Our Readers: We hope this guide is a valuable resource in helping you better understand the . However, it's not a substitute for professional advice and doesn't cover every scenario. Always consult with regulatory bodies and professionals for the most current advice and project-specific guidance.