Air Pollution Abatement
The most recent c anges in the U.S. Clean rr Act Amendments have altered the
regulatory ground rules so that almost any air-pollutant-emitting new facility or
modification
is subject to the provisions of the law. For most situations, a New Source
Review (NSR) application will have to be approved before construction is allowed.
Source categories covered at this time include petroleum refineries, sulfur recovery
plants, carbon-black plants, fuel conversion plants, chemical process plants, fossil-fuel
boilers, and petroleum storage and transfer facilities.
To obtain a construction permit, a new or modified source governed by the Clean
Air Act must meet certain requirements. These include a demonstration that best-
available control technology (BACT) is to be used at the source. In addition, an air
quality review must demonstrate that the source will not cause or contribute to a vio-
lation of the Ambient Air Quality Standard (AAQS), particularly in terms of sulfur
dioxide and particulate concentrations in any area.