Clean Air Act - Air Permitting Requirements

In 1970, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and passed the Clean Air Act, giving the federal government authority to clean up air pollution. Through an approved State Implementation Plan, the EPA transferred air permitting authority to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

The University has a Class I Air Operating Permit that identifies the pollutants are being released, how much may be released, and limitations we are required to follow to reduce the pollution. The permit also contains several monitoring and reporting requirements, for which you may be asked to provide information. Departments with equipment in the air permit have been notified and given a list of their equipment and responsibilities.

University personnel responsibilities:

1. Notify EHS prior to installing any equipment that uses fuel or may emit dust or particles into the air (such as emergency generators, paint booths, grain handling equipment, etc.) See the Construction Permits section below.
2. Provide air permit reporting information to EHS when requested.
3. Maintain permitted sources in good working order at all times and keep maintenance and operating records.
4. Notify EHS prior to modifying or remove permitted sources.

EHS Responsibilities:

1. Provide guidance and support to the University to identify potential activities and emission sources and ensure they are properly designed, meet air permitting criteria and are permitted, operated or maintained in accordance with KDHE and the University’s air permit.
2. Provide training for university personnel who are involved in mandatory reporting.
3. Determine regulatory applicability for potential emission sources and complete Construction Permits when necessary.

Construction Permits

Notify EHS prior to installing equipment that uses fuel or may emit dust or any type of particulate. Provide EHS with equipment specification documents that include emission data.

Depending on the size of the equipment, EHS must obtain approval from KDHE prior to installing many of the items listed below. Approval may take up to 30 days. Please bear this in mind for planning purposes.

• Generators:
  • Applies to any size, includes emergency and standby generators.
  • Only EPA-certified generators may be purchased.
  • Other considerations: Those with diesel tanks > 55 gallons must have secondary containment; tanks >660 gallons will be registered by EHS with the Fire Marshal, be included in a Spill, Prevention Countermeasure and Control plan (SPCCP) and inspected monthly by the responsible department.
• Engines
• Boilers
• Water heaters
• Furnaces
• Kilns
• Dryers
• Space heaters
• Paint booths/painting operations
• Printing operations
• Woodworking machinery/equipment
• Foundry operations
• Bacon processing, meat smoking, rendering plant
• Food fryers
• Ovens
• Grain elevators, grain mills, feed mills, processing plants
• Grain moving, processing equipment, dust collecting
• Cyclone filters
• Bag house filters (dust collection)
• Industrial process cooling towers
• Ethylene oxide sterilization unit
• Gas dehydration unit
• Painting and coating operations
• Solvent use operations (paint stripping, cleaning/degreasing, etc)