The Air Quality & Climate Division (AQCD) requires that emissions from most regulated air pollution sources exhaust through an unobstructed, vertical stack of sufficient height to ensure appropriate upward dispersion of the exhaust, thus minimizing the ground level concentration of air pollutants where individuals may be exposed.
When a Facility submits certain information to the Air Quality & Climate Division, a responsible official of the Facility (see definition below) must attest to its accuracy. This form is required for Permit Applications, Requests for Transfer of Ownership of a Permitted Facility, Annual Registration Submittals and Annual/Semi-Annual Compliance Reports. This Certification of Information Accuracy Form may be provided by downloading a copy of the form and submitting it as noted on the form.
An Air Quality Impact Evaluation (AQIE) is an evaluation, using approved computer models, of the ambient air quality impacts that the public may be expected to be exposed to due to air pollution emissions from one or more facilities. The pollutants emitted by the facility, the emission rates, stack parameters (e.g. heights, flow rates, temperature), building parameters, terrain, and meteorology are all taken into account to predict potential ambient impacts caused by the facility. An AQIE may be conducted for criteria pollutants (e.g.
The federal Clean Air Act requires states to submit plans to ensure the attainment and maintenance of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The common term used to refer to these federally enforceable plans is "State Implementation Plans" or SIPs. The six criteria pollutants as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. SIPs are also prepared to protect visibility at federal Class I areas consisting of national parks and wilderness areas.
The Air Permitting & Engineering Section of the Air Quality & Climate Division currently assesses permit application fees for issuance of Permits to Construct and Transfers of Permit Ownership. No permit application fees are assessed for issuance of Permits to Operate unless modifications to the facility are proposed that require a Permit to Construct in which case the Permit to Construct fees then apply. These fees are set forth in 3 V.S.A. § 2822 (j)(1)(A).
