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U.S. EPA approves Clark County air quality permitting rules

Release Date: 8/25/2004
Contact Information: Contact: Laura Gentile ([email protected]) - 415/947-4227 (desk) or 415/760-9161 (cell)

Action streamlines permit requirements for air pollution sources

SAN FRANCISCO -- Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized Clark County's new source review air quality permitting rules, which specify permit requirements for most air pollution sources.

"Today's action streamlines the permit process for industry by bringing the state and federal requirements together into one permitting program," said Deborah Jordan, the EPA's air division director for the Pacific Southwest region. "These rules will help alleviate confusion for facilities and make it easier to comply with federal air quality requirements."

In 1999, the EPA's approval of an earlier version of Clark County's rules was challenged in court by a local environmental group and in response the agency reevaluated the rules. While revisions were underway, facilities had to meet two sets of new source review requirements to comply with state and federal air quality regulations.

Today's action will incorporate the county's new source review program into the state's air quality implementation plan.

Under the Clean Air Act, the new source review program requires large industrial facilities, such as power plants and manufacturing plants, to obtain a permit from the state when new facilities are proposed or when modifications are made that would increase the amount of air pollution from the facility.

These permits help states achieve clean air goals by limiting the pollution from new or modified sources and by requiring industry to offset, or create mitigating reductions for pollution increases for certain pollutants.

These rules do not incorporate the EPA's recently revised national new source regulations. Clark County, as well as all permitting agencies nationwide, will be required to submit revised new source rules that are consistent with the new federal rules by January, 2006.