Air Quality Permit to Construct Overview
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Air Quality: Permit to Construct

Who Needs a PTC? Relocating Your Portable Equipment?
Application Forms Air Modeling
15-Day Pre-Permit Construction Approval Guidance Guidance for the Remediation of
Petroleum-Contaminated Media
Fees  
 
An air quality permit to construct (PTC) is required prior to construction or modification of buildings, structures, and installations that emit, or may emit, pollutants into the air. Procedures and requirements for PTCs are found in Sections 201-228 of the Rules for the Control of Air Pollution in Idaho.
 
 Who Needs a PTC?
Idaho's air pollution control rules require the owner or operator of any stationary source that emits or may emit air pollution to obtain a PTC from DEQ before beginning construction or modifying the source (unless the activity is specifically exempt from the need to obtain a permit).

A stationary source is defined as "any building, structure, emissions unit, or installation which emits or may emit any air pollutant."

Commencement of construction or modification is, in part, defined as "to engage in a continuous program of construction or modification, or to engage in a program of planned grading, dredging, or land filling, specifically designed for the stationary source or facility in preparation of the fabrication, erection, or installation of the building components of the stationary source or facility."

PTCs are required for certain portable equipment as well, such as generators, crushing equipment, asphalt plants, and concrete batch plants.
 

 Exceptions

Portable rock crushers that meet certain criteria may operate under a permit by rule instead of a PTC. Petroleum (gasoline diesel and aviation fuel) remediation projects that meet certain design specifications have been specifically exempted from the need to obtain a PTC. Mobile internal combustion engines (cars, trucks, and heavy construction equipment) are not considered stationary sources.
 
 Application Forms, Checklists, and Guidance

PTC application forms, checklists, and guidance are provided for sources requiring this permit. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Air Quality Division to discuss permit application requirements early in the application process. All information submitted to DEQ must be certified by a responsible official to be true, accurate, and complete.

Link to permit to construct application forms, checklists, and guidance.
 
 15-Day Pre-Permit Construction Approval Guidance

The 15-Day Pre-Permit Construction Approval Guidance is available in accordance with the Rules for Control of Air Pollution in Idaho (IDAPA 58.01.01.213) (pdf on Department of Administration Web site) only for those sources that satisfy the following conditions:

  1. Have completed a comprehensive air quality assessment and regulatory review,
  2. Are not proposing a new major facility or a major modification,
  3. Are not utilizing emission offsets (netting), and
  4. Are willing to commence construction at their own risk prior to issuance of a PTC. A risk exists because the owner or operator may not operate the source until a PTC is issued. Thus, if a PTC is ultimately denied, or is issued but contains limits unacceptable to the permittee, the permittee may simply be out the money spent constructing an inoperable source.

Link to Pre-Permit Construction Approval Guidance Document (DEQ Publication, January 2001: pdf 185 kb, 15 pages).

Link to 15-Day Pre-Permit Construction Approval Completeness Checklist.
 
 Fees

Both an application fee and and a processing fee are required to obtain a PTC.

Application Fee

An application fee of $1,000 is required with any PTC application submitted to DEQ. DEQ will not begin processing the application until the application fee is received.

Processing Fee

A PTC processing fee is assessed for each PTC that is issued, based on any increase in air pollution emissions resulting from the permitted project. DEQ calculates and assesses PTC processing fees according to the following schedule (fugitive emissions are excluded):


Permit to Construct
Fee
Fee Payment
General Permit1
$500
Submit upon receipt of DEQ assessment. Must be paid in full before the final permit will be issued.
Emissions < 1 ton per year
$1,000
Emissions = 1-10 tons per year
$2,500
Emissions = 10-100 tons per year
$5,000
Emissions > 100 tons per year (exempt under IDAPA 58.01.01.205.04)2
$7,500
Emissions > 100 tons per year (not exempt under IDAPA 58.01.01.205.04)
$10,000
Modification with no engineering analysis
$250

1 General permit facilities include portable concrete batch plants, hot mix asphalt plants, and rock crushing plants.
2 IDAPA 58.01.01.205.04 lists sources exempt from the permit requirements for new facilities or major modifications in attainment or unclassifiable areas.
 
Where to Send Payment

Air Quality Permit Fees
Permit to Construct
Fiscal Office
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
1410 N. Hilton
Boise, ID 83706
 
Fee Exceptions

PTC application and processing fees are not required for:

  • Exempted sources listed in Idaho’s Administrative Code (IDAPA 58.01.01.220-223), or
  • Changes to correct typographical errors, or
  • Changes in name or ownership of the holder of a PTC when DEQ determines no other review or analysis is required.
 
 Relocating Your Portable Equipment?

Don't forget to submit a portable-equipment relocation notice at least 10 days in advance of relocating portable equipment.

Link to Portable Equipment Relocation Form.
 
 Air Modeling

Air modeling is required for certain permitting actions—including PTCs—to demonstrate that all applicable ambient air quality standards will be met if the proposed construction or facility modification is completed or that an existing facility is complying with the the standards.

A DEQ guidance document has been developed to help air permit applicants understand DEQ’s expectations for ambient air impact analysis and prevent unnecessary delays in the permit process. The guideline describes when modeling is required; explains applicable standards, methodology, and analysis; and provides checklists and templates for conducting modeling and reporting modeling results.

Link to DEQ's Air Modeling Web page.
 
 Guidance for the Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Media

This guidance addresses the air quality permitting/exemption requirements of IDAPA 58.01.01.222.03, as well as the state requirements of the Underground and Leaking Underground Storage Tank program. Remediation projects that do not meet the air pollution requirements of this guidance must either self-exempt in accordance with the Rules for the Control of Air Pollution in Idaho (IDAPA 58.01.01) or obtain a PTC.

Link to Petroleum-Contaminated Media, Guidance for the Remediation of (DEQ Publication, August 2003: pdf 235 kb, 22 pages)




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