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Your business operation is currently covered by a Registration Operation Permit (ROP) issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Air Management Program. The DNR’s Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) and the Air Management Program work together on providing services and assistance to small businesses. This email is provided as a general resource for facility contacts. If current on all requirements, no action is required in response to this information. Copies of this and previous reminder emails are available online in PDF format.
PM Emission Limits For Processes
Emissions of particulate matter (PM) from certain processes are regulated in chapter NR 415, Wis. Adm. Code. The following activities have specific limits on PM:
- General processes emitting PM have limits determined by the process weight equation in s. NR 415.05(2), or source specific limits in s. NR 415.05(1), including asphalt, concrete or aggregate mix plants, grain processing, grinding, drying, mixing, conveying, sizing or blending processes.
- Crushed stone, sand and gravel plants, ledge rock quarries and industrial mines have limits in NR 415.075 or 415.076.
- Fuel combustion sources such as boilers and heaters have limits in NR 415.06 based on the heat input capacity.
Section NR 485.055, Wis. Adm. Code, has a limit for stationary gasoline and diesel engines of 0.50 pounds of PM per million BTU heat input.
PM Modeling Requirements
Facilities emitting PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns in size) must meet air quality standards. In general, any facility that can emit more than 5 tons of PM10 per year must confirm that the source will not exceed the air quality standard prior to: installing any new process that emits PM10, increasing emission rates from existing units, or making changes to the stack configuration or gas flow that would reduce the dispersion of the emissions.
Updated air quality analysis results must be submitted to the DNR using Form 4530-156A along with the annual permit compliance certification (Form 4530-178) due on March 1.
Learn more about the air dispersion modeling process in:
Fugitive Dust
“Fugitive dust” is a term describing PM emissions released through means other than a stack, duct or vent. These include sources such as outside storage piles, grain loading/unloading, etc. Any facility creating sufficient dust, smoke or fumes to be a noticeable source of air pollution must control those emissions.
Visible Emissions
Any facility with air pollution may, under the right circumstances, have visible emissions, such as dust from roads, smoke from burning fuels or welding fumes. In most situations, visible emissions must be less than 20% opacity.
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U.S. EPA Method 9 is the most frequent method used for measuring visual opacity.
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EPA Method 22 may be used to demonstrate presence or absence of visible emissions.
- Chapters NR 431 and NR 439 have specific visible emission limitations and monitoring requirements, respectively.
Keep Facility Contacts Up To Date
To receive these and other communications from the DNR, it is important to maintain current contact information for facility roles within the Air Reporting System (ARS).
- To update contact information, follow the instructions on the DNR’s Notifying the Air Program about Facility Changes webpage.
- Consider creating a dedicated email address like EHS@xyzcompany.com or Compliance@xyzcompany.com or a group email that allows multiple people to access the messages. This can help ensure the company receives regulatory information, billing and other notifications when staffing changes occur.
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