SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

RULE 1703 - PSD ANALYSIS
(Adopted October 7, 1988)

(a) The Executive Officer shall, except as Rule 1704 applies, deny any permits to construct unless:

(1) Each permit unit complies with all applicable rules and regulations of the District; and

(2) Each permit unit is constructed using BACT for each criteria air contaminant for which there is a net emission increase; and

(3) For each significant emission increase of an attainment air contaminant at a major stationary source:

(A) The applicant certifies in writing, prior to the issuance of the permit, that the subject stationary source shall meet all applicable limitations and standards under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.) and all applicable emission limitations and standards which are part of the State Implementation Plan approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or is on a compliance schedule approved by appropriate federal, state, or District officials; and

(B) The new source or modification will be constructed using BACT.

(C) The applicant has substantiated by modeling that the proposed source or modification, in conjunction with all other applicable emission increases or reductions (including secondary emissions) affecting the impact area, will not cause or contribute to a violation of:

(i) Any National or State Ambient Air Quality Standard in any air quality control region; or

(ii) Any applicable maximum allowable increase over the baseline concentration in any area; and

(D) The applicant conducts an analysis of the ambient air quality in the impact area the new or modified stationary source would affect. The analysis shall include one year of continuous ambient air quality monitoring, preceding the receipt of a complete application. The Executive Officer may approve a shorter monitoring period, but not less than four months, provided that the period of monitoring included the time frame when maximum concentrations are expected. The applicant may rely on existing continuous monitoring data collected by the District if approved by the Executive Officer.

With respect to any such contaminant for which no National Ambient Air Quality Standard exists, the analysis shall contain such air quality monitoring data as the Executive Officer determines is necessary to assess ambient air quality for that contaminant in any area that the emissions of that contaminant would affect; and

(E) The applicant provides an analysis of the impairment to visibility, soil, and vegetation that would occur as a result of the new or modified stationary source and the air quality impact projected for the baseline area as a result of general commercial, residential, industrial, and other growth associated with the source; and

(F) The Executive Officer provides a copy of the complete application (within 10 days after being deemed complete by the District) to the EPA, the Federal Land Manager for any Class I area located within 100 km of the source, and to the federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of any lands within the Class I area. The Executive Officer shall also send a copy of the preliminary decision, the Executive Officer's analysis, and notice of any action taken to the above agencies. The analysis shall include a determination on the impact on visibility due to the project. The Federal Land Manager of any such lands may demonstrate to the Executive Officer that the emissions from a proposed source or modification would have an adverse impact on the air quality-related values (including visibility) of those lands, notwithstanding that the change in air quality resulting from emissions from such source or modification would not cause or contribute to concentrations which would exceed the maximum allowable increases for a Class I area. If the Executive Officer concurs with such demonstration, then he shall deny the permit to construct.

(b) Procedures

(1) Air Quality Models

(A) All estimates of ambient concentrations required under this paragraph shall be based on the applicable air quality models, data bases, and other requirements specified in the "Guideline on Air Quality Models," OAQPS 1.2-080, April 1978, or as revised, shall be used to determine the comparability of air quality models.

(B) Where an air quality impact model specified in the "Guideline on Air Quality Models" is inappropriate, the model may be modified or another model substituted. Prior written approval of the Executive Officer and the EPA Administrator must be obtained for any modification or substitution.

(2) Operations of Monitoring Stations

The owner or operator of a major stationary source or major modification shall meet the EPA monitoring requirements of Appendix B to 40 CFR Part 587, "Ambient Air Quality Surveillance," during the operation of monitoring stations for purposes of satisfying subparagraph (a)(3)(D) of this rule and paragraph (f) of Rule 1713.

(3) Stack Heights

The degree of emission limitation required for control of any air pollutant under this rule shall not be affected in any manner by:

(A) So much of the stack height of any source as exceeds good engineering practice; or

(B) Any other dispersion technique.

This subparagraph shall not apply with respect to stack heights in existence before December 31, 1970, or to dispersion techniques implemented before then.