Air Quality Regulation in Forsyth County
The Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department (FCEAD) is a local air quality
program with oversight provided by the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission.
FCEAD is the air quality permitting authority for Forsyth County and enforces emission
standards and other requirements in the Forsyth County air Quality Technical Code
(FCAQTC) that also includes delegated federal emission standards and permitting
programs.
Permitted facilities are classified according to their potential annual emissions.
- Small Facilities have uncontrolled potential annual emissions below the Title V
major source thresholds.
- Exclusionary Small Facilities have potential emissions below the Title V major source
thresholds based on operating limits established by rules in Section
3Q .0800 of the FCAQTC.
- Synthetic Minor Facilities have potential emissions below the Title V major source
thresholds based on emission and operating limits established in the facility's
permit.
- Title V (Major) Facilities have potential annual emissions above the Title V major
source thresholds:
- 100 tons per year of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon
monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC), lead, or any pollutant subject to a
standard promulgated under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
- 10 tons per year of a single hazardous air pollutant listed pursuant to Section
112(b) of the Clean Air Act.
- 25 tons per year of combined Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) emissions.
- Other criteria established by a standard promulgated under Section 111 or 112 of
the Clean Air Act.
Small, exclusionary small, and synthetic minor facilities are permitted under Forsyth
County’s local construction and operation permitting program according to
Section 3Q .0300 of the FCAQTC. Title V or major emitting facilities are
permitted according to Section 3Q .0500 in addition to Section
3Q .0300 of the FCAQTC. In addition, new major facilities and major modifications
are permitted under FCEAD’s federally approved New Source Review pre-construction
program.
Air Quality Permits authorize the construction and operation of air pollution sources
and specify the applicable emission standards and work practices that must be met.
The permits also include provisions for emission source monitoring, record keeping
and reporting that ensure the air pollution sources continue to comply with the
applicable emission standards and work practices. FCEAD inspects permitted facilities
regularly, reviews records, and may require periodic stack tests to verify compliance.
Whenever a violation of an emission standard, work practice, or other requirement
is discovered, FCEAD takes enforcement action, including civil penalties, to correct
the problem.
In order to obtain an air quality permit, a company must prepare and submit an application
along with the appropriate processing fee, emissions calculations and other supporting
information. In addition, permit applications for sources that emit Toxic Air Pollutants
may be required to perform dispersion modeling [link to M&MS air toxics modeling
page] to demonstrate compliance with the local toxic air pollutant program. Permit
applications must be signed by a responsible official fo the company as described
in FCAQTC Rule 3Q .0304(h).
After FCEAD completes its review and approval of the application, a permit is issued
to the company. In certain instances, FCEAD is required to provide a public notice
before issuing a permit. Once a permit is issued, the company may begin construction
and operation of the air pollution source(s). Construction and/or operation of the
air pollution source(s) is prohibited before a permit is issued.