Ohio Air Permitting Issues
Written October 17, 2019
Ohio amended its permitting requirements and adopted a Permit By Rule for the printing industry. This rule allows screen and digital printing facilities a streamlined, no cost, way to obtain an air permit. Small facilities that have actual emissions less than 10 tons of VOCs per year, 5 tons or less per year of a single hazardous air pollutant (HAP), and 10 tons or less per year of combined HAP, are qualified for the permit.
Midsize facilities that have actual emissions of less than 25 tons of VOCs per year, 5 tons or less per year of HAP, and 12.5 tons or less per year of combined HAP, also qualify for this new permitting system. The state's program does contain provisions for a synthetic minor designation known as Federally Enforceable Permits to Install and Operate (FEPTIO). Synthetic minors are those facilities that agree to federally enforceable limits that restrict their potential to emit to less than the major source threshold. Although Ohio has a general permit program, it is not available for printing facilities at this time; general permits for printing presses for both installation and operation could be developed sometime in the future.
Midsize facilities that have actual emissions of less than 25 tons of VOCs per year, 5 tons or less per year of HAP, and 12.5 tons or less per year of combined HAP, also qualify for this new permitting system. The state's program does contain provisions for a synthetic minor designation known as Federally Enforceable Permits to Install and Operate (FEPTIO). Synthetic minors are those facilities that agree to federally enforceable limits that restrict their potential to emit to less than the major source threshold. Although Ohio has a general permit program, it is not available for printing facilities at this time; general permits for printing presses for both installation and operation could be developed sometime in the future.