Petroleum Distribution Operations

The Bureau of Air Quality (BAQ) develops and issues general permits for similar sources.

Advantages to General Permits

A standardized permit providing consistency
Simplified application and permit issuance
General permits are issued without an additional individual public notice and comment period
Flexibility to construct or modify equipment without a construction permit
Pre-determined equipment and emission limit for specific Permit categories

Existing permitted sources may request coverage under a general permit if the permit criteria are met. BAQ grants the general permit to facilities certifying qualification for and agreeing to the conditions and terms of the general permit.

Below is a description of each of the general permits, a link to the list of the current facilities that have been granted coverage of each general permit, a copy of each general permit, and the associated criteria, forms, and other information for each general permit.

Petroleum Distribution Operations, for purposes of this permit, will cover a variety of sources which provide bulk storage and distribution of gasoline, petroleum distillates, fuel additives, and ethanol. Facilities may only have storage tanks, loading racks and associated control devices where applicable (including but not limited to vapor combustion units, open flares, and vapor recovery units.), fuel burning operations (including but not limited to boilers), emergency generators, and other approved equipment may be eligible for a general permit for petroleum distribution operations. These facilities can have exempt sources as well.

List of Petroleum Distribution facilities currently covered by a General Permit

Criteria:

General Conditional Major

Maximum size of a single boiler must be less than 30 million BTU/hr rated input capacity.

Only the following fuels may be used: natural gas, propane, or virgin fuel oil (sulfur content equal to or less than 2.1% by weight).

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC) and SO₂ emissions are limited to less than 100 tons per year each

Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) emissions are limited to less than 10 tons per year for any single HAP and less than 25 tons per year for all combined HAPs.

Applications/Forms:

State Operating Permit and Conditional Major Operating Permit Renewal Request Form [Instructions]

Copies of the Permit:

General Conditional Major Operating Permit for Petroleum Distribution Operations

**Note that these copies are provided for use by facilities that have already been granted coverage by the Bureau. Download and use of these permits does not constitute coverage.**

For more information please contact:

Alyson Hayes (803) 898-3836

If the operations covered by these general permits involve land-disturbing activities in one of the eight coastal counties of the Coastal Zone under DHEC-OCRM's jurisdiction (Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper), then a coastal zone consistency certification may be required prior to conducting land-disturbing activities.

For more information please contact the Bureau of Air Quality at (803) 898-4123 or by email.