South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

We promote and protect the health of the public and the environment.

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• Permitting, Compliance, & Reporting
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Air Quality Permits

The BAQ regulates air pollutant emissions through its permitting process that is administered by the Engineering Services Division. An air permit is a legal document that prescribes the construction and operation of sources of air pollutants in a manner that would limit the quantity, rate, or concentration of emissions on a continuous basis at your facility. DHEC Regulation 61-62, Air Pollution Control Regulations and Standards provides the basis for the Bureau of Air Quality permitting system. Before an air permit can be issued to your facility, a complete "permit application" must be submitted to the BAQ. Your air permit application will be reviewed and evaluated to determine which state and federal regulations and regulatory requirements apply to your facility.

Air "Construction Permits" issued to your facility specify what construction is allowed and contain various conditions to ensure that your facility is built to match parameters submitted in the application that BAQ personnel relied upon in their analysis. Air "Operating Permits" prescribe what emission limits must be met; some limits in the permit may be there at your request to keep your facility from having to comply with more stringent regulatory requirements. If your facility is deemed to be a "major source", you are typically required to obtain a "Title V Operating Permit". Your air permit may include requirements which limit the level of opacity, prescribe equipment, set fuel specifications, or prescribe operation or maintenance procedures to assure continuous emissions controls. To help ensure that your facility follows the permit requirements, permits also contain monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.

For more information please contact  Elizabeth Basil at: S.C. DHEC Bureau of Air Quality, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or by e-mail.