Wash. Admin. Code Northwest Clean Air Agency, 300, 305

Current through Register Vol. 24-23, December 1, 2024

Section 305 - PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

305.1 Internet Notice

(A) A notice shall be published on the NWCAA website for each Notice of Construction (NOC) application received by the NWCAA, and for each proposed revision to an Order of Approval to Construct (OAC) for which there is no associated NOC application. The internet notice shall remain on the NWCAA website for a minimum of 15 consecutive days and shall include the following information:

(1) name and location of the affected facility,

(2) brief description of the proposed action, and

(3) a statement that a public comment period may be requested within 15 days of the initial date of the internet posting.

(B) Requests for a public comment period shall be received by the NWCAA via letter, facsimile, or electronic mail within 15 days of the initial date of the internet posting. A public notice and comment period shall be provided in accordance with this Section, for any NOC application or proposed OAC revision that receives such a request. Any NOC application or proposed OAC revision for which a public comment period is not requested may be processed without further public involvement at the end of the 15-day request period.

305.2 Actions Requiring Public Notice and Comment Period

(A) The NWCAA shall provide public notice and a public comment period in accordance with 305.3 through 305.8 of this Section, before approving or denying any of the following types of applications or other actions:

(1) Any use of a modified or substituted air quality model, other than a guideline model in Appendix W of 40 CFR Part 51 (in effect on July 1, 2005) as part of review under Section 300 of this Regulation;

(2) Any order to determine Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT);

(3) Any order to establish a compliance schedule or a variance;

(4) Any order to demonstrate the creditable height of a stack which exceeds the good engineering practice (GEP) formula height and sixty-five meters, by means of a fluid model or a field study, for the purposes of establishing an emission limitation;

(5) Any order to authorize an emissions bubble pursuant to WAC 173-400-120;

(6) Any regulatory order to establish or debit of emission reduction credits (ERC);

(7) Any order issued under WAC 173-400-091 that establishes limitations on a source's potential to emit;

(8) Any extension of the deadline to begin actual construction of a "major stationary source" or "major modification" in a nonattainment area;

(9) The original issuance and any revisions to a general Order of Approval issued under WAC 173-400-560;

(10) Any Notice of Construction application or other proposed action for which the NWCAA determines there is substantial public interest;

(11) Any Notice of Construction application or proposed Order of Approval to Construct revision that receives a request for a public comment period in accordance with 305.1 of this Section.

(12) Any Notice of Construction application or proposed Order of Approval to Construct revision that would result in a significant emissions increase defined as follows.

Air Pollutant

Potential to Emit in Tons per Year

Carbon Monoxide (CO)	100.0
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)	40.0
Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)	40.0
Nitrogen Oxides (NO_X)	40.0
Particulate Matter (PM)	25.0
Fine Particulate Matter (PM₁₀)	15.0
Lead	0.6
Fluorides	3.0
Sulfuric Acid Mist (H₂SO₄)	7.0
Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S)	10.0
Total Reduced Sulfur (including H₂S)	10.0

(B) Any Notice of Construction application designated for integrated review with an application to issue or modify an Air Operating Permit shall be processed in accordance with the Air Operating Permit program procedures and deadlines set forth in WAC 173-401.

305.3 Public Comment Period

If required, a public comment period shall be initiated through publication of a legal notice in a local newspaper. The public comment period shall be initiated only after the NWCAA has made a preliminary determination. The cost of providing legal notice shall be borne by the applicant. Public notice of any NOC application requiring a public comment period shall include the following:

(A) The NOC application and any written preliminary determination by the NWCAA shall be available on the NWCAA's internet website, excluding any confidential information as provided in Section 114 of this Regulation. In addition, the NOC application and any written determination shall be made available for public inspection in at least one location near the proposed project. The NWCAA's written preliminary determination shall include the conclusions, determinations and pertinent supporting information from the NWCAA's analysis of the effect of the proposed project on air quality.

(B) Publication of a legal notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed project which provides each of the following:

(1) Name, location and a brief description of the project;

(2) Location of documents made available for public inspection;

(3) The deadline for submitting written comments;

(4) A statement that any person, interested governmental agency, group, or the applicant may request a public hearing;

(5) A statement that a public hearing may be held if the NWCAA determines within a 30-day period that significant public interest exists;

(6) The date of the close of the public comment period in the event of a public hearing;

(C) Notice to the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Regional Administrator.

305.4 Extent of Public Comment Period

The public comment period shall be the 30-day period following the date the public notice is first published, unless a public hearing is held. If a public hearing is held, the public comment period shall extend through the hearing date and thereafter for such period, as specified in the notice of public hearing.

305.5 Public Hearings

Any person, interested governmental entity, group or the applicant, may request a public hearing within the comment period specified in the public notice. Any such request shall indicate, in writing, the interest of the entity filing it and why a hearing is warranted. The NWCAA may, in its discretion, hold a public hearing if it determines that significant public interest exists. Any such hearing shall be held upon such notice and at a time and place as the NWCAA deems reasonable. The NWCAA shall provide at least 30 days prior notice of any hearing.

305.6 Consideration of Public Comments

No final decision on any NOC application or OAC revision shall be made until all public comment periods have ended and any comments received have been considered.

305.7 Other Requirements of Law

Whenever procedures permitted or mandated by law will accomplish the objectives of public notice and opportunity for comment, those procedures may be used in lieu of the provisions of this section (e.g., SEPA). This subsection does not apply to an application for a "major modification" or an application from a "major stationary source".

305.8 Public Information

All information provided to the public in accordance with this Section, except information protected from disclosure under any applicable law, including, but not limited to, NWCAA Section 114 and RCW 70.94.205, shall be available for public inspection at the NWCAA. This includes copies of Notices of Construction applications, orders, and modifications.

Wash. Admin. Code Northwest Clean Air Agency, 300, 305

PASSED: July 14, 2005 AMENDED: November 8, 2007, June 9, 2011, November 17, 2011