Section 322 - AIR OPERATING PERMIT PROGRAM (AOP)322.1 Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide for a comprehensive operating permit program consistent with the requirements of Title V of the Federal Clean Air Act (FCAA) Amendments of 1990 and its implementing regulation 40 CFR Part 70, and RCW 70.94.161 and its implementing regulation Chapter 173-401 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).322.2 Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to all sources within the NWCAA jurisdiction excluding those regulated by the Washington State Department of Ecology Industrial Section subject to the requirements of Section 7661(a) of the FCAA or Chapter 173-401-300 WAC.322.3 Compliance. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or allow the operation of any source subject to the requirements of Chapter 173-401 WAC without complying with the provisions of Chapter 173-401 WAC and any permit issued under its authority.322.4 Air Operating Permit Fees. a) The NWCAA shall levy annual operating permit program fees as set forth in this section to cover the cost of administering its operating permit program.b) Commencing with the effective date of the operating permit program, the NWCAA shall assess and collect annual air operating permit fees in its jurisdiction for any source specified in Section 7661(a) of Title V of the FCAA or Chapter 173-401-300 WAC (excluding sources regulated by the Washington State Department of Ecology Industrial Section). The total fees required by the NWCAA to administer the program shall be determined by a workload analysis conducted by the staff and approved annually by a resolution by the Board of Directors. Allocation of the fees to individual affected sources shall be based on the following: 1) Ten percent (10%) of the total fees shall be allocated equally among all affected sources.2) Ninety percent (90%) of the total fees shall be allocated based on actual emissions of regulated pollutants identified in the most recent annual emission inventory or potential emissions if actual data are unavailable. A regulated pollutant for fee calculation shall include: Nitrogen oxides (NOX);
Volatile organic compounds (VOC's);
Particulate matter with an aerodynamic particle diameter less than or equal to 10 micrometers (PM10);
Sulfur dioxide (SO2);
Lead; and
Any pollutant subject to the requirements under Section 112(b) of the FCAA not included in any of the above categories.
c) Upon assessment by the NWCAA, fees are due and payable and shall be deemed delinquent if not fully paid within 90 days. Any source that fails to pay a fee imposed under this section within 90 days of the due date shall be assessed a late penalty in the amount of 50 percent of the fee. This late penalty shall be in addition to the fee assessed under this section.d) The NWCAA shall collect and transfer to the Washington State Department of Ecology a surcharge established by the Department of Ecology to cover the Department of Ecology's program development and oversight costs attributable to subject sources within the NWCAA jurisdiction. Fees for the Department of Ecology shall be allocated to affected sources in the same manner specified in this section.e) An affected source subject to the operating permit program that is required to pay an annual operating permit program fee shall not be required to pay a registration fee as specified in Section 324. Wash. Admin. Code Northwest Clean Air Agency, 300, 322
PASSED: November 12, 1998 AMENDED: November 12, 1999, June 9, 2011, November 17, 2011