Over the years, GASP has written a LOT about Title V Operating Permits - and for good reason.
They are required of all major sources of air pollution and are important compliance tools because they incorporate all applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act in one comprehensive document and require the facilities that have them to submit regular compliance reports.
GASP was the first to raise an alarm over a permit backlog at the Allegheny County Health Department, and our senior attorney John Baillie has been tracking how the Air Quality Program has worked to whittle it.
One of our paramount concerns? That there were major sources of air pollution in Allegheny County that had been operating for years without ever having been issued a Title V permit. Among them was Synthomer Jefferson Hills (formerly known as Eastman Chemical Resins).
Some quick background: Synthomer operates a facility on the Monongahela River in Jefferson Hills and produces a variety of chemical feedstocks and is a major source of both hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds.
According to ACHD’s own rules, it should have taken final action on the initial Title V Permit application for the facility (which was submitted by former owner Hercules, Inc.) by November 2004.
Yes, you read that correctly - it was supposed to be issued nearly 20 years ago.
However, there were a variety of problems with that application (and at least one subsequent revised application), resulting in a 2011 Consent Order in federal court, which spelled out a comprehensive process by which the facility was to apply for, and finally obtain, a Title V Operating Permit.
Why are we bringing this up? Because we are pleased to report the long-awaited culmination of that process: On Sept. 17 ACHD issued the initial Title V Operating Permit to the facility. You can view the permit here.
For those keeping track: There is now only one major source of air pollution in Allegheny County that has never had a Title V Operating Permit – ATI’s Brackenridge Works in Natrona Heights.