Denver Metro/North Front Range Nonattainment Area – Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) oversees the Denver Metro/North Front Range (DM/NFR) ozone nonattainment area, which includes all or portions of the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld. This region is currently designated as an Severe nonattainment area for ozone under the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
Under the federal nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) program, new or modified major stationary sources of ozone precursors—nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC)—must obtain Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs) to offset any proposed emissions increases. For a Severe ozone nonattainment classification (2008 standard), the required offset ratio is 1.3 to 1. For example, if a project proposes to emit 100 tons per year (tpy) of NOx, it must obtain 130 tpy of NOx ERCs.
| Pollutant | New Major Source Emission Rates | Major Modification to existing Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | ≥25 tons/year | ≥25 tons/year |
| Volatile Organic compounds (VOC) | ≥25 tons/year | ≥25 tons/year |
| Particulate Matter (PM10) | ||
| Sulfur Oxides (SOx) |
Facilities that were emitting NOx, VOC, PM10 or SOx may be eligible to generate Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs) with a permanent reduction of those emissions generating from a shutdown or installation of control technology or process change.
If your company has a new project that exceeds thresholds or had a facility with permanent reduction of emissions at any level, please reach out to see how Emissions Experts can assist.