Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) – Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Ozone Nonattainment Area
The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area in eastern Pennsylvania is designated as a Marginal nonattainment area under the 2008 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Counties in the nonattainment area include Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton.
To satisfy offset requirements, new or modified major facilities in nonattainment areas must obtain ERCs to satisfy the offset ratio requirements for proposed emission increases. The offset ratio for Marginal nonattainment area for ozone is 1.1 to 1. That means if 100 tpy of VOCs are emitted from a proposed new or modified major facility must obtain 110 tpy of ERCs to offset the increase in VOC emissions.
| Pollutant | New Major Source Emission Rates | Major Modification to existing Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | ≥100 tons/year | ≥40 tons/year |
| Volatile Organic compounds (VOC) | ≥100 tons/year | ≥40 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.