HISTORY
AQMD published its first BACT Guidelines in May 1983, and a major revision in October
1988.
On September 8, 1995, the AQMD Governing Board adopted new policies and
procedures that established the Scientific Review Committee and updated cost-effectiveness
procedures. On December 11,
1998, the Governing Board approved: (1) a new format for listing BACT determinations; and
(2) a revised process for updating AQMD BACT Guidelines that complies with federal and
state laws.
On October 20, 2000, the Governing Board approved revisions to the
New Source Review regulations that: 1) maintained the federal Lowest
Achievable Emission Rate (LAER) requirement for major polluting
facilities; and 2) established a minor source BACT (MSBACT) for
non-major polluting facilities that will consider cost before making
MSBACT more stringent. PART A: POLICY AND
PROCEDURES FOR MAJOR POLLUTING FACILITIES
Part A of the BACT Guidelines explains what BACT is, why it is required, when it is
required, and how it is determined for major polluting facilities. Persons who want to learn about BACT and
the BACT process for major polluting facilities should start by reading Part A.
PART B: LAER/BACT DETERMINATIONS FOR MAJOR
POLLUTING FACILITIES
Part B includes three sections:
Section I - AQMD LAER/BACT Determinations, provides information on LAER/BACT determinations contained in permits
issued by AQMD.
Section II - Other LAER/BACT
Determinations, provides information about LAER/BACT requirements in permits or
guidelines issued by other agencies.
Section III - Other Technologies, provides
information on technologies which have been achieved in practice but are not reflected in
a permit limit, and information on emerging technologies or emission limits which have not
yet been achieved in practice and do not yet qualify as LAER.
The current Part B began in March 1999 with listings for
only boilers, degreasers, and spray booths. As new permits are issued, they
will be added to the current Part B.
PART C: POLICY AND
PROCEDURES FOR NON-MAJOR POLLUTING FACILITIES
Part C of the BACT Guidelines explains what BACT is, why it is required, when it is
required, and how it is determined for non-major polluting facilities. Persons who want to learn about BACT and
the BACT process for non-major polluting facilities should start by reading Part
C.
PART D: BACT GUIDELINES FOR NON-MAJOR POLLUTING FACILITIES
Part D of the BACT Guidelines provides what the BACT requirements are
for more than 100 different categories of equipment.
THE BACT PROCESS FOR MAJOR POLLUTING
FACILITIES
AQMD permitting staff will determine BACT for any new, modified or relocated source
at a major polluting facility on a
case-by-case basis that results in the most stringent control technology or emission limit
that is (1) achieved-in-practice, (2) contained in a State Implementation Plan (SIP)
approved by U.S. EPA, or (3) technologically feasible and cost effective. This
determination will be in accordance with Part A of the BACT Guidelines, and will consider
information from Part B of the current BACT Guidelines and any other relevant
information available to AQMD.
THE BACT PROCESS FOR NON-MAJOR
POLLUTING FACILITIES
For non-major polluting facilities, BACT will be based on the requirements
in the MSBACT Guidelines (Part D) that were in effect at the time the
application was deemed complete. Exceptions may be made based on
special permitting considerations discussed in Part C of the BACT
Guidelines.
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