EPA Pushes ‘Plantwide’ Air Pollution Limits To Avoid NSR Permit Review

EPA in a new draft guidance is recommending that industrial facilities consider “plantwide applicability limits” (PALs) as a way to avoid requirements to obtain stringent “major source” new source review (NSR) permits for projects that increase air emissions, downplaying industry concerns that states could unduly tighten the limits once issued. In a Feb. 13 memo , acting EPA air chief Anne Idsal commends PALs as a way for industrial facilities to avoid onerous and time-consuming NSR mandates, provided they keep...