Regulations developed under the Clean Air Act affect more facilities than ever. SEH provides professional, cost-effective air quality services to meet your current and future needs. Our air permitting team will help you obtain greater operational flexibility at your facility and help you proactively address your regulatory obligations.

SEH has broad expertise for a variety of emission sources. Our projects typically include air dispersion modeling evaluations and rule applicability assessments to determine requirements under the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Standards; New Source Performance Standards (NSPS); and state air toxics regulations (in Wisconsin, NR 445). Plus, SEH offers experience in business plans, benefit/cost analyses and grant writing from local, state, tribal and/or federal funding sources.

Additionally our team has years of experience working with facility owners and operators to obtain required air quality permits and to demonstrate compliance with state and federal air quality regulations. We structure our permit applications to help regulators issue permits quickly, so construction or expansion schedules are met. Our understanding of air quality regulations can also help streamline record keeping and monitoring requirements and can assist in securing carbon and/or renewable energy credits for eligible projects.

Case Studies

Private Energy Development - Northern Minnesota
Key Issues:

• Large Combustion Project (1,000 megawatt)
• Evaluated Impacts at Class I areas
• MACT and NSPS
• Conducted Air Toxics Risk Assessment

SEH helped prepare a Prevention of Significant Deterioration air permit application for a new 1,000 megawatt coal gasification plant to be located in northern Minnesota. SEH’s responsibilities included calculating emissions, coordinating Class I and Class II air dispersion modeling, determining state and federal rule applicability and preparing an Air Emissions Risk Assessment (a human health risk assessment).

This project generated significant public interest. SEH air quality staff participated in multiple public meetings and hearings related to the project.

Air Permitting for Confidential Wood Products Manufacturer - Wisconsin
Key Issues:

• Project included a wood fired dryer, two natural gas fired boilers and significant sawdust handling operations, and wood coating operations with solvent and water based coatings
• SEH conducted Air Dispersion Modeling and MACT compliance

SEH conducted several air quality projects for this client located in Wisconsin including preparation of a facility-wide operation permit application, air dispersion modeling, and air toxics compliance evaluation with MACT standards and the requirements of Wisconsin’s NR 445. The permitting was complicated by the fact the facility had accepted Title I permit conditions (i.e. related to a Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit) for a wood and natural gas fired wood dryer. With multiple particulate matter emission sources, the air dispersion model was relatively complex. The facility was also subject to a recently promulgated MACT which required the preparation of a MACT compliance demonstration plan.

Five Combustion Turbines, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Key Issues:

• Large Combustion Project
• Air Dispersion Modeling
• Netting to identify pollutants subject to Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permitting
• Compliance with PM2.5 Ambient Air Quality Standard
• Compliance with Greenhouse Gas BACT Requirements
• MACT, NSPS and state emission control requirements

SEH obtained an air quality construction permit for the installation of five landfill gas/natural gas fired combustion turbines to be installed at the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The permit application contains a comprehensive evaluation of state and federal air quality regulations applicable to the project. Federal regulations evaluated include New Source Performance Standards, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, and National Ambient Air Quality Standards. 

Biogas Air Permitting Projects - Multiple Sites throughout Wisconsin
SEH staff has obtained air quality construction and operation permits and conducted air quality evaluations for digester and landfill gas fired equipment at the following facilities:

Sites in Wisconsin’s Ozone Nonattainment Area

• Digester Gas Engines, Boilers and Flares - South Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, South Milwaukee, WI
• Digester Gas Engine - Racine Wastewater Treatment Plant, Racine, WI
• Multiple Landfill Gas Engines & Turbines - Metro RDF, Franklin, WI
• Multiple Landfill Gas Engines - Pheasant Run RDF, Bristol, WI
• Multiple Engines - Orchard Ridge RDF, Menominee Falls, WI
• Multiple Engines - Ridgeview RDF, Whitelaw, WI

Sites outside Wisconsin’s Ozone Nonattainment Area

• Digester Gas Engine and Boilers - Madison Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant, Madison, WI
• Multiple Engines - Valley Trail RDF, Berlin, WI
• Deer Track Park RDF, Watertown, WI
• Timberland Trail RDF, Ladysmith, WI
• Mallard Ridge RDF, Delavan, WI
• Seven Mile Creek Landfill, Eau Claire, WI

Taconite Mine Air Permitting Amendments - Minnesota
Amendment 1: SEH obtained the necessary permit amendment to replace and modify the lower burners in three indurating furnaces. This application included a netting evaluation to demonstrate the project was not subject to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration permitting program. Additionally, the application included an approach to merge separate federal and state compliance monitoring requirements into one requirement. The air permit amendment was issued in January 2010.

Amendment  2: SEH evaluated the installation of an in-pit crushing and cobbing operation in the mine pit. The evaluation included a New Source Review/Prevention of Significant Deterioration (NSR/ PSD) netting analysis.

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
SEH directed air quality activities at MMSD's two 300 MGD wastewater treatment plants. Plant emission sources included wastewater treatment activities; two, 16-megawatt turbines; the drying and dewatering facility; and multiple digester gas-driven reciprocating engines.
SEH Services:

• Prepared Title V permit application
• Prepared air construction permit applications
• Coordinated emission testing
• Completed reporting and certification obligations
• Completed dispersion modeling
• Evaluated impacts of new and proposed air quality regulations
• Responded to inquiries from regulatory agencies

Moccasin Mike Landfill - Wisconsin
SEH procured a grant through Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program to perform a beneficial use analysis of current and long-term landfill gas (LFG) generated at the Moccasin Mike Landfill, a city-owned and operated site with a current permitted capacity of 4.4 million cubic yards.

SEH's analysis included performance of a short-term LFG extraction pilot test to determine localized LFG quality and quantity. Laboratory analytical samples were collected to determine LFG contaminants and caloric value. The USEPA LandGEM Model (V3.02) was utilized to estimate current and long-term LFG production rates based on default Clean Air Act and AP-42 values.

Upon completion of data collection, SEH evaluated beneficial use options based on the calculated LFG quantity and quality. The beneficial use evaluation included recovery of LFG for direct use, electricity generation, and treatment to pipeline quality. Capital investment, potential revenue, and long-term maintenance requirements were factored into SEH’s recommendation to the client.

SEH also helped the Moccasin Mike Landfill register voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction credits through the Climate Action Exchange.  These credits were sold to generate additional revenue for the project. SEH obtained the required air construction permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the project.