Grain Elevator PTE Calculation Tool Available for Use

A tool to facilitate the calculation of potential to emit (PTE) of regulated air pollutants from country grain elevators, grain terminal elevators, and country grain terminal elevators is now available for free download at www.iwrc.org.

The primary purpose of the tool is to assist grain elevator owners and operators with calculating their PTE particulate matter with a diameter less than or equal to 10 microns, referred to as PM-10. The tool’s calculations help grain elevator owners determine which permitting rules their facility are subject to.

The PTE calculation tool was developed by the Iowa Air Emissions Assistance Program (IAEAP) of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC), located at the University of Northern Iowa , in partnership with the Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) and the DNR. For questions related to downloading and installing the PTE calculation tool, please contact the IAEAP at 1-800-422-3109.

The PTE calculation tool allows owners and operators to take emissions reduction credit for the use of an enclosure on dump pits or load outs that vent to an air pollution control device, such as a cyclone or baghouse.

Some facilities have dump pit or load out enclosures that do not vent to an air pollution control device. These are referred to as uncontrolled enclosures. AAI and DNR are still discussing to what extent, if any, emissions reduction credit should be allowed from these types of enclosures. It is anticipated that this issue will be resolved within the next couple of weeks. Any changes made to the calculation tool as a result of resolution of this issue will be posted at www.iwrc.org and discussed in a future list serve.

Owners and operators who do not plan to take credit for an uncontrolled enclosure in their PTE calculations can proceed with using the PTE calculation tool to support the submittal of the appropriate registration or application forms. Owners or operators who wish to consider claiming credit for an uncontrolled enclosure are advised to wait for the outcome of the discussions between AAI and DNR.

Workshops to help familiarize grain elevator owners and operators with the proposed permitting rules for grain elevators and the PTE calculation tool were started in November 2007. For dates and locations of upcoming workshops please go to www.iowacleanair.com.

The proposed permitting rules were scheduled to be considered for final adoption at the December 4, 2007 Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) meeting. At DNR’s and AAI’s requests, consideration of final adoption was tabled by the Commission due to the on-going discussions about the uncontrolled enclosure credit issue. The proposed grain elevator permitting rules will be considered by the EPC for final adoption at the January 15, 2008 EPC meeting.