EPC Approves for Public Comment Proposed Rule Changes to Air Quality Regulations for Ethanol Production Facilities

July 5, 2007

DES MOINES - The Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) approved for public comment proposed rule changes to air quality regulations for ethanol production facilities during their regular meeting July 2. The changes proposed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will adopt U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amendments into the Iowa Administrative Code.

On April 12, 2007, the EPA modified the definition of “chemical process plants” as it applies to one of three Clean Air Act permitting programs. New ethanol plants or planned expansions previously permitted to emit up to 100 tons per year of any regulated pollutant before becoming subject to Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) preconstruction permits will be allowed to emit up to 250 tons per year. There are currently eight new projects or expansions of ethanol production plants that have submitted applications to the DNR Air Quality Bureau that may be affected by this change. Operating and preconstruction permits that have already been issued for ethanol plants will remain in effect.

The new rules also state that ethanol processing plants no longer need to include fugitive emissions in determining applicability for the PSD and Title V programs. Fugitive emissions are emissions that do not come from process stacks or vents (i.e. dust from road use or dust from unloading carbohydrate feed stocks).

Catharine Fitzsimmons, DNR air quality bureau chief, emphasized that all ethanol production facilities are required to meet pollution limits and the revisions will not contribute to air quality that will violate National Ambient Air Quality Standards. “These changes also support Iowa’s energy independence goals by giving smaller, independent ethanol producers more leeway in getting their facilities up and running.”

The proposed rules will be available for review and comment upon publication in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB) on August 1. At that time, links to the proposed rules will be available at www.legis.state.ia.us/Rules/Current/Bulletin/ and at www.iowacleanair.com.

A public hearing for these changes will be held Wednesday, September 5, at 10 a.m. in the conference rooms at the DNR’s Air Quality Bureau located at 7900 Hickman Road, Urbandale. Comments concerning the changes may be submitted orally or in writing. All comments must be received no later than September 6, 2007.

For more information contact Christine Paulson at (515) 242-5154, or by email at Christine.Paulson@dnr.iowa.gov