Small Business Clean Air Assistance Program

Complying with the Regulations

Important note! The Small Business Clean Air Assistance Program is moving. Beginning July 1, 2011, the SBCAAP will be located in Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources. For the new address and phone numbers, see the Contact Information at the bottom of our program home page.

Air pollution regulations established by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all have procedures by which a business has to demonstrate to the agencies that they meet each of the requirements.  When DNR or EPA perform an inspection or request records and find that you are not in compliance with any particular requirement, you can be found in violation and heading for an enforcement action by one or both agencies.  The following fact sheets or tools could help you avoid getting in that situation.  

Facilities With Permits

• Air Permit Compliance Calendar — This new tool from SBCAAP can serve multiple purposes for a facility that needs to comply with an air permit, show they are exempt from air permits, track compliance with regulations that apply outside of a permit, or just needs a reminder about certain due dates like the annual reporting for the Air Emissions Inventory and Hazardous Waste program via the Consolidated Reporting System.  It is available in MS Word (1.85 MB) if you would like to add more site-specific tracking than fits on the printed copy, or in Adobe PDF if you would like to print it (or parts of it) for yourself.  

• How to Use an MSDS for Air Pollution Requirements — Calculations needed for demonstrating compliance with certain Air Pollution Control requirements apply to your facility will usually involve use of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This fact sheet explains what information you really need to find on the MSDS and how to use it.

Whether you Need a Permit or Not - Be Prepared

• Recordkeeping - Do you need to maintain records even when you don't need a permit?  Yes.  Find out what you need to do by reading this fact sheet.
• Monthly VOC Emissions Records and Calculations - A MS Excel spreadsheet you can use to enter monthly paint/coating/solvent use and calculate monthly emissions, and if needed calculate a 12-month rolling average of VOCs.  
• A DNR Air Program Inspector is Coming... What Can I Expect? — A fact sheet describing the things you might expect during an inspection and some items you should be prepared with upon the arrival of the inspector.
• Dust, Smoke and Fumes — Particulate Matter Emissions — This fact sheet summarizes the air pollution requirements for those sources with particulate matter emissions and discusses some of the ways to reduce those emissions as well.
• Odors — A fact sheet summarizes the requirements that no business may allow emissions from their business that create an objectionable odor off their property. There are a couple ways DNR may determine if an odor is objectionable and some suggestions for how to avoid or control odors.
• Stack Testing — DNR may require you to perform emissions testing at your exhaust stacks at any time. Testing may be required after receiving a construction permit, if a new regulation applies to a process, or to confirm emissions factors used to calculate your emissions. It's best to know all the elements summarized in this fact sheet because you do not want to repeat any testing due to misunderstanding the process.
• If you are required to perform stack testing in an air pollution permit, there are a number of resources you can try for stack testing firms. The first one is the yellow pages. There is also a state-by-state listing online at www.ActiveSET.org *. DNR's Air Program maintains a list of stack test facilities in the Wisconsin area. Contact Andy Seeber at 608/267-0563 for a copy.
• Or you can check our Clean Air Consultants list. We recently asked those on the list to update the services they have available, whether they be permits, emissions testing, etc. (SBCAAP has not reviewed the firms on this list, and their inclusion does not imply any endorsement. The information is provided for your assistance. We also have a fact sheet on Tips for Hiring an Environmental Consultant, which gives information about the questions to ask when hiring an outside consulting firm.)
  

National Compliance Assistance Resources

There are many compliance assistance links available from federal as well as other state and local sources. We will attempt to provide as many as seem useful to small businesses.

One good starting point is the Small Business Environmental home page *. It has links to compliance assistance, pollution prevention, and other regulatory information of interest to small businesses. One very useful tool is the Industry Sector section, where you will find links to the following Compliance Assistance Centers * among others:

• Agricultural Center
• Auto Recyclers
• Auto Repair
• ChemAlliance
• Construction/Demolition
• Metal Finishing
• Printed Wiring Board
• Printers
• Paints and Coatings
• Transportation