Statistics for Regulatory Decision Making
Air Pollution Operating Permits (Federal Part 70)

Description

Air pollution operation permits, allow facilities to operate an air pollution source. These permits include the Federal Part 70 permits. The Federal Clean Air Act and subsequent federal regulations require certain facilities to obtain these permit in order to continue to operate. More information on Air Permit Programs can be found at: Air Permit Programs.

All existing facilities affected by the federal operation permit requirements were required to file applications no later than between May 1994 and October 1995. The DNR received around 500 permit applications in this 18-month period. The short time for the application due dates (required by the federal regulations) has in many cases led to significant delays from when the applications were received and when drafting the permits began. The table below shows the number of operation permit applications reviewed and the number remaining to be reviewed for each of the last five years.

Goal

Complete reviews of 148 remaining applications (as of October 2003) no later than December 31, 2004.

Progress Toward Goal

We have completed the review of 71 of the remaining 159 applications on July 27, 2005.

Year Permits to Issue at Beginning of Year Permits Issued During Year Permits Remaining at End of Year
1999 476 57 419
2000 419 35 384
2001 384 42 342
2002 342 56 286
2003 286* 62 148
2004 148 148 0
    Permits Issued, Closed or Alternative Permit Candidate, Through 07/27/2005 Applications Remaining
As of 07/27/2005
2005 159** 71 88
* During 2003, 76 permits were removed from the backlog as a result of permit requests withdrawn by companies, other permitting and compliance options and updates to the database. The reduction is an adjustment and not included in the permits issued to assure an accurate depiction of the actions taken.
**Prior to February 16, 2005, the Department issued 633 synthetic minor permits.

Contact

Keith Pierce
keith.pierce@wisconsin.gov
608-267-0562

Last Revised: Wednesday April 23 2008