EPA Air Permitting Services

Who Needs an Air Permit?

You likely need air permit coverage if your facility:

• Operates equipment that emits regulated air pollutants (boilers, generators, paint booths, dryers, process vents, storage tanks, etc.)
• Has actual or potential emissions above your state's minor source or synthetic minor thresholds
• Is a major source under Title V (generally 100+ tons/year of a criteria pollutant, or lower thresholds for hazardous air pollutants)
• Is planning new construction, a facility expansion, or equipment changes that could increase emissions
• Has an existing permit that needs renewal, modification, or a change in operating conditions

Our Air Permitting Process

1. Emissions Inventory & Applicability Review – We identify your facility's emission sources and estimate potential and actual emissions to determine which permit type applies.
2. Permit Strategy – We evaluate whether a synthetic minor limit could keep your facility below major source thresholds, where that reduces long-term compliance burden.
3. Application Preparation – We prepare the permit application, emissions calculations, and supporting technical documentation required by your state agency.
4. Agency Coordination – We manage correspondence with your state or local air permitting agency through the review and approval process.
5. Compliance Monitoring Setup – Once permitted, we help establish the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting procedures your permit requires.
6. Ongoing Compliance & Renewal Tracking – We track permit renewal dates, reporting deadlines, and any modification triggers as your operations change.

Why Choose Vanguard for Air Permitting

• We determine the right permit type from the start, avoiding costly re-applications or enforcement exposure from operating on the wrong permit
• Experience evaluating synthetic minor limits to help facilities avoid unnecessary Title V burden where appropriate
• Ongoing tracking of renewal dates, reporting deadlines, and modification triggers
• One point of contact alongside your other environmental compliance obligations (RCRA, SARA, TRI, stormwater)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my facility needs a minor source permit or a Title V permit?

It depends on your facility's actual and potential emissions of regulated pollutants compared to your state's major source thresholds. Vanguard performs an emissions inventory and applicability review as the first step, at no obligation.

What is a synthetic minor permit, and why would I want one?

A synthetic minor permit allows a facility to accept enforceable emissions limits that keep it below major source thresholds, avoiding the more extensive monitoring, reporting, and renewal requirements of a Title V permit.

How long does it take to get an air permit?

Timelines vary significantly by permit type and state agency, ranging from a few weeks for streamlined minor source permits to a year or more for Title V permits. We provide a facility-specific estimate during the applicability review.

Do I need a new permit if I add equipment or change my process?

Often, yes. Adding emission units or changing operations can trigger a permit modification, and in some cases a new preconstruction permit, depending on the emissions impact.

What happens if I operate without the correct air permit?

Operating without required permit coverage, or outside your permit's conditions, can result in EPA or state enforcement action and significant per-day penalties.

Can Vanguard handle air permitting alongside our other environmental compliance work?

Yes. Many Vanguard clients manage air permitting together with RCRA, SARA, TRI, and stormwater compliance under a single ongoing relationship.

Related Services

• RCRA Hazardous Waste Management
• SARA Title III Reporting
• Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting
• Stormwater Runoff Permitting
• Environmental Services