In this issue:
Omnibus Air
Rulemaking
The MPCA is amending its air quality rules and planning to
publish notice of proposed revisions in February 2016. The overall purpose of
the rulemaking is to keep the air quality rules current, ensure consistency
with applicable federal and state regulations, make minor changes to existing
rules, clarify ambiguous language, and correct gaps or errors identified while
administering the existing rules.
The MPCA is proposing amendments to Minnesota Rules
chapters 7002, 7005, 7007, 7008, 7009, 7011, 7017, 7019, and 7030. Examples of
the kind of changes to the rules include: changes in permit processes
related to the 2009 federal Flexible Air Permitting Rule and the State
Permitting Efficiency Laws of 2011 and 2012, clarification of the forms of
particulate matter in various rule parts, updating state ambient air standards
to match current federal standards, changes to performance standards and
performance testing, and emission inventory requirements for certain
registration permits. The proposed amendments affect air emission facilities
with individual air emissions permits (Federal Part 70 or State) and
registration permit holders.
If you are interested in receiving email notices about these
rules, please sign up
through GovDelivery for Omnibus Air rule
updates. Information on these rules is available on the MPCA’s
Omnibus Air Rule webpage.
New online air
quality permitting services available
You
can now electronically apply for an administrative amendment to an Individual
Air Permit to extend a deadline up to 120 days or to change ownership, facility
name, or owner or operator name. To use these services, go to the MPCA's e-Services webpage.
Please Note: New and existing services
(example: Air Emission Inventory – CEDR) currently operate on two separate
systems, and depending on what services you'd like to use, you may need to
maintain two accounts with the agency. We apologize for the inconvenience and
hope to combine these two systems as soon as possible. If you have questions or
comments, please send us a note.
MPCA moves to new data and information
management system
From the
last issue of Air Mail, you may recall a short article about new online
services available for individual air quality permit holders (read it here). The availability of these new services coincided with
the agency’s switch to a new data and information management system, known to
MPCA staff as “Tempo.” When fully implemented, Tempo will replace more than a
dozen data management systems that have been used at the MPCA, some for over 20
years.
While
this is primarily a behind-the-scenes change, external users of some MPCA
services will notice changes, too. As part of the Tempo roll-out, the MPCA has
made great strides in standardizing many documents across programs, including
permits. When you get your next air permit, it will look quite different from
your previous permit — the order of the sections of individual permits and the
formatting of all permits are now consistent across the various permit
programs.
We know the
switch to Tempo and associated processes hasn’t been perfect, and it’ll take a
while for MPCA staff to get used to using it. And we recognize that the time
needed to issue some permits may increase for a period of time, but we are
trying to minimize this to the extent possible. So, please be patient as we
work out any problems!
Small business
compliance calendar
2016 Small Business
Compliance Calendars are now available
online! To help small businesses with the record-keeping needed to comply
with environmental regulations, the Small Business Environmental Assistance
Program at the MPCA created calendars for specific industry sectors. These
calendars provide multimedia assistance tools, helpful hints, and contacts for
additional information. If you know a drycleaner, aggregate facility, or
aboveground storage-tank owner, let them know about this online tool. If
a paper copy is needed or a small business has additional questions, contact
the SBEAP at (651) 282-6143.
The
MPCA has scheduled four community listening sessions on the Clean Power Plan around
the state for February. The Clean Power
Plan is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule requiring states to
cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants (for more information,
visit the EPA’s
website). The Clean Power Plan will encourage the development of
cleaner energy and energy conservation. EPA has set targets for states to meet,
and the MPCA must now develop a plan to comply with the rule. Before we develop
our plan, we want to hear what Minnesotans’ interests and concerns are related
to the Clean Power Plan and clean energy.
The
events will start with an open house where MPCA staff will be available to
answer questions and chat with visitors one-on-one. The listening session will
immediately follow the open house. We’ll provide a bit of background on the
Clean Power Plan and our expected schedules and requirements, and most
importantly, will listen to what YOU have to say.
All meetings will follow this schedule:
- 5:30PM-6:30PM: Open house/talk one-on-one with
MPCA staff
- 6:30PM-8PM: Meeting/listening session begins
-
MPCA staff will be
available for follow up questions after the meeting
Meeting locations:
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February 9: St. Cloud State University, Atwood
Memorial Center, Voyageurs Room, St. Cloud (event flyer here)
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February 16: Bemidji State University, the
American Indian Resource Center’s Gathering Place, Bemidji (event flyer here)
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February 23: University of Minnesota–Duluth,
Swenson Civil Engineering Building, Rooms 265/231, Duluth (event flyer here) – Please note the location
change from previous announcements!
-
February 24: Southwest Minnesota State
University Conference Center, Upper Ballroom, Marshall (event flyer here)
We’ll
be holding additional events in the coming months – stay tuned! If you can’t make
one of the meetings, there will be opportunities to express interests and
concerns on our website. The website is still under development, but we’ll be sure to
send out an update when it’s launched!
We
encourage you to use and distribute the flyers linked above to pass this
information on to anyone who might be interested. If you have any questions about these events, please
contact CleanPowerPlan.PCA@state.mn.us.
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Oscar Auto Body in Minneapolis received funding for a new water-based paint system from
an MPCA grant
and a matching grant from the City of Minneapolis’s Green
Business Program as part of a statewide effort to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
from small businesses.
Between the two grants the shop secured $101,000 toward the $150,000
paint booth.
With the new system, cars spend about half the
time in the paint department compared with the old solvent-based system. Owner Ramin Hakimi reports it also improves workflow, being nearer to the new
mixing room. VOC emissions have been
reduced about 73 percent in the first eight months, eliminating about 736 lbs.
of VOCs per year.
The shop has also seen an increase in
business after receiving both the Minneapolis Green Business Award and the
Whittier Alliance Good Business Award. For
the full scoop on Oscar Auto Body and the business and environmental benefits
gained from the new paint booth, see this
article in FenderBender magazine.
Also check out this short video about VOCs and the
Oscar Auto Body story. This could be you! Small business VOC grant
funding from the MPCA will be available late
winter 2016 for similar VOC reduction projects. A 25 percent match will be
required. Visit BeAirAwareMN.org
to see other best practices for improving air quality and protecting the health
of your employees.
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The MPCA will soon be accepting applications from organizations
interested in being a host site for the Minnesota GreenCorps program for
2016-17. Applications from eligible organizations interested in hosting GreenCorps
members are anticipated to open in February. When the application period
opens, all subscribers of the Minnesota GreenCorps GovDelivery
list will be notified and receive instructions on how to apply. Visit the
GreenCorps website to learn
more about this program and opportunity!
Preview of the
upcoming program year
The MPCA plans to place up to 40 full-time members with
various host sites coming year. Members
serve about 40 hours a week for 11 months beginning in mid- to late-September
2016 through August 2017. Eligible organizations include public entities
(local, regional, state, tribal), school districts, not-for-profit institutions
of higher education, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Organizations may
apply for Minnesota GreenCorps members to serve on projects in:
-
Air
quality (including energy conservation and green transportation)
-
Waste
prevention and recycling
-
Green
infrastructure (including local foods, stormwater management, and urban
forestry)
-
Living
Green outreach
Operation of the 2016-2017 program year is contingent on
receiving funding. Confirmation of funding may not be available prior to the
application deadline.
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The MPCA is participating on Health Impact
Assessment workgroups with the Minnesota Department of Health. An HIA is a process that provides
decision-makers with information about how a policy, program, or project may
affect people’s health. In Minnesota, MDH both performs HIAs and provides
technical assistance to other organizations. For more information on HIAs in
Minnesota, see the MDH Health
Impact Assessment website.
MDH recently awarded two grants for rapid
HIAs to be performed on policies or plans related to the built environment,
including transportation and land use. A rapid HIA is usually completed in a
short time, covers a smaller or less complicated proposal, and usually does not
include an in-depth numerical analysis. Each of the two grants described below
is funded for $30,000 and will be completed by August 31, 2016.
The Region Nine Development Commission will expand the
planning process initiated by a grant it received from the MPCA in January of
2015 to develop an assessment and adaptation plan for climate change
vulnerability. The RNDC will conduct an HIA of the goals, strategies, and
action steps identified in the adaptation planning process for the counties of
Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, and
Watonwan. For more information, contact Jacob Thunander at jacob@rndc.org
or visit the RNDC web page.
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The Headwaters Regional Development
Commission received an HIA grant that focuses on physical activity and
neighborhood health on Paul Bunyan Drive in Bemidji, working with MnDOT and
other partners to assess barriers to walking, biking, and physical activity in
neighborhoods along the busy roadway. For more information, contact Kurt Wayne
at kwayne@hrdc.org
or visit the HRDC web page. |
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The
Minnesota Department of Transportation is currently updating a number of
statewide transportation plans, including the Statewide Multimodal
Transportation Plan (SMTP) and Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan
(MnSHIP). MnDOT is gathering information about Minnesotans’ priorities for the
transportation system to provide insight into what planning factors are most
important to people around the state. The project team has developed two surveys,
one for each plan, that aim to gather feedback on a variety of issues that
affect how MnDOT plans for the future of Minnesota’s transportation system.
Both surveys
are available on the project website, www.MinnesotaGO.org.
A vast amount of information beyond the surveys is also available on the
website, including trend analysis papers that review emerging trends in
Minnesota ranging from environmental quality to Minnesota’s aging population
and beyond. In particular, transportation is a key component of the air quality
conversation, and your input into this relationship is critical to the plan
update. You can also request a presentation from a member of the project team
for your office, community group, or other interested organization.
If you would
like more information on the SMTP please contact Katie Caskey, or, for more
information on MnSHIP, contact Josh
Pearson.
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In Minnesota, 40 percent of homes have radon at levels high
enough to be a health concern. The only way to know if yours is one of them is
to have your home tested. Check out BeAirAwareMN.org for the story.
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On February 24, at 9:00 AM CST, The Minnesota
Technical Assistance Program is hosting a webinar titled Cleaners and
Degreasers for Industrial Maintenance and Auto Repair - Safer Products That
Work. Participants will learn about low-volatile organic compound and low-hazardous air pollutant degreasing
solvents that are proven to work and that reduce harmful exposures to workers
and the community. Hear about the success of small commercial and industrial
facilities that have made the switch to “greener” products and how MnTAP’s
degreasing project has resulted in over 2,000 pounds in annual VOC reductions.
For more information and to register, click here.
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The MPCA’s Community Air Monitoring Project (CAMP) uses
funding from the Minnesota Legislature to do short-term air quality monitoring
in selected Minnesota neighborhoods. The objective is to monitor and
assess air quality in low-income or communities of color that are
disproportionately impacted by air pollution from highways, air traffic, or
industrial sources. Since starting the project in October 2013, the MPCA has
completed monitoring at multiple community areas in the Twin Cities and
Duluth.
The CAMP monitor is now located in the South St. Anthony
Park community in St. Paul. The monitor will measure common air
pollutants such as fine particles (dust and soot), volatile organic compounds,
and metals that can be harmful to breathe. Monitoring in this community
started on January 6, 2016.
After the monitoring is completed, MPCA staff will analyze
results, post the results to the CAMP
website and share the findings with the public. For more information on the
community air monitoring project, please visit the
CAMP website or call 651-296-6300 or 1-800-657-3864 and ask for air data
analysis staff. More information about the MPCA’s air monitoring program
is available on the MPCA’s website.
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Federal Appeals Court allows Clean Power Plan to remain
in place
On January 21, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC
Circuit denied requests for a stay that would have prevented the EPA from
implementing the Clean Power Plan while the Court considers legal challenges to
the rule. The Clean Power Plan,
EPA’s landmark regulation setting greenhouse gas limits on fossil fuel-fired
power plants, has been challenged by several states and industry groups as a
governmental overreach that will harm the economy and drive up electricity
costs. Several other states (including Minnesota) and cities,
along with environmental and health advocates, have filed motions in support of
EPA’s rule and opposing a stay of the rule, maintaining that the rule is both
necessary to address climate change as well as achievable due to advances in
renewable and cleaner energy technologies. The Court’s decision allows the rule
to remain in place as it reviews the case, currently expected in June 2016.
For more information on the legal challenges surrounding the
Clean Power Plan, visit Reuters. For full details, the Environmental Defense
Fund has compiled case information and resources from all parties here.
Appeals Court backs EPA approval of Minnesota’s Regional
Haze Plan
On January 21, 2016, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
decided to let stand the EPA’s approval of Minnesota’s regional haze
plan. The Court’s action resolves a challenge to a critical component of
Minnesota’s existing Regional Haze State Implementation Plan, and allows the
MPCA to look ahead to the next round of regional haze planning and focus
resources where they may best support visibility improvement in Minnesota’s
Class I areas. EPA is currently developing rulemaking expected to require the
next round of Regional Haze SIPs to be due in 2021. For more information,
visit CBS
Minnesota.
New study on
life-cycle emissions from electric vehicles
The Union of Concerned Scientists recently released a new
study indicating that total greenhouse gas emissions over the life of an
electric vehicle – starting from raw materials and manufacturing through its
disposal – are half the lifecycle emissions from an equivalent gasoline-powered
car. The study indicates that gasoline
vehicles in Minnesota would need to achieve at least 43 miles per gallon to
have equivalent life-cycle emissions to a comparable electric car. Read the full study here.
Air Mail is a quarterly,
email-based newsletter featuring updates on air quality issues and the work of
the MPCA and our partners. Subscribers to this list also receive Air Mail
Bulletins, which provide time-sensitive regulatory and technical updates.
To see past issues, Air Mail
Bulletins, or to subscribe, visit the MPCA's website.
If you have questions
or comments about Air Mail, please feel free to contact Amanda Jarrett Smith at
amanda.smith@state.mn.us.
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