Air Resource Management: Southwest District of the Dept. of Environmental Protection

Organization and Functions

The Southwest District Air Program’s area of responsibility consists of 11 counties (Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter) plus the portion of Marion County west of I-75. The SWD is assisted in its endeavors to protect, maintain, and enhance air quality by approved local air programs in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties; and the local program in Manatee County. The approved local air programs administer state air pollution-related activities under specific agreements with the Department. The Manatee County program provides local inputs in the areas of open burning approval, complaint investigation, compliance test monitoring, and assistance with inspections. The Southwest District office and local programs work together effectively to ensure state and federal air requirements are met. To achieve this goal, the Southwest District Air Program is organized into four fundamental sections: Permitting, Compliance/Enforcement, Ambient Air Monitoring, and General Permits/Mobile Sources. The Air Resources Management System (ARMS) database is used to store information about permitted facilities.

October 13, 2009 Air Program Workshop
The Southwest District Air Resource Management Program hosted a workshop for the Nonmetallic Mineral Processing Plants and Hot Mix Asphalt facilities operating within the District. Below are some of the materials made available during the workshop.

PowerPoint Presentation
Example of Permit
Permit Appendices
Flow Diagram 1
Flow Diagram 2

Air Permitting

The primary purpose of the Air Permitting Section is to review applications for completeness, request additional information if required, and prepare the final permit for issuance or denial.

The Southwest District is responsible for processing all construction permit applications involving emissions of up to 250 tons per year of a single pollutant and all operating permits in the District except major electric power generating facilities (processed by the Bureau of Air Regulation in Tallahassee). Delegated source permits are issued by the air programs at the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission and Sarasota County Natural Resources Department.

Compliance & Enforcement

The Compliance/Enforcement Section’s primary duty is to ensure stationary point sources meet state and federal air rules and regulations. Compliance engineers perform inspections on these sources, audit the conduct and results of tests performed to measure compliance with emissions limits, collect data on facility operations and emissions, and investigate complaints. The predominant industries in the Southwest District are engaged in the production of phosphate agricultural products, citrus products, and electrical power.

Sources not meeting permit conditions or rules are referred to enforcement. Appropriate actions may include an informal Warning Notice or a formal Notice of Violation and ultimate entry into a consent agreement. Consent agreements may include monetary (fines) and non-monetary penalties (such as establishing a public environmental education program).

An important activity of the Southwest District is its response to citizen complaints. Due to the large increase in population within the District, individuals sometimes face air quality issues and have air pollution concerns. Typical complaints range from odors and open burning to particulate fallout. After a complaint is logged, staff normally investigates it within three working days. Once the investigator has gathered enough facts to substantiate and define the exact problem, the appropriate action is initiated.

Ambient Air Monitoring

The Air Monitoring section maintains, operates, and collects data from various air monitoring stations located within the Southwest District. The section is responsible for sites located in Polk, Pasco, and Manatee Counties monitoring ammonia (NH₃), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM₁₀), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter(PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃). In addition, wind direction and speed are monitored and recorded at the continuous sites. Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties also maintain and operate monitoring stations which report data to DEP and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 office in Atlanta.

Mobile Sources/General Permitting

This section deals with air pollution effects from motor vehicles and certain categories of sources (such as dry cleaners, crematories, and concrete batch plants) which are regulated through general permits rather than the more complicated construction permits and operating permits.

Mobile source pollution is dealt with through inspections, review of development impacts, proper transportation planning, and education. Inspections are aimed at identifying and preventing tampering with vehicle emission controls and stopping the sale of tampered vehicles.

The section also deals with both the issuance of general permits and measures to ensure compliance with the provisions of those permits. Since many of the sources holding general permits are small businesses with little likelihood of having trained environmental personnel on their staffs, educating permittees about the requirements of applicable laws and regulations is a large part of this section’s activities.

More information

Programs SW Home Air Environmental Resource Waste Water Information Contacts Internships Ombudsman Permitting Public Notices	Air Resource Management Organization and Functions The Southwest District Air Program’s area of responsibility consists of 11 counties (Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter) plus the portion of Marion County west of I-75. The SWD is assisted in its endeavors to protect, maintain, and enhance air quality by approved local air programs in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties; and the local program in Manatee County. The approved local air programs administer state air pollution-related activities under specific agreements with the Department. The Manatee County program provides local inputs in the areas of open burning approval, complaint investigation, compliance test monitoring, and assistance with inspections. The Southwest District office and local programs work together effectively to ensure state and federal air requirements are met. To achieve this goal, the Southwest District Air Program is organized into four fundamental sections: Permitting, Compliance/Enforcement, Ambient Air Monitoring, and General Permits/Mobile Sources. The Air Resources Management System (ARMS) database is used to store information about permitted facilities. October 13, 2009 Air Program Workshop The Southwest District Air Resource Management Program hosted a workshop for the Nonmetallic Mineral Processing Plants and Hot Mix Asphalt facilities operating within the District. Below are some of the materials made available during the workshop. PowerPoint Presentation Example of Permit Permit Appendices Flow Diagram 1 Flow Diagram 2 Air Permitting The primary purpose of the Air Permitting Section is to review applications for completeness, request additional information if required, and prepare the final permit for issuance or denial. The Southwest District is responsible for processing all construction permit applications involving emissions of up to 250 tons per year of a single pollutant and all operating permits in the District except major electric power generating facilities (processed by the Bureau of Air Regulation in Tallahassee). Delegated source permits are issued by the air programs at the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission and Sarasota County Natural Resources Department. Compliance & Enforcement The Compliance/Enforcement Section’s primary duty is to ensure stationary point sources meet state and federal air rules and regulations. Compliance engineers perform inspections on these sources, audit the conduct and results of tests performed to measure compliance with emissions limits, collect data on facility operations and emissions, and investigate complaints. The predominant industries in the Southwest District are engaged in the production of phosphate agricultural products, citrus products, and electrical power. Sources not meeting permit conditions or rules are referred to enforcement. Appropriate actions may include an informal Warning Notice or a formal Notice of Violation and ultimate entry into a consent agreement. Consent agreements may include monetary (fines) and non-monetary penalties (such as establishing a public environmental education program). An important activity of the Southwest District is its response to citizen complaints. Due to the large increase in population within the District, individuals sometimes face air quality issues and have air pollution concerns. Typical complaints range from odors and open burning to particulate fallout. After a complaint is logged, staff normally investigates it within three working days. Once the investigator has gathered enough facts to substantiate and define the exact problem, the appropriate action is initiated. Ambient Air Monitoring The Air Monitoring section maintains, operates, and collects data from various air monitoring stations located within the Southwest District. The section is responsible for sites located in Polk, Pasco, and Manatee Counties monitoring ammonia (NH₃), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM₁₀), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter(PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃). In addition, wind direction and speed are monitored and recorded at the continuous sites. Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties also maintain and operate monitoring stations which report data to DEP and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 office in Atlanta. Mobile Sources/General Permitting This section deals with air pollution effects from motor vehicles and certain categories of sources (such as dry cleaners, crematories, and concrete batch plants) which are regulated through general permits rather than the more complicated construction permits and operating permits. Mobile source pollution is dealt with through inspections, review of development impacts, proper transportation planning, and education. Inspections are aimed at identifying and preventing tampering with vehicle emission controls and stopping the sale of tampered vehicles. The section also deals with both the issuance of general permits and measures to ensure compliance with the provisions of those permits. Since many of the sources holding general permits are small businesses with little likelihood of having trained environmental personnel on their staffs, educating permittees about the requirements of applicable laws and regulations is a large part of this section’s activities. More information Contact Information Air Permit Search Last updated: November 16, 2009
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