DNR Online Services | Subscribe to Email Updates
News | Events | Contact Us

DNR Online Services | Subscribe to Email Updates
Iowa Outdoors Magazine | News | Events | Contact Us

Public Participation

> >

Stakeholder Involvement

The Air Quality Bureau frequently seeks input and recommendations from stakeholders on various planning and rulemaking activities, along with permits that will be issued.

Public Input allows opportunities for comment and general information to review Air Quality rulemakings and draft permits. Please see the fact sheet Making Your Comments Count for tips on making effective comments.
Meetings are ongoing, regularly scheduled meetings to discuss current and upcoming regulatory issues.
Workgroups are established to assist the Air Quality Bureau with specific air quality program implementation activities.

Interested members of the public can view agendas, documents, and general information; meeting and workgroup activities can also be tracked.

Please note that not all categories will have items available for comment at all times. Public meetings being held throughout the state are also available on the State of Iowa public meeting calendar.

Public Input

+ Construction and Operating Permits

+ Updated Permit Modification Guidance

+ Public Comment Opportunity

+ Iowa’s 2018 Air Monitoring Network Plan

+ Sulfur Dioxide Data Requirements Rule Report

+ Opportunity for Comment: PM2.5 SILs and AAR Summary Web Page

The DNR is proposing two updates to modeling guidance documents and associated construction permitting forms. Specifically, EPA’s recently released PM2.5 Significant Impact Levels (SIL) have been incorporated into the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Modeling Guidelines, and references to a new web page have been added to Form MD. The DNR is providing this information for a two-week informal comment period.

PM2.5 SILs

On April 17, 2018 EPA released a memo titled “Guidance on Significant Impact Levels for Ozone and Fine Particles in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permitting Program.” In this guidance EPA recommended a 24-hour PM2.5 SIL of 1.2 µg/m³, which is the same level as the previously proposed draft SIL. They also recommended an annual PM2.5 SIL of 0.2 µg/m³, which is lower than the previously proposed draft SIL (0.3 µg/m³). Refer to EPA’s Significant Impact Levels for Ozone and Fine Particles web page for additional information regarding their analysis and recommendations.

The DNR plans to incorporate EPA’s recommended SILs into modeling guidance for PSD projects. EPA’s guidance provides flexibility for the use of an annual PM2.5 SIL between 0.2 µg/m³ and 0.3 µg/m³, but requires that justification is provided for whatever value is used. EPA’s guidance provides this justification for the lower 0.2 µg/m³ value. The revised DNR guidance will also allow for this flexibility, but the DNR currently does not have the resources to evaluate an alternate annual SIL. Therefore, applicants will be required to use 0.2 µg/m³ for the annual PM2.5 SIL unless they can provide their own justification for an alternate value. Any such justification will then be provided to EPA for their review during the comment period of the associated draft permits.

Draft PSD Modeling Guidelines

For non-PSD projects, the DNR is currently proposing to continue using the higher 0.3 µg/m³ annual PM2.5 SIL.

AAR Summary Web Page

The Air Quality Bureau has added a tool to its web site that will be useful to those applying for a construction air permit.

The DNR uses dispersion modeling to determine the impact that construction projects may have on air quality. The air quality impacts from these projects are compared to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to ensure that public health is protected, and this information is summarized for the applicant in the form of an Availability of Air Resources (AAR) Summary. The applicant can then use the AAR Summary for planning purposes and to assist in the preparation of future permit applications.

The Bureau's Availability of Air Resources (AAR) page has been created to assist applicants in completing Section 2 of Form MD. The Availability of Air Resources (AAR) web page includes contact information that can be used to request an AAR Summary, as well as a list of frequently asked questions. AAR Summaries provide the most recent comprehensive modeling results in the vicinity of a facility. Requests sent via the contact information on the AAR web page are forwarded to all DNR modeling staff, allowing requests to be fulfilled even when someone is out of the office.

Please send any comments or questions to Jim McGraw at jim.mcgraw@dnr.iowa.gov, or by phone at (515) 725-9543, by 4:30 pm on 6/22/2018.

Meetings - Air Quality Client Contact

Air Quality Client Contact Meetings focus on current and upcoming air program issues and changes. The meetings provide an open forum for stakeholders and the general public to discuss new state and federal air quality rules or air program developments and are a good source of information for anyone who works with or has an interest in activities related to air quality.

All meetings are open to the public.

Meetings - Fee Advisory Groups

Legislation passed by the 86th session of Iowa General Assembly (Senate File 488) established authority to collect application fees for new source air construction permits at major sources. Construction permit application fees will pay for the reasonable direct and indirect costs of implementing and administrating new source review programs for major sources. The legislation directs the DNR to convene a fee advisory group to obtain recommendations regarding these fees for major source air construction permits, including Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits. The advisory group will meet at least once annually to consider the fees. For more information contact Jim McGraw at Jim.Mcgraw@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-725-9543.

+ Major Source Con Permit App & Title V App Fees

+ Minor Source Con Permit App Fee

+ Asbestos Notification Fee Advisory Group

Workgroups

+ 2017 Air Quality Program Funding Work Group

+ 2016 Title V Lean Event

The DNR held a Value Stream Mapping Event (VSM) on October 17 – 20, 2016. This was a collaborative event with six industry representatives and was co-facilitated by the Department of Management. The VSM participants thoroughly discussed various opportunities to transform Title V permitting and came to consensus on six key deliverables to improve efficiency:

Optional pre-application meeting
Optional pre-technical review meetings
Improved application forms
Metrics to determine missing information and customer satisfaction
Critical information earlier in the process
Directory for just-in-time sharing of internal data

These deliverables will relate to receiving better information from our applicants, thereby improving the efficiency of the DNR staff who will no longer spend time collecting information that could have been provided up front.

Since three of these improvements are more complex in nature the DNR is asking for the input of additional team members. Two workgroups will be held between January 17 and 20, 2017 to address the optional pre-meetings and improvements to the application forms. If you are interested in participating in either one or both workgroups, or for additional information, contact Lori Hanson. The workgroups will consist of a diverse group of twelve to fifteen industry representatives.

Additional information:

If you have comments or questions about the VSM event or wish to participate in the upcoming workgroups, please contact Lori Hanson, Title V Permit Supervisor, at 515-725-9525 or Lori.Hanson@dnr.iowa.gov.

Title V Workgroups

Representatives from eight businesses collaborated with Title V permit writing staff from the DNR and Linn County in two workgroups held between January 17 and 20, 2017. One team addressed optional pre-meetings for hands-on help with the application, likely resulting in a faster application review time a permit that better reflects the needs of the business. The second team simplified the Title V application forms by creating Excel spreadsheet versions of some forms, allowing the use of previous versions of the forms, reducing the information requested, and updating the application instructions.

+ eAirServices Advisory Workgroup

+ 2014 AQ Stakeholder Group

+ Carbon Pollution Standards for the Power Sector

+ 2015 Construction Permit Dual Lean Events

The Iowa DNR Air Quality Bureau hosted two LEAN events the week of November 30-December 4, 2015. These dual LEAN events allowed invited participants to explore efficiencies related to the creation of an option for a multi emission point construction permit and a reduction in the length of issued construction permits.

Some of the specific goals and objectives of the 2015 Construction Permit Dual LEAN events include:

Create an option for a permit that includes multiple emission points.
Identify and integrate efficiencies created with the new permit option that can apply to existing permit options.
Identify key strategies and resources for assuring customer awareness of available permit options.
Provide a permit framework that works for all customers that decreases the length of their permit.
Capture efficiencies identified during this event to the overall permitting process, as appropriate, to decrease the time required to issue permits.
Design a permit that can be easily understood by permit holders, inspectors, other stakeholders.
Streamline, eliminate duplication, and ensure all applicable regulations are reflected in the issued permit.

General Information

If you have comments or questions about either of the LEAN events, please contact Sarah Piziali, Construction Permit Supervisor, at 515-725-9549 or Sarah.Piziali@dnr.iowa.gov.

Event 1: Multi-Permit (November 30^th - December 2^nd)

Event 2: Reduced Permit Framework (December 3^rd & December 4^th)