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

+ Proposed Rulemaking Available for Comment

The Environmental Protection Commission (Commission) has approved a proposed air quality rulemaking for formal public comment.

Reason for Rulemaking
Affected businesses and the public benefit from up-to-date air quality requirements and increased effectiveness.

The proposed changes to air quality rules:

Reduce the cost of government, while providing streamlined services to the public and regulated community.
Update rules to provide regulatory certainty and flexibility.
Offer uniform rules by making changes that match federal regulations.

Summary of Proposed Rule Changes
The proposed rule changes continue previous efforts to improve rules for air quality programs.

Facilitate Electronic Reporting for EASY Air

The proposal will help facilitate the Iowa DNR's launch of the Iowa Environmental Application System - EASY Air. EASY Air is a new online electronic method for submitting air quality permit applications, registrations, notifications, and template applications and is expected to make application preparation easier, improve customer service and speed the Iowa DNR’s ability to issue permits while increasing data accuracy and cutting costs.

Clarify Requirements for Industrial Anaerobic Lagoons

The proposal updates the definition of “anaerobic lagoon” to clarify that this definition is applicable to only air quality requirements. Other Iowa DNR regulations, such as those for wastewater, may have different meanings for the term “anaerobic lagoon” that are specific to that particular program area. The proposal also includes removing two operating limits for industrial anaerobic lagoons and adding the siting requirement that is in Iowa Code section 455.134.

Ensure Consistency with Federal Regulations

Additionally, the proposed rules adopt changes to the most current EPA methods for measuring air pollutant emissions (stack testing and continuous monitoring), the revised definition of “volatile organic compounds” (also known as “VOC”), and updated federal modeling guidelines used for the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. The proposal also includes adoption of revisions to federal new source performance standards (NSPS) and air toxics standards (also known as National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants or NESHAP). Adopting EPA’s amendments allows state rules to be consistent with federal regulations and provides certainty to affected businesses and other interested stakeholders.

Public Comments and Public Hearing

The DNR will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 13, 2020, at 1:00 pm, at the DNR Air Quality Bureau offices, 2nd Floor, in the Wallace State Office Building, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa. The DNR will accept written public comments until 4:30 p.m. on April 13, 2020. Please direct written comments to Christine Paulson by mail to Department of Natural Resources, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319; by email to Christine.Paulson@dnr.iowa.gov; or by fax to 515-725-9501.

Rulemaking Documents

Proposed Rulemaking | (approved by the Commission on February 18, 2020). The Notice of Intended Action will be published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB) on March 11, 2020.

For more information, please contact Christine Paulson by e-mail at Christine.Paulson@dnr.iowa.gov or by phone at 515-725-9510.

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)