ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD 
September 15, 2005 
 
IN THE MATTER OF: 
 ) 
 ) 
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO 
 )       R05-19 
EXEMPTIONS FROM STATE 
 )       (Rulemaking - Air) 
PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS 
 ) 
(35 ILL. ADM. CODE 201.146) 
 ) 
 
Proposed Rule.  First Notice. 
 
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE 
  
This rulemaking proposes revisions to the Board’s regulations regarding exemptions from 
air construction and operating permit requirements.  The proposal seeks to add four exemptions 
to the existing list of 59 permit exemptions in Section 201.146.  35 Ill. Adm. Code 201.146.  The 
purpose of the amendments is to eliminate permitting delays for minor projects having little 
environmental or regulatory impact.   
 
The proposal was a joint collaboration by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 
(Agency) and the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group (IERG).  The proposed amendments 
will add four new subsections to the existing list of exemptions found in Section 201.146.  The 
Board notes that it is simultaneously adopting for first notice another proposal that amends 
Section 201.146, entitled Proposed Amendments to Exemptions from State Permitting 
Requirements for Plastic Injection Molding Operations (35 Ill. Adm. Code 201.146), R05-20 
(Sept. 15, 2005).  
 
Today the Board adopts the proponents’ proposal, as amended, for first notice.  First-
notice publication in the 
Illinois Register
 will begin a 45-day period for interested persons to file 
public comments with the Board.   The Board describes each of the proposed exemptions and the 
various issues raised at hearing in more detail below.   
 
PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND 
 
        On February 22, 2005, the proponents filed this proposal for rulemaking pursuant to 
Sections 27 and 28 of the Environmental Protection Act (Act) and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 
102.202(b).
1
  The Board has held two public hearings in this rulemaking before hearing officer 
Amy Antoniolli.  The first hearing was held on April 12, 2005, in Chicago and the second 
hearing was held on June 14, 2005, in Springfield.
2
 
1
 The proponents’ statement of reasons will be cited to as “Statement at _.” 
 
2
 The transcripts from the April 12, 2005 hearing will be cited to as “Tr.1 at _,” and the transcript 
 from the June 14, 2005 hearing will be cited to as “Tr.2 at _.” 
 
 2
        Mr. Don Sutton testified on behalf of the Agency.  Mr. Sutton is the manager of the 
permit section, Division of Air Pollution Control, Bureau of Air, and has been since 1991.  Mr. 
Sutton is responsible for issuing construction and operating permits for the Bureau of Air.  Ms. 
Katherine Hodge, executive director of IERG, also testified on behalf of the proponents.   
 
On June 1, 2005, the Agency filed an errata sheet making changes to the proposed rule 
language that reflected issues raised at the first hearing.  
 
There have been two public comments filed in this rulemaking.  The first was filed on 
behalf of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois (CICI) (PC 1), and the second was a post-
hearing comment filed by the proponents in support of the proposal (PC 2).  CICI supports this 
rulemaking, stating “”[t]his more efficient and targeted use of state resources is both consistent 
with the approach taken by our neighboring other Region 5 states and consistent with sound 
management of state resources.”   
 
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED NEW PERMIT EXEMPTION CATEGORIES 
 
  
        According to the proponents, the proposed exemptions to Section 201.146 of the Board’s 
regulations will improve the Illinois air permitting system and do not threaten the public health 
or welfare.  PC 2, at 3; Statement at 3.  The proponents state that the proposed exemptions will 
 allow the Agency to dedicate its resources to “projects with greater emission and regulatory 
ramifications,” and allow eligible facilities to avoid the costly and time-consuming delays of the 
permitting process.  PC 2, at 5.  Lastly, the proponents state the environment will benefit from 
the speedier replacement or addition of improved air control equipment.  
Id
. 
 
        Proposed Section 201.146(hhh) would apply to the replacement or addition of air 
pollution control equipment at existing units.  Proposed Section 201.146(iii) would apply to 
sources that have Federally Enforceable State Operating Permits (FESOPs) and a low potential 
to emit.  Proposed Section 201.146(jjj) would apply to permitted minor sources that are not 
Clean Air Act Permit Program (CAAPP) sources and do not have FESOPs.  Proposed Section 
201.146(kkk) would apply to insignificant activities at CAAPP sources.  Statement at 12. 
 
Exemption for Equipment at Existing Emission Units 
 
        The proponents explain that under the first exemption, proposed subsection (hhh), owners 
or operators replacing or adding air pollution control equipment at existing units would be 
exempt from obtaining a state construction or operating permit if certain criteria are met.  First, 
the exemption would only apply to existing units, and the existing unit must be permitted and 
have operated in compliance for the past year.  Statement at 3.   
 
        The new pollution control equipment must maintain or improve air pollution control over 
 the prior levels of target pollutants, and not result in a net increase in emissions of any non-target 
criteria pollutant.  Statement at 4.  This exemption would not apply if sources are required to 
comply with different State or Federal regulatory requirements.  Finally, required monitoring 
equipment must be carried over to the replacement control device and must incorporate current 
technology.  
Id
. 
 
 3
 
Exemption for FESOP Sources With a Low Potential to Emit 
 
        According to the proponents, some Illinois sources have FESOPs limiting their potential 
to emit.  Statement at 5.  The proponents claim that there can be some projects at FESOP sources 
that do not fit under any of the existing listed exemptions under Section 201.146 and that are still 
insignificant from a permitting standpoint.  Under this second exemption, proposed subsection 
(iii), the Agency and IERG propose a “
de minimis
” permitting exemption for minor projects at 
minor FESOP sources that meet certain criteria. 
 
        The proponents state that this exemption is limited to the installation of new emission 
units or modifications of existing emission units at FESOP sources where the potential to emit 
any regulated air pollutant absent air pollution equipment from the new or modified emission 
unit is less than 0.1 pound per hour or 0.44 tons per year.  Statement at 5.  Also, the proposal 
requires that raw materials and fuels that cause or contribute to emissions not contain any 
 hazardous air pollutant equal to or greater than 0.01% by weight.  Statement at 6.  The 
proponents state that the exemption thresholds correspond to insignificant activity designations 
for CAAPP sources.  Further, the proponents state this exemption is limited by the applicability 
of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and New Source Review (NSR), both permitting 
requirements under the Clean Air Act.  Statement at 7.  Further, the exemption would not apply 
if outstanding compliance or enforcement issues exist.   
 
Exemption for Minor Sources That Are Not CAAPPs or FESOPs 
 
        The Agency and IERG state this exemption, proposed subsection (jjj), would only apply 
to permitted sources that are not major sources and do not have FESOPs.  Statement at 8.  The 
proponents state that this exemption, like in subsection (iii), would be limited to sources with the 
same low potential to emit any regulated air pollutant absent air pollution equipment from the 
new or modified unit.  The proponents state the exemption would also be available for minor 
sources that have a slightly greater potential to emit up to 0.5 pounds per hour, so long as the 
facility notifies the Agency of its intent to construct or install a new emissions unit or make a 
modification.  Only after notification can the facility begin construction, installation, or 
modification.  Statement at 9.    
 
        The proponents state this exemption is also limited by the applicability of NSPS and 
NSR, both permitting requirements under the Clean Air Act.  This provision, state the Agency 
 and IERG, would require permitting if the additional emissions from the project could change 
the sources’s status with respect to its potential to emit.  Further, the exemption would not apply 
if outstanding compliance or enforcement issues exist.  Statement at 10. 
 
Insignificant Activities Exemption 
 
        According to the proponents, the proposed subsection (kkk) creates a list of insignificant 
activities similar to the list of insignificant activities at CAAPP sources exempt from requiring a 
CAAPP permit modification found at Section 201.210.  Like sources under Section 201.210 and 
201.211, owners or operators must notify the Agency when it adds insignificant activities.  For 
 
 4
example, the proponents state that under the proposed revisions, the insignificant activities 
exemptions for state permit modifications would match those existing exemptions from CAAPP 
permit modifications.  Statement at 11.  Notwithstanding this exemption, facilities must comply 
with otherwise applicable emission standards or other regulatory requirements. 
 
ISSUES RAISED AT HEARING
 
Supporting Data 
 
        Ms. Hodge presented an analysis of the Agency’ s air emissions permit data in support of 
the proposal.  Ms. Hodge explained that the permit data used to provide the statistics for this 
rulemaking was gathered in calendar years 2001 and 2002.  Tr.1 at 11.  Subsequent to the first 
hearing and prior to the second, the Agency filed additional data from 2003 and 2004 regarding 
 the Bureau of Air’s permitting actions.  The data showed that a large number of air permits were 
issued for projects with low levels of emissions.  IERG’s investigation revealed that 
approximately 70% of all air construction permits were for projects with no emission increases 
or for emission increases of less than one ton per year.  Tr.1 at 12.  IERG states that Illinois is the 
only state in Region V that does not have at least some form of 
de minimis 
permit exception.  
Accordingly, IERG contends that Illinois must proceed with air permit streamlining.  Tr.1 at 13.   
 
Technical Feasibility and Economic Reasonableness 
 
        IERG states that together with the Agency it has identified 5,620 smaller source permits, 
called lifetime permits, out of nearly 7,000 total sources permitted by the Bureau of Air.  Tr.1 at 
15.  The Agency adds that approximately 790 sources are classified as needing Clean Air Act 
Title V permits, 450 of which are FESOPs.  Tr.1 at 19.  The Agency currently permits 1,800 to 
1,900 sources a year: 900 to 1,000 of which are construction permits, and the rest being 
operating permits.  Tr.1 at 20.  Of this number, the Agency would no longer need to issue 
approximately 200 to 230 permits per year (120-150 smaller source and FESOP source permits, 
and 60-80 Title V source permits).   
 
        The Agency sees the loss of fees from potentially exempt permitees in relation to the 
administrative costs of permitting those sources as “a wash.”  Tr.1 at 21.  The Agency explains 
 that the sources that would qualify under the proposed exemptions are “minimum fee payers,” 
which means the cost of their construction permit is $500 and operating permit is $200.  
Id
.  The 
amount of time required in clerical work and engineering to issue the permit cancels out the 
permit fee for those sources.  
Id
. 
 
Administrative Advantages for the Agency 
 
        Mr. Sutton testified the Agency issues roughly 1,900 permits a year, yet has, at any given 
time, a 900 to 1,000 permit backlog.  The Agency believes this rulemaking would allow it to 
reduce the processing time and reallocate resources to the sources in Illinois that pollute the 
most.  Tr.1 at 18, 31.  The proponents reason that the Agency would routinely issue permits for 
the projects that qualify for these proposed permit exemptions, so even if there is some increase 
 
 5
in emissions, the Agency would almost certainly issue permits for these types of projects 
anyway.  Tr.2 at 9. 
 
        According to Mr. Sutton, the largest five percent of air sources emit 95% of allowable 
emissions in Illinois.  Tr.1 at 52.  For actual emissions reported, it is the largest 15% that make 
up 95% of emissions for all criteria. 
 
Types of Sources Fitting the Proposed Exemptions 
 
        Mr. Sutton states that approximately 150 permits exempt under the proposed language 
would be construction permits for smaller sources and FESOP sources.  Mr. Sutton further 
estimates that approximately 80 more Title V sources would fit within the proposed exemptions.  
Tr.1 at 32. 
 
        The Agency clarified that to qualify for an exemption under the proposed language, a 
source must be in compliance with air regulations, having had no enforcement action brought 
against it by the Agency, for at least a year.  Tr.1 at 43-44.   
 
Rule Language Questions 
 
        There was some discussion at the first hearing about the terms “target pollutant” and 
“collateral pollutant” that were included in IERG’s originally proposed rule language.  Mr. 
Sutton explained that a target pollutant is the pollutant you are trying to control.  An example of 
a collateral pollutant is ozone, which may not be emitted into the atmosphere by the facility, but 
rather created in the atmosphere by the release of Volatile Organic Material (VOM).  Therefore, 
if the goal is to reduce a collateral pollutant, ozone, one must first control the target pollutant, 
VOM. 
 
        The Board also inquired what the Agency meant by proposing the language “different 
regulatory or newly proposed regulatory requirements will not apply to the unit.”  The Agency 
stated the language referred to new federal requirements, the most likely being newly proposed 
requirements under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).  
Tr.1 at 78.  Mr. Sutton explained that under the Maximum Acheivable Control Technology 
 (MACT) standard, as another example, new sources must comply whether they are adopted or 
not.  Tr.1 at 79.  The Agency state it also purposely left the language open to include new state 
regulations as well.  Tr.1 at 78.  The Board suggested modifying the term “regulation” with 
“State or Federal.”  Tr.1 at 79.   
 
DISCUSSION 
 
Today the Board adopts the proponents’ proposal to add four more exemptions to the 
existing list of exemptions in Section 201.146 of the Board’s air regulations.  Because of the 
existing 59 categorical exemptions, the Agency already has some procedures for determining 
compliance with permit exemptions.  The proposed exemptions do not require any specific 
recordkeeping for inspectors to verify that the facility is exempt.  Yet, each owner or operator 
has the responsibility and the risk for inaccurate determinations.  This assumption of 
 
 6
responsibility is the same as what is currently required for existing permit exemptions under 
Section 201.146.   
 
The proposed new exemptions incorporate additional safeguards.  Subsections (hhh), (iii) 
and (jjj) require that sources be in compliance to take advantage of the proposed permit 
exemptions.  Further, in proposed subsection (jjj)(1)(B), the facility must provide the Agency 
with notification before initiating the project.   
 
        The proposed rule language also clearly states that where a project is regulated by 
nonattainment NSR, prevention of significant deterioration (PSD), NSPS, or NESHAPs, the 
 proposed exemptions will be unavailable and the permit process is still mandatory. 
 
        After the first hearing and before the second hearing, the Agency filed amendments to the 
proposed rule language.  The amendments changed the term “collateral pollutant” in proposed 
subsection 201.146(hhh)(3) to “non-targeted criteria air pollutant.”  The purpose of this change is 
to clarify that any changes or additions in air control equipment under the (hhh) exemption must 
not produce an increase in emissions of any criteria pollutant that may occur as a result of an 
allowed release of a target pollutant.  The amendments also added the terms “State or Federal” so 
that (hhh)(4) reads:  “Different State or Federal regulatory requirements or newly proposed 
regulatory requirements will not apply to the unit to modify regulatory requirements that do not 
apply to the unit.”  The amendments further add a Board note to (hhh)(4), stating:  “All sources 
must comply with underlying Federal regulations and future State regulations.” 
 
        The Board received no testimony or comments regarding the DCEO’s decision not to 
perform an economic impact study on this rulemaking.  Further, the Agency testified at hearing 
that the fees generated from the sources this rulemaking proposes to exempt basically cancel the 
administrative and engineering costs required for the Agency to permit those sources.  The Board 
finds the proposed amendments technically feasible and economically reasonable for both the 
source as well as the State.  The Board also finds that the proposed exemptions will not 
 negatively impact the environment because they allow only a negligible increase in emissions. 
 
        The Board adopts the proponents’ proposal as amended by the Agency.  The Board 
makes only those additional technical corrections necessary to keep the rule language consistent 
with regulatory language typically reviewed by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and 
adopted by the Board. 
 
CONCLUSION 
 
        The Board adopts the proponents’ proposed exemptions from state air permitting 
proposal, as amended by the Agency, for first-notice publication in the 
Illinois Register
.  By 
allowing 
de minimis
 sources an exemption from state permitting requirements, the Board finds 
this rulemaking will benefit the sources that will qualify for the proposed exemptions as well as 
the Agency which implements and enforces them. 
 
ORDER 
 
 
 7
The Board directs the Clerk to cause the filing of the following rule with the Joint 
Committee on Administrative Rules for its first-notice review.     
 
 
TITLE 35: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
SUBTITLE B: AIR POLLUTION 
CHAPTER I: POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD 
SUBCHAPTER a: PERMITS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS 
 
PART 201 
PERMITS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS 
 
SUBPART A: DEFINITIONS
 
 
Section  
201.101 Other Definitions 
201.102 Definitions  
201.103       Abbreviations and Units  
201.104       Incorporations by Reference  
 
 
 SUBPART B: GENERAL PROVISIONS 
 
Section  
201.121       Existence of Permit No Defense  
201.122       Proof of Emissions  
201.123       Burden of Persuasion Regarding Exceptions  
201.124 Annual Report 
201.125 Severability 
201.126 Repealer 
 
 
 SUBPART C: PROHIBITIONS  
 
Section  
201.141       Prohibition of Air Pollution  
201.142       Construction Permit Required  
201.143       Operating Permits for New Sources  
201.144       Operating Permits for Existing Sources  
201.146       Exemptions from State Permit Requirements  
201.147       Former Permits  
201.148       Operation Without Compliance Program and Project Completion Schedule  
201.149       Operation During Malfunction, Breakdown or Startups  
201.150 Circumvention  
201.151       Design of Effluent Exhaust Systems  
 
 
 SUBPART D: PERMIT APPLICATIONS AND REVIEW PROCESS 
 
Section  
 
 8
201.152       Contents of Application for Construction Permit  
201.153       Incomplete Applications (Repealed) 
201.154 Signatures (Repealed) 
201.155       Standards for Issuance (Repealed) 
201.156 Conditions 
201.157       Contents of Application for Operating Permit 
 201.158 Incomplete Applications 
201.159 Signatures 
201.160       Standards for Issuance 
201.161 Conditions 
201.162 Duration 
201.163       Joint Construction and Operating Permits  
201.164 Design Criteria 
201.165 Hearings 
201.166 Revocation 
201.167       Revisions to Permits  
201.168       Appeals from Conditions  
201.169       Special Provisions for Certain Operating Permits 
201.170       Portable Emission Units 
 
     SUBPART E: SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OPERATING PERMITS FOR CERTAIN 
SMALLER SOURCES 
 
Section  
201.180 Applicability (Repealed) 
201.181       Expiration and Renewal (Repealed) 
201.187       Requirement for a Revised Permit (Repealed) 
 
 
 SUBPART F: CAAPP PERMITS 
 
Section  
201.207 Applicability 
201.208       Supplemental Information  
201.209       Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants  
201.210       Categories of Insignificant Activities or Emission Levels  
201.211 Application for Classification 
 as an Insignificant Activity  
201.212       Revisions to Lists of Insignificant Activities or Emission Levels  
 
SUBPART G: EXPERIMENTAL PERMITS 
 (Reserved) 
 
  SUBPART H: COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS AND PROJECT COMPLETION SCHEDULES 
 
Section  
201.241       Contents of Compliance Program  
201.242       Contents of Project Completion Schedule  
 
 9
201.243       Standards for Approval  
201.244 Revisions 
201.245       Effects of Approval  
201.246       Records and Reports  
201.247       Submission and Approval Dates  
 
 
 SUBPART I: MALFUNCTIONS, BREAKDOWNS OR STARTUPS 
 
Section  
201.261       Contents of Request for Permission to Operate During a Malfunction, Breakdown 
or Startup  
201.262       Standards for Granting Permission to Operate During a Malfunction, Breakdown 
or Startup  
201.263       Records and Reports  
201.264       Continued Operation or Startup Prior to Granting of Operating Permit  
201.265       Effect of Granting of Permission to Operate During a Malfunction, Breakdown or 
Startup  
 
 SUBPART 
 J: 
 MONITORING AND TESTING 
 
Section  
201.281       Permit Monitoring Equipment Requirements  
201.282 Testing 
201.283       Records and Reports  
 
 
 SUBPART K: RECORDS AND REPORTS 
 
Section  
201.301 Records 
201.302 Reports 
 
 SUBPART 
 L: 
 CONTINUOUS MONITORING 
 
Section  
201.401       Continuous Monitoring Requirements  
201.402       Alternative Monitoring  
201.403 Exempt Sources 
201.404       Monitoring System Malfunction  
201.405       Excess Emission Reporting  
201.406 Data Reduction 
201.407       Retention of Information  
 201.408 Compliance Schedules  
 
Appendix A           Rule into Section Table  
Appendix B           Section into Rule Table  
Appendix C           Past Compliance Dates  
 
 10
 
AUTHORITY: Implementing Sections 10, 39, and 39.5 and authorized by Section 27 of the 
Environmental Protection Act [415 ILCS 5/10, 27, 39, and 39.5]. 
 
SOURCE: Adopted as Chapter 2: Air Pollution, Part I: General Provisions, in R71-23, 4 PCB 
191, filed and effective April 14, 1972; amended in R78-3 and 4, 35 PCB 75 and 243, at 3 Ill. 
Reg.30, p. 124, effective July 28, 1979; amended in R80-5, at 7 Ill. Reg. 1244, effective January 
21, 1983; codified at 7 Ill. Reg. 13579; amended in R82-1 (Docket A) at 10 Ill. Reg. 12628, 
effective July 7, 1986; amended in R87-38 at 13 Ill. Reg. 2066, effective February 3, 1989; 
amended in R89-7(A) at 13 Ill. Reg. 19444, effective December 5, 1989; amended in R89-7(B) 
at 15 Ill. Reg. 17710, effective November 26, 1991; amended in R93-11 at 17 Ill. Reg. 21483, 
effective December 7, 1993; amended in R94-12 at 18 Ill. Reg. 15002, effective September 21, 
1994; amended in R94-14 at 18 Ill. Reg. 15760, effective October 17, 1994; amended in R96-17 
at 21 Ill. Reg. 7878, effective June 17, 1997; amended in R98-13 at 22 Ill. Reg. 11451, effective 
June 23, 1998; amended in R98-28 at 22 Ill. Reg. 11823, effective July 31, 1998; amended in 
R05-19 at 29 Ill. Reg. _________, effective _________________; amended in R05-20 at 29 Ill. 
Reg. __________, effective _____________. 
 
SUBPART C: PROHIBITIONS 
 
Section 201.146       Exemptions from State Permit Requirements
  
 
Construction or operating permits, pursuant to Sections 201.142, 201.143 and 201.144 of this 
Part, are not required for the classes of equipment and activities listed below in this Section. The 
permitting exemptions in this Section do not relieve the owner or operator of any source from 
any obligation to comply with any other applicable requirements, including the obligation to 
obtain a permit pursuant to Sections 9.1(d) and 39.5 of the Act, Sections 165, 173 and 502 of the 
Clean Air Act or any other applicable permit or registration requirements. 
 
a)      Air contaminant detectors or recorders, combustion controllers or combustion 
shutoffs;  
 
b)      Air conditioning or ventilating equipment not designed to remove air 
contaminants generated by or released from associated equipment;  
 
c)      Each fuel burning emission unit for indirect systems and for heating and reheating 
furnace systems used exclusively for residential, or commercial establishments 
using gas and/or fuel oil exclusively with a design heat input capacity of less than 
14.6 MW (50 mmbtu/hr), except that a permit shall be required for any such 
emission unit with a design heat input capacity of at least 10 mmbtu/hr that was 
constructed, reconstructed or modified after June 9, 1989 and that is subject to 40 
CFR 60, Subpart D;  
 
d)      Each fuel burning emission unit other than those listed in subsection (c) of this 
 Section for direct systems used for comfort heating purposes and indirect heating 
systems with a design heat input capacity of less than 2930 kW (10 mmbtu/hr);  
 
 11
 
e)       Internal combustion engines or boilers (including the fuel system) of motor 
vehicles, locomotives, air craft, watercraft, lifttrucks and other vehicles powered 
by nonroad engines;  
 
f)      Bench scale laboratory equipment and laboratory equipment used exclusively for 
chemical and physical analysis, including associated laboratory fume hoods, 
vacuum producing devices and control devices installed primarily to address 
potential accidental releases;  
 
g)      Coating operations located at a source using not in excess of 18,925 l (5,000 gal) 
of coating (including thinner) per year;  
 
h)      Any emission unit acquired exclusively for domestic use, except that a permit 
shall be required for any incinerator and for any fuel combustion emission unit 
using solid fuel with a design heat input capacity of 14.6 MW (50 mmbtu/hr) or 
more;  
 
i)       Any stationary internal combustion engine with a rated power output of less than 
1118 kW (1500 horsepower), except that a permit shall be required for any 
stationary gas turbine engine with a rated heat input at peak load of 10.7 
gigajoules/hr (10 mmbtu/hr) or more that is constructed, reconstructed or 
modified after October 3, 1977 and that is subject to requirements of 40 CFR 60, 
Subpart GG;  
 
j)       Rest room facilities and associated cleanup operations, and stacks or vents used to 
prevent the escape of sewer gases through plumbing traps;  
 
k)      Safety devices designed to protect life and limb, provided that a permit is not 
otherwise required for the emission unit with which the safety device is 
associated;  
 
l)       Storage tanks for liquids for retail dispensing except for storage tanks that are 
subject to the requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 215.583(a)(2), 218.583(a)(2) or 
219.583(a)(2);  
 
m)     Printing operations with aggregate organic solvent usage that never exceeds 2,839 
l (750 gal) per year from all printing lines at the source, including organic solvent 
from inks, dilutents, fountain solutions and cleaning materials;  
 
n)      Storage tanks of:  
 
1)      Organic liquids with a capacity of less than 37,850 l (10,000 gal), 
provided the storage tank is not used to store any material listed as a 
hazardous air pollutant pursuant to Section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act, 
and provided the storage tank is not subject to the requirements of 35 Ill. 
 
 12
Adm. Code 215.583(a)(2), 218.583(a)(2) or 219.583(a)(2);  
 
2)      Any size containing exclusively soaps, detergents, surfactants, waxes, 
glycerin, vegetable oils, greases, animal fats, sweetener, corn syrup, 
aqueous salt solutions or aqueous caustic solutions, provided an organic 
solvent has not been mixed with such materials; or  
 
3)      Any size containing virgin or re-refined distillate oil, hydrocarbon 
condensate from natural gas pipeline or storage systems, lubricating oil or 
residual fuel oils.  
 
o)      Threaded pipe connections, vessel manways, flanges, valves, pump seals, pressure 
relief valves, pressure relief devices and pumps;  
 
p)      Sampling connections used exclusively to withdraw materials for testing and 
analyses;  
 
q)      All storage tanks of Illinois crude oil with capacity of less than 151,400 l (40,000 
gal) located on oil field sites;  
 
r)      All organic material-water single or multiple compartment effluent water 
separator facilities for Illinois crude oil of vapor pressure of less than 34.5 kPa 
absolute (5 psia);  
 
s) Grain-handling operations, exclusive of grain-drying operations, with an annual 
grain through-put not exceeding 300,000 bushels;  
 
t)       Grain-drying operations with a total grain-drying capacity not exceeding 750 
bushels per hour for 5% moisture extraction at manufacturer's rated capacity, 
using the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standard 248.2, Section 9, 
Basis for Stating Drying Capacity of Batch and Continuous-Flow Grain Dryers;  
 
u) Portable grain-handling equipment and one-turn storage space;  
 
v)      Cold cleaning degreasers that are not in-line cleaning machines, where the vapor 
pressure of the solvents used never exceeds 2 kPa (15 mmHg or 0.3 psi) measured 
at 38
°
C (100
°
F) or 0.7 kPa (5 mmHg or 0.1 psi) at 20
°
C (68
°
F);  
 
w) Coin-operated dry 
 cleaning operations;  
 
x)      Dry cleaning operations at a source that consume less than 30 gallons per month 
of perchloroethylene; 
 
y)      Brazing, soldering, wave soldering or welding equipment, including associated 
ventilation hoods;  
 
 
 13
z)      Cafeterias, kitchens, and other similar facilities, including smokehouses, used for 
preparing food or beverages, but not including facilities used in the manufacturing 
and wholesale distribution of food, beverages, food or beverage products, or food 
or beverage components; 
 
 aa)     Equipment for carving, cutting, routing, turning, drilling, machining, sawing, 
surface grinding, sanding, planing, buffing, sand blast cleaning, shot blasting, shot 
peening, or polishing ceramic artwork, leather, metals (other than beryllium), 
plastics, concrete, rubber, paper stock, wood or wood products, where such 
equipment is either:  
 
1)      Used for maintenance activity;  
 
2)      Manually operated;  
 
3)      Exhausted inside a building; or  
 
4)      Vented externally with emissions controlled by an appropriately operated 
cyclonic inertial separator (cyclone), filter, electro-static precipitor or a 
scrubber.  
 
bb)     Feed mills that produce no more than 10,000 tons of feed per calendar year, 
provided that a permit is not otherwise required for the source pursuant to Section 
201.142, 201.143 or 201.144;  
 
cc)     Extruders used for the extrusion of metals, minerals, plastics, rubber or wood, 
excluding:  
 
1)      Extruders used in the manufacture of polymers; 
 
2)      Extruders using foaming agents or release agents that contain volatile 
organic materials or Class I or II substances subject to the requirements of 
Title VI of the Clean Air Act; and 
 
3)      Extruders processing scrap material that was produced using foaming 
agents containing volatile organic materials or Class I or II substances 
subject to the requirements of Title VI of the Clean Air Act.  
 
dd)     Furnaces used for melting metals, other than beryllium, with a brim full capacity 
of less than 450 cubic inches by volume;  
 
ee)     Equipment used for the melting or application of less than 22,767 kg/yr (50,000 
lbs/yr) of wax to which no organic solvent has been added;  
 
ff)      Equipment used for filling drums, pails or other packaging containers, excluding 
aerosol cans, with soaps, detergents, surfactants, lubricating oils, waxes, vegetable 
 
 14
oils, greases, animal fats, glycerin, sweeteners, corn syrup, aqueous salt solutions 
or aqueous caustic solutions, provided an organic solvent has not been mixed with 
such materials;  
 
gg)     Loading and unloading systems for railcars, tank trucks, or watercraft that handle 
only the following liquid materials: soaps, detergents, surfactants, lubricating oils, 
waxes, glycerin, vegetable oils, greases, animal fats, sweetener, corn syrup, 
aqueous salt solutions or aqueous caustic solutions, provided an organic solvent 
has not been mixed with such materials;  
 
hh)     Equipment used for the mixing and blending of materials at ambient temperatures 
to make water based adhesives, provided each material mixed or blended contains 
less than 5% organic solvent by weight;  
 
ii)      Die casting machines where a metal or plastic is formed under pressure in a die 
located at a source with a throughput of less than 2,000,000 lbs of metal or plastic 
per year, in the aggregate, from all die casting machines;  
 
jj)      Air pollution control devices used exclusively with other equipment that is 
exempt from permitting, as provided in this Section;  
 
kk)     An emission unit for which a registration system designed to identify sources and 
emission units subject to emission control requirements is in place, such as the 
registration system found at 35 Ill. Adm. Code 218.586 (Gasoline Dispensing 
Operations - Motor Vehicle Fueling Operations) and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 218, 
Subpart HH (Motor Vehicle Refinishing);  
 
ll)      Photographic process equipment by which an image is reproduced upon material 
sensitized to radiant energy;  
 
mm)    Equipment used for hydraulic or hydrostatic testing;  
 
nn)     General vehicle maintenance and servicing activities conducted at a source, motor 
vehicle repair shops, and motor vehicle body shops, but not including:  
 
1)      Gasoline fuel handling; and  
 
2)      Motor vehicle refinishing.  
 
oo)     Equipment using water, water and soap or detergent, or a suspension of abrasives 
in water for purposes of cleaning or finishing, provided no organic solvent has 
been added to the water;  
 
pp) Administrative activities including, but not limited to, paper shredding, copying, 
photographic activities and blueprinting machines. This does not include 
incinerators; 
 
 15
 
qq)     Laundry dryers, extractors, and tumblers processing that have been cleaned with 
water solutions of bleach or detergents that are:  
 
1)      Located at a source and process clothing, bedding and other fabric items 
used at the source, provided that any organic solvent present in such items 
before processing that is retained from cleanup operations shall be 
addressed as part of the VOM emissions from use of cleaning materials;  
 
2)      Located at a commercial laundry; or  
 
3)      Coin operated.  
 
rr)      Housekeeping activities for cleaning purposes, including collecting spilled and 
accumulated materials, including operation of fixed vacuum cleaning systems 
specifically for such purposes, but not including use of cleaning materials that 
 contain organic solvent;  
 
ss)     Refrigeration systems, including storage tanks used in refrigeration systems, but 
excluding any combustion equipment associated with such systems;  
 
tt)      Activities associated with the construction, on-site repair, maintenance or 
dismantlement of buildings, utility lines, pipelines, wells, excavations, earthworks 
and other structures that do not constitute emission units;  
 
uu)     Piping and storage systems for natural gas, propane and liquefied petroleum gas;  
 
vv)     Water treatment or storage systems, as follows:  
 
1)       Systems for potable water or boiler feedwater;       
 
2)      Systems, including cooling towers, for process water, provided that such 
water has not been in direct or indirect contact with process streams that 
contain volatile organic material or materials listed as hazardous air 
pollutants pursuant to Section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act.  
 
ww)    Lawn care, landscape maintenance and grounds keeping activities;  
 
xx)     Containers, reservoirs or tanks used exclusively in dipping operations to coat 
objects with oils, waxes or greases, provided no organic solvent has been mixed 
with such materials; 
 
yy)     Use of consumer products, including hazardous substances as that term is defined 
in the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261 et seq.), where the 
product is used at a source in the same manner as normal consumer use; 
 
 
 16
zz)     Activities directly used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, injury or other 
medical condition; 
 
aaa) Activities associated with the construction, repair or maintenance of roads or 
other paved or open areas, including operation of street sweepers, vacuum trucks, 
spray trucks and other vehicles related to the control of fugitive emissions of such 
roads or other areas; 
 
bbb)    Storage and handling of drums or other transportable containers, where the 
containers are sealed during storage and handling; 
 
ccc)    Activities at a source associated with the maintenance, repair or dismantlement of 
an emission unit or other equipment installed at the source, not including the 
shutdown of the unit or equipment, including preparation for maintenance, repair 
or dismantlement, and preparation for subsequent startup, including preparation of 
a shutdown vessel for entry, replacement of insulation, welding and cutting, and 
steam purging of a vessel prior to startup; 
 
ddd)    Equipment used for corona arc discharge surface treatment of plastic with a power 
rating of 5 kW or less or equipped with an ozone destruction device; 
 
eee)    Equipment used to seal or cut plastic bags for commercial, industrial or domestic 
use;  
 
fff)     Each direct-fired gas dryer used for a washing, cleaning, coating or printing line, 
excluding: 
 
1)      Dryers with a rated heat input capacity of 2930 kW (10 mmbtu/hr) or 
more; and 
 
2)      Dryers for which emissions other than those attributable to combustion of 
fuel in the dryer, including emissions attributable to use or application of 
cleaning agents, washing materials, coatings or inks or other process 
materials that contain volatile organic material are not addressed as part of 
the permitting of such line, if a permit is otherwise required for the line; 
and
 
ggg)    Municipal solid waste landfills with a maximum total design capacity of less than 
2.5 million Mg or 2.5 million m
3
 that are not required to install a gas collection 
and control system pursuant to 35 Ill. Adm. Code 220 or 800 through 849 or 
Section 9.1 of the Act; and.
 
hhh)    Replacement or addition of air pollution control equipment for existing emission 
units in circumstances where: 
 
 
 17
1)      The existing emission unit is permitted and has operated in compliance for 
the past year; 
 
2)      The new control equipment will provide equal or better control of the 
target pollutants; 
 
3)      The new control device will not be accompanied by a net increase in 
emissions of any non-targeted criteria air pollutant; 
 
4)      Different State or Federal regulatory requirements or newly proposed 
regulatory requirements will not apply to the unit; (Board Note:  All 
sources must comply with underlying Federal regulations and future State 
regulations.) and 
 
5)      Where the existing air pollution control equipment had required 
monitoring equipment, the new air pollution control equipment will be 
equipped with the instrumentation and monitoring devices that are 
typically installed on the new equipment of such type.  (Board note:  For 
major sources subject to Section 39.5 of the Act, where the new air 
pollution control equipment will require a different compliance 
determination method in the facility’s CAAPP permit, the facility may 
need a permit modification to address the changed compliance 
determination method.) 
 
iii)     Replacement, addition, or modification of emission units at facilities with 
federally enforceable state operating permits limiting their potential to emit in 
circumstances where: 
 
1)      The potential to emit of any regulated air pollutant in the absence of air 
pollution control equipment from the new emission unit, or the increase in 
the potential to emit resulting from the modification of any existing 
emission unit, is less than 0.1 pound per hour or 0.44 tons per year; 
 
2)      The raw materials and fuels used or present in the emission unit that cause 
or contribute to emissions, based on the information contained in Material 
Safety Data Sheets for those materials, do not contain equal to or greater 
than 0.01 percent by weight of any hazardous air pollutant as defined 
under Section 112(b) of the federal Clean Air Act; 
 
3)      The emission unit or modification is not subject to an emission standard or 
 other regulatory requirement pursuant to Section 111 of the federal Clean 
Air Act; 
 
4)      Potential emissions of regulated air pollutants from the emission unit or 
modification will not, in combination with emissions from existing units 
or other proposed units, trigger permitting requirements under Section 
 
 18
39.5, permitting requirements under Sections 165 or 173 of the federal 
Clean Air Act, or the requirement to obtain a revised federally enforceable 
state operating permit limiting the source’s potential to emit; and 
 
5)      The source is not currently the subject of a Non-compliance Advisory, 
Clean Air Act Section 114 Request, Violation Notice, Notice of Violation, 
Compliance Commitment Agreement, Administrative Order, or civil or 
criminal enforcement action, related to the air emissions of the source. 
 
jjj)     Replacement, addition, or modification of emission units at permitted sources that 
are not major sources subject to Section 39.5 and that do not have a federally 
enforceable state operating permit limiting their potential to emit, in 
circumstances where: 
 
1)      The potential to emit of any regulated air pollutant in the absence of air 
pollution control equipment from the new emission unit, or the increase in 
the potential to emit resulting from the modification of any existing 
emission unit is either: 
 
A)      Less than 0.1 pound per hour or 0.44 tons per year; or 
 
B)      Less than 0.5 pound per hour, and the Permittee provides prior 
notification to the Agency of the intent to construct or install the 
unit.  The unit may be constructed, installed or modified 
immediately after the notification is filed; 
 
2)      The emission unit or modification is not subject to an emission standard or 
other regulatory requirement under Section 111 or 112 of the federal 
Clean Air Act; 
 
3)      Potential emissions of regulated air pollutants from the emission unit or 
modification will not, in combination with the emissions from existing 
units or other proposed units, trigger permitting requirements under 
Section 39.5 or the requirement to obtain a federally enforceable permit 
limiting the source’s potential to emit; and 
 
4)      The source is not currently the subject of a Non-compliance Advisory, 
Clean Air Act Section 114 Request, Violation Notice, Notice of Violation, 
Compliance Commitment Agreement, Administrative Order, or civil or 
criminal enforcement action, related to the air emissions of the source. 
 
kkk)   The owner or operator of a CAAPP source is not required to obtain an air 
pollution control construction permit for the construction or modification of an 
emission unit or activity that is an insignificant activity as addressed by Section 
201.210 or  201.211 of this Part.  Section 201.212 of this Part must still be 
followed, as applicable.  Other than excusing the owner or operator of a CAAPP 
 
 19
source from the requirement to obtain an air pollution control construction permit 
 for such emission units or activities, nothing in this provision shall alter or affect 
the liability of the CAAPP source for compliance with emission standards and 
other requirements that apply to such emission units or activities, either 
individually or in conjunction with other emission units or activities constructed, 
modified or located at the source. 
 
(Source:  Amended at 29 Ill. Reg. _________, effective ____________) 
 
IT IS SO ORDERED. 
 
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board 
adopted the above opinion and order on September 15, 2005, by a vote of 5-0. 
 
 
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk 
Illinois Pollution Control Board