Environmental Assistance & Protection, North Carolina

Permitting Local, state and federal air quality regulations help protect the quality of our air by limiting air pollution from industries and other air pollution sources. While all sources of air pollution must comply with Air Quality Regulations, some industries and businesses must also apply for Permits to Construct and Operate Air Pollution sources. Certain other facilities must register their air pollution source or submit notifications. You should contact our office if you think you might need an Air Quality Permit, need to Register, or need to submit a notification.

Permitting

If your business, activity or facility emits substances into the outside air, you may need an Air Quality Permit. Permits set forth specific compliance obligations and meet federal and state requirements. Air quality permits ensure that permittees know what their air quality obligations are and how to comply with those obligations.

Forms and Information
Form	File Type
Permit Application Forms
Permit Application Instructions
Dispersion Modeling Protocol
Disperson Modeling Guidelines
Toxics Modeling Worksheet
Stack Test Protocol Form
Title V Compliance Certification

Permit application fees must accompany all permit applications. Applications will not be processed without fee payment. See permit fees by clicking on the "Fees" tab above.

The rules for determining whether an Air Quality Permit is required are in Section 3Q .0100 of the Forsyth County Air Quality Technical Code (FCAQTC).

Registrations & Notifications

Companies that emit small quantities of air pollutants may not need to have an Air Quality Permit or may simply be required to register with us. The rules for determining whether an Air Quality Permit is required are in Section 3Q .0100 of the Forsyth County Air Quality Technical Code (FCAQTC) and companies that are uncertain about whether they need to have an Air Quality Permit are encouraged to contact us for an applicability determination. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Permitting Manager by email or by telephone at (336) 703-2440.

Air Quality Regulations

Chapter 3 of the Forsyth County Code contains the air quality rules and regulations that were modified and adopted by the Forsyth County Commissioners.

Forsyth County Air Quality Control Ordinance & Technical Code

Chapter 3: "Air Quality Control" - This PDF document contains "bookmarks" to go directly to different sections of the Code. After opening the file, you can view the bookmarks by selecting the "Bookmarks" tab on the left side of the screen. If the bookmarks tab is not visible in the pdf document, right click on the left side of the document and then click on “Show Navigation Panes”.

Federal NSPS and NESHAP Regulations

The Forsyth County Code incorporates by reference federal rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Clean Air Act, including:

New Source Performance Standards - 40 CFR part 60
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants - 40 CFR part 63
New Source Review - 40 CFR part 51

These Regulations can be accessed at Electronic Code of Federal Regulations - eCFR

Emissions Inventories

Industrial facilities that have an air quality permit are required to prepare and submit an inventory of their air pollution emissions periodically. Facilities submitting an inventory should complete and submit the forms provided below, or contact the us to receive a Microsoft Access database interface for entering this data. See the letter sent to permitted facilities.

These are the forms and information you will need to complete your emissions:

To submit your EI electronically, please contact us for direction.

Emissions Estimation Links You May Find Useful

Must I Submit an Emissions Inventory?

Title V sources and non-Title V sources with NOx or VOC emissions greater than 25 tons per year must conduct an emissions inventory annually. Non-Title V sources with NOx and VOC emissions of less than 25 tons per year must conduct an emissions inventory every five years. Facilities should contact the Permitting Manager by email or by telephone at (336) 703-2440, if they think they may be required to submit an inventory but have not been notified.

Regulatory Basis for EI Requirement: Rules 3Q .0207 and 3D .0202 of the Forsyth County Air Quality Technical Code require facilities to quantify actual air pollutant emissions and report the data to the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection.

Use of EI Data: Emissions inventory data are used in air quality planning, toxic risk assessment, determination of permit fees, satisfaction of Federal emission reporting requirements, and other related purposes.

Permitting Fees

Permit Application Fees
Facility Category	New or Modification	New	2Q-0300, Significant Modification	Minor Modification	Ownership Change
Title V		$12,074	$8,186	$3,508	$70
Title V (PSD or NSR/NAA)	$18,279				$70
Title V (PSD and NSR/NAA)	$35,551				$60
Synthetic Minor	$400				$50
Exclusionary Small	$50				$25
Small	$50				$25
General	50% of the otherwise applicable fee

Permit application fees must accompany all permit applications. Applications will not be processed without the proper application fee.

Annual Permit Fees
Facility Category	Tonnage Factor	Basic Permit Fee	Nonattainment Area Added Fee	Complexity Fee (3-6 Programs)	Complexity Fee (7+ Programs)
Title V	$46.78	$10,262	$4,743	$2,924	$8,771
Synthetic Minor		$1,500
Exclusionary Small		$250
Small		$250
General	50% of otherwise applicable fee

All facilities holding an Air Quality Permit during the Forsyth County Fiscal Year (July 1 to June 30) are required to pay the applicable annual fee. Title V facilities are assessed the Basic Permit Fee as well as an emissions fee based on the most recent quality assured calendar year emissions inventory.

Asbestos Demolition/Renovation Fees
Demolition	The greater of the following not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500):
Renovation	The greater of: One percent of the contract price, Or The total of: $0.10 times the square footage of non-friable asbestos materials (ACM) that has or will become friable plus, $0.20 times the square footage of friable ACM.

Applicants should refer to the Asbestos NESHAP Application/Notification Form for additional information.

Fee Payment

All fees are non-refundable and must be made by check or money order payable to: Forsyth County General Fund Fee payments should be delivered to:
Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection
201 North Chestnut Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Section 3Q-0200 in Chapter 3 of the Forsyth County Code contains the rules pertaining to permit fees. For more information regarding permit application fees, please contact us.

Permitted Facilities

Copies of the permits issued to larger facilities in Forsyth County are reviewable here in PDF format. These facilities are subject to the federal “Title V” permitting program. Facilities are subject to Title V permitting requirements if they have the potential to emit 100 tons or more per year of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, or particulate matter of 10 microns or smaller. Facilities may also be subject to Title V permitting if they have the potential to emit 10 tons per year of a single hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons per year of a combination of hazardous air pollutants.

Title V Air Quality Permits: