EPA Finalizes Air Permit for Calif. Fiberglass Plant

The permit, which revises an earlier one issued by the Shasta County Air Quality Management District in 2000, establishes new federal requirements for nitrogen oxides, which the facility’s earlier application and permit underestimated, and revises the emissions limit for particulate matter. Knauf is required to operate air pollution controls to keep its emissions of NOx and particulate matter below levels that are achieved by operating the best available control technology. Knauf is required to calculate its hourly emissions to demonstrate continuous compliance.

The revised permit obligates Knauf to conduct regular performance testing through an independent firm and requires the facility to make records of its operations available to EPA at anytime.

The final permit approval follows a two month public comment period that generated 36 written comments, and 11 that were recorded at a public hearing held in Shasta Lake on March 8.