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Air Quality Permitting and Compliance Consulting

Whether expanding a facility, installing equipment, or introducing a new chemical, BSI air quality consultants explain the impact on your air permit.

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Air compliance consulting for permitting, Title V, NESHAP, and emissions management.

Many air permitting challenges arise before an application is submitted. BSI helps identify regulatory impacts early so projects move forward with clear permitting requirements, costs, and timing.

Air permitting obligations often change as facilities grow, expand capacity, modify operations, change fuels, add equipment, launch new products, or acquire sites. Delays in identifying permitting requirements can affect schedules, budgets, construction timelines, & operational flexibility.

BSI helps organizations evaluate regulatory impacts, navigate permitting requirements, & develop practical compliance strategies that support operational goals. Whether you're planning a facility change, preparing for permit renewal, responding to new regulations, or assessing compliance risks during a transaction, we help you understand requirements, avoid delays, & maintain flexibility.

Our air specialists support organizations from project planning and permitting strategy through permit applications, PSD and NSR evaluations, Title V compliance, air dispersion modeling, emissions reporting, permit renewals, compliance audits, agency coordination, & ongoing program management.

From applicability reviews and emissions calculations to complex permitting projects, we help organizations identify requirements early, develop defensible strategies, & manage compliance throughout the permit lifecycle.

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Air permitting and modifications: Minor source, synthetic minor, Title V, PSD, NSR and renewals.
Permitting strategy and applicability review: Identify permitting requirements before projects start.
Emissions inventories and PTE calculations: Defensible calculations built for regulatory review.
NESHAP, MACT, and NSPS compliance: applicability assessments, demonstrations, and reporting.
Air dispersion modeling: AERMOD and other EPA-approved regulatory models.
Agency coordination and regulatory support: Permit negotiations, reporting, and agency interaction.
Compliance and GHG programs: Audits, renewals, reporting, inventories, and reduction planning.

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FAQs

Find answers to the most common questions about Air Compliance Programs

Most facilities operating boilers, generators, paint booths, furnaces, dust collectors, process vents, or other emission sources require some form of air permit. Requirements depend on what you emit, how much, and where you operate. Permit obligations can be triggered by new equipment, production increases, fuel or raw material changes, operational modifications, or facility acquisitions. Many states also require permits before construction begins. An applicability review helps determine permit requirements, regulatory impacts, and compliance obligations before projects move forward.

5 Statements That Should Trigger an Air Compliance Review
A Title V operating permit is a federally enforceable permit required for major sources of air pollution under the Clean Air Act. It consolidates applicable air requirements into a single permit and establishes monitoring, recordkeeping, reporting, and compliance certification obligations. Facilities generally require Title V permits if they emit, or have the potential to emit:

100 tons per year of a criteria pollutant,

10 tons per year of a single hazardous air pollutant (HAP), or

25 tons per year of combined HAPs.

Lower thresholds may apply in nonattainment areas. Title V permits require ongoing compliance management and periodic reporting.
Minor Source Permits apply to facilities that emit below major source thresholds. They are generally less complex than Title V permits but still require accurate emissions calculations and compliance with applicable state regulations. Some facilities choose a Synthetic Minor Permit, which uses federally enforceable limits on production, fuel use, operating hours, or emissions to remain below major source thresholds and avoid Title V requirements. These permits require monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting to demonstrate compliance while providing greater operational flexibility than major source permitting.
Air permitting timelines vary by permit type, project complexity, facility location, and agency workload. Minor source permits may take several months, while major source, PSD, NSR, or Title V permits can take a year or longer. Additional technical reviews, including air dispersion modeling, BACT analyses, or nonattainment requirements, can extend timelines. Because permitting often becomes the critical path for construction and startup activities, identifying requirements early can help avoid delays to capital projects, equipment procurement, facility expansions, and operational schedules.

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Air permitting costs depend on permit type, facility complexity, and project scope. A straightforward minor source permit typically requires less effort than a major source or Title V project involving air dispersion modeling, emissions analyses, or control technology evaluations. State agency fees are separate from consulting costs and vary by jurisdiction. In many cases, the largest expense is the technical work required to support permitting decisions. Project costs are best determined after reviewing facility operations, emissions sources, and permitting objectives.
Facilities can fall out of compliance when permits are not updated to reflect operational changes. Common triggers include equipment additions, production increases, fuel or raw material changes, process modifications, control system changes, facility expansions, or acquisitions. These issues are often discovered during inspections, permit renewals, reporting reviews, or transactions. A permit review compares current operations against permit requirements, identifies compliance gaps, and helps determine whether permit modifications or corrective actions are needed before they become regulatory violations.

Read about common permit mistakes
An air due diligence review evaluates whether a facility's permits accurately reflect its operations and identifies potential compliance liabilities before a transaction closes. Reviews typically assess whether emission sources are properly permitted, permit conditions are being met, facility changes have affected permit applicability, and future expansion plans could trigger additional requirements. Unlike a Phase I environmental site assessment, air due diligence focuses on operational compliance and permitting risks that could affect future business plans, capital investments, or facility value.

Uncover air permitting risks
Yes. We support clients across multiple states and EPA regions, including jurisdictions with complex regulatory programs such as California and Texas. Our team evaluates state-specific permitting requirements, emissions reporting obligations, and agency expectations to provide guidance tailored to each facility's location and regulatory environment.
Potential-to-Emit (PTE) is the maximum amount of a regulated air pollutant a facility could emit while operating at full capacity, considering only legally enforceable limits. Regulators use PTE calculations to determine permit applicability, major source status, and regulatory obligations. PTE is evaluated for pollutants such as NOx, SO₂, CO, VOCs, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Facilities that accept enforceable permit limits to keep emissions below major source thresholds may qualify as synthetic minor sources, often reducing permitting complexity and ongoing compliance obligations.
New Source Review (NSR) is an EPA pre-construction permitting program that applies when facilities build new emission sources or make significant modifications to existing operations. Requirements depend on the project's emissions increase and local air quality status. Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) is the NSR program for areas that meet federal air quality standards and may require air quality modeling and Best Available Control Technology (BACT). Nonattainment NSR applies in areas that do not meet standards and may require emissions offsets and Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER) controls. Applicability must be evaluated on a project-specific basis.