Industrial and commercial operations release pollutants into the air. These pollutants can make breathing difficult, reduce visibility, and damage the environment. Some can cause cancer or other serious health effects. Sources of air pollution include large facilities, such as petroleum refineries, chemical plants, and electricity generating facilities. Other pollution sources are smaller, such as gasoline stations, dry cleaners, and paint spray booths.
Air Facility Permits
DEC has the authority to require facilities to install pollution control equipment or to change operating procedures that pollute the air. Air facility permits are legally enforceable documents issued to source owners specifying the air pollution control requirements for their facility. Facility owners must comply with the terms of their permit, report their actual emissions, and may be required to monitor or test their emissions.
Small Business Compliance and Technical Assistance for Facilities
Thousands of small businesses, including automobile service stations and repair shops, wood and metal products finishing, apartment buildings (boilers), print shops, and dry cleaners, are subject to the Clean Air Act and its permitting and pollution control requirements.
Since air quality regulations can be complex and difficult to understand for small businesses without full time environmental staff, the State has established the Small Business Environmental Support Office (SBESO) | Empire State Development provided by Empire State Development (ESD) and the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) administered by the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) . These services are, by law, free and confidential. DEC encourages small businesses to obtain assistance to comply with the State's air pollution control regulations.
The list below includes the major business sectors that can benefit from assistance provided by SBEO; however, any small business with air-related questions qualifies for assistance.
- Architectural coatings
- Autobody shops
- Boilers/furnaces/generators
- Crematories and incinerators
- Dry cleaning - other methods, perc, petroleum
- Electroplating - chromium
- Gasoline Stations - Stage I and II
- Graphic Arts - flexographic, lithographic
- Metal degreasing
- Plastic composites manufacturing
- Sand & gravel operations
- Surface coating - metal, wood
Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs)
ERCs are generated when a facility shuts down or voluntarily reduces its permitted emissions by accepting a federally enforceable emission limit or operating condition. The ERCs can be used to offset emission increases from facilities constructing or modifying air emission sources subject to New Source Review. These provisions are described under 6 NYCRR Subpart 231-10.
Registry
ERCs are made available in a registry (PDF) maintained by the Division of Air's Bureau of Stationary Sources pursuant to the New York State Clean Air Compliance Act and 6 NYCRR Part 231. If you require a historical ERC document or the Use of ERCs Registry, please contact this office.
