Review and Analysis of the Impact of New Source Construction Permitting on Energy Facilities. Experience with Regulation of Prevention of Significant Deterioration

摘要

The Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) air quality regulatory program has the potential to conflict both with the current national energy goals of ensuring an adequate supply of energy at reasonable costs and of encouraging the use of coal over oil and natural gas wherever economically and environmentally feasible. Energy and environmental objectives may appear to conflict more frequently than they converge, but they are not mutually exclusive. The question is not one of ''either/or,'' but whether both objectives are being reasonably achieved and, if not, what tradeoffs are necessary. This paper examines this question by analyzing data collected for PSD energy permits over a seven-year period. A representative group of fossil energy recovery, processing, and combustion sources subject to PSD regulations are considered. Permit processing time, control technology determinations, and air quality impact assessments for these sources are reviewed. The data should aid in evaluating the impact of the PSD permitting process on energy development. (ERA citation 11:050862)