PUBLIC NOTICE
AIR QUALITY TITLE V OPERATING PERMIT AND GENERAL PERMIT
FOR CHILDREN’S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Notice is hereby given that Children’s National Medical Center has applied for a Title V air quality permit pursuant to the requirements of Title 20 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Chapters 2 and 3 (20 DCMR Chapters 2 and 3) to operate seven diesel emergency generators, several above and underground storage tanks, fume hoods, wet cooling towers, x-ray/photography development equipment, natural gas fired kitchen equipment, and laboratory equipment at the hospital located 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington DC 20010. The contact person for the facility is Arthur Shmidt, Mechanical Engineer, at (202) 476-2259
With the emission limitations included in the draft permit, Children’s National Medical Center has the potential to emit approximately 23.77 tons per year of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), just under the District’s major source threshold of 25 tons per year of NOx. Under normal maximum operating conditions for determination of the potential emissions (i.e. 500 hours per year per emergency generator), the combined emissions of the equipment would possibly have exceeded the major source threshold for NOx and thus trigger a Non-Attainment New Source Review (NNSR). In order to avoid this possibility, the facility opted for operating hour restrictions on three of the generators to keep their potential to emit NOx under the major source threshold. The Chapter 3 permitting process is being used in this case to make these limits federally enforceable and enforceable as a practical matter.
The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) has reviewed the permit application and related documents and has made a preliminary determination that the applicant meets all applicable air quality requirements promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the District. Therefore, draft permit #041 has been prepared.
The application, the draft permit and associated Fact Sheet and Statement of Basis, and all other materials submitted by the applicant [except those entitled to confidential treatment under 20 DCMR 301.1(c)] considered in making this preliminary determination are available for public review during normal business hours at the offices of the District Department of the Environment, 1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor, Washington DC 20002. Copies of the draft permit and related fact sheet are available at http://ddoe.dc.gov.
A public hearing on this permitting action will not be held unless DDOE has received a request for such a hearing within 30 days of the publication of this notice. Interested parties may also submit written comments on the permitting action. Hearing requests or comments should be directed to Stephen S. Ours, DDOE Air Quality Division, 1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor, Washington DC 20002. Questions about this permitting action should be directed to Olivia Achuko at (202) 535-2997 or [email protected]. Comments or hearing requests will not be accepted after March 17, 2014.
