Because such operating permits are required by Title V of the Clean Air Act, they are commonly called “Title V Operating Permits.” A facility’s Title V Operating Permit must include all of the federal, state, and local air pollution law requirements that apply to the facility. Title V Operating Permits are intended to improve compliance with those requirements by eliminating confusion over which requirements actually apply and by mandating that facilities report on their compliance with applicable requirements at least once a year. A Title V Operating Permit is valid for five years, and a Title V facility must apply to renew its permit between six and eighteen months before the permit expires. The Clean Air Act requires state permitting agencies to act on applications for Title V Operating Permits within eighteen months.

Untimely permits and backlogged renewal permits are a threat to our air quality and can negatively affect the community's health and environment. CCPH plans to eliminate this backlog to ensure optimal air quality for our community.

The permitted community and Ohio EPA.

Comparing results to target values, the results are worse than the target by more than 10%, so below target. Results fell behind due to action step #1 not being achieved consistently due to workload and delays from facilities due to COVID. Progress on action step #1 was made but the permits need more work by the engineers. 

The Air Pollution Control (APC) division of CCPH plans to decrease the backlog of air pollution operation renewal permits and to keep these facilities better informed. To accomplish these goals, APC plans to seek permit writing recommendations from Ohio EPA, implement a new policy of limited supervisor reviews of recommedations and to limit the time these permits remain on the supervisor's workflow. Permits and facilities will be reassigned to ensure that the workload is balanced correctly, scanning of old files for backlogged facilities will be prioritized, permit writing processes will be revised and goals for permitting engineers will be revised to reinforce the priority of the backlogged permits.