Proposed Preliminary Draft BACT for
New and Expanding Dairy Operations (4/27/04)
As of January 1, 2004, state law requires that permits be obtained for all agricultural operations whose air pollution emissions exceed one-half of the major source threshold of any criteria pollutant.  Such operations, including all existing dairies with emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) or nitrogen oxides (NOx) over 12.5 tons per year, are required to apply for permits from the Air Pollution Control District on or before July 1, 2004. 

New dairies, and existing dairies that propose to increase their capacity, whose emissions are over these thresholds, must also obtain a pre-construction permit from the District, called an Authority to Construct permit, before commencing construction.  Such proposals are subject to the District’s New and Modified Source Review (NSR) rule, Rule 2201, which implements NSR requirements from both state and federal law.  One of the requirements of NSR is that new equipment and equipment that will be modified must control their air pollution emissions with Best Available Control Technology (BACT). 

This evaluation will establish BACT for such new and modifying dairies, after a series of public workshops in which industry and other interested parties are invited to comment on our proposal. 

All written comments received will be addressed prior to the District finalizing this dairy BACT determination.

Workshop Information (PDF)

Proposed BACT Determination and Staff Report (PDF)

Addendum to Proposed BACT Determination and Staff Report (PDF)

Digester Cost Analysis (PDF)