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A surface finishing operation may be eligible for the General permits if the facility conducts any of the following:

  • Coating preparation/mixing;
  • Coating application and cleanup of coating application equipment;
  • Adhesive application;
  • Abrasive blasting;
  • Welding operations;
  • Stationary combustion sources;
  • Miscellaneous activities such as cutting, grinding, etc. associated with the coating operations; and
  • Sources exempt under S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section II(B). 

Criteria

General State Operating Permit

  • Facility is a true minor source.
  • Meets the process/material usage limits in the Tables below or provides emission estimates that demonstrate the potential to emit (PTE) is less than major source thresholds.

Usage Limits for Coatings, Solvents, Blasting Media, and Welding Electrode

ProcessMaximum Potential Usage Limit Per Year
Coatings, Solvents, Adhesives, Washers, excluding Powder Coating14,000 gallons if facility does not use any Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) containing products 
or 
1,500 gallons if facility uses product that contains a HAP
Powder Coating1 million pounds if facility conducts powder and non-powder coating operations 
or 
4.9 million pounds if facility conducts coating operations with powder only

Abrasive Blasting Media		3.3 million pounds of media, if blasting without enclosure or wet suppression 
or 
22.7 million pounds of media, if blasting with enclosure or wet suppression
Welding Electrode86,000 pounds

Limits for Stationary Internal and External Combustion Sources

ProcessLimits
Stationary Internal Combustion Engine
  • Fired on low sulfur fuel (0.05 wt.% sulfur / 500 ppm), natural gas, or propane
  • Each source operates less than 500 hours per year
  • Maximum power output for each source is <200 brake horsepower (bhp)
  • Total combined maximum power out for all sources is <800 bhp
Stationary External Combustion Source
  • Fired on low sulfur fuel (0.05 wt.% sulfur / 500 ppm), natural gas, or propane
  • Maximum heat input capacity for each source is <10 million BTU/hr
  • Maximum total combined heat input capacity for all sources is ≤60 million BTU/hr

General Conditional Major Operating Permit

  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) is limited to less than 100 tons per year (TPY);
  • Particulate Matter (PM) is limited to less than 250 TPY;
  • PM less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10), and PM less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) are each limited to less than 100 TPY;
  • Single hazardous air pollutant (HAP) is limited to less than 10 TPY; and
  • Combined HAPs are limited to less than 25 TPY.

How Do I Apply for the General Permit?

Paper applications for all non-Title V sources will no longer be accepted after Feb. 1, 2025.  All submissions should be submitted through ePermitting. 

Air Permitting Contacts