The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Air Resources Division issues four types of permits: a Temporary Permit, a State Permit to Operate, a General State Permit, and a Title V Operating Permit.

Temporary Permits

A temporary permit is issued prior to the commencement of construction or installation of any new or modified source or device. A temporary permit is issued for a period no longer than 18 months and contains terms and conditions establishing the parameters under which the source or device is constructed or operated. A temporary permit is issued to sources or devices based on several criteria including the source or device type, design ratings, levels of production, and annual emission levels. A temporary permit is the first step toward obtaining either a state permit to operate or a Title V operating permit.

State Permits to Operate

A state permit to operate is issued prior to the operation of any new or modified source or device, for a period not to exceed 5 years. A state permit to operate contains the emission limits and any other conditions the source is required to meet to ensure that the operation of the source will not result in a violation of any air quality standard or regulation.

State permits to operate are issued to sources or devices which:

• were required to hold temporary permits;
• are not subject to the Title V operating permit program; or
• are choosing to limit their potential emissions to a level below the major source threshold which would trigger a Title V operating permit (called a "synthetic minor source").

General State Permits

A General State Permit is issued for a specific source category for a period not to exceed five years. A source that falls under one of the General State Permit categories may choose to comply with the terms and conditions of the General State Permit instead of obtaining a State Permit to Operate. Currently, there are two General State Permits, copies of which are available through the following links:

• General State Permit, Source Category: Internal Combustion Engines Used as Emergency Generators [PDF]
• General State Permit, Source Category: Nonmetallic Mineral Processing Plants [PDF]

A source seeking to operate under a General State Permit needs to submit a registration package. Forms for the General State Permit registration are listed with the Air Permit Application Forms.

Title V Operating Permits

Title V Operating Permits are issued to sources, called "major sources," which emit or have the potential to emit the following pollutants at the levels specified:

• 10 tons per year (TPY) or more of any one hazardous air pollutant;
• 25 TPY or more of any combination of hazardous air pollutants;
• 100 TPY or more of NOx for sources located in Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, and Sullivan Counties;
• 50 TPY or more of NOx for sources located in Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, and Strafford Counties;
• 50 TPY or more of VOCs; or
• 100 TPY or more of any criteria pollutant (e.g. sulfur dioxide).

Other sources, including area sources, may also be required to obtain Title V Operating Permits if they are subject to federal requirements relating to new source performance standards, hazardous air pollutants, or acid rain control.

The Title V operating permit program, effective June 30, 1995, is a requirement of Title V (Permits) of the federal CAAA. Sources subject to the Title V operating permit program were required to file permit applications by June 30, 1996. Title V permits for these sources are required to be issued over the next three year period. Thereafter, a Title V application must be processed within 18 months of filing. Title V operating permits are issued for a five-year period.