PA designated the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard as moderate nonattainment for ozone. The counties of Cecil, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George are classified as marginal nonattainment for ozone.
ERCs are available for four different pollutants that exceed the significant threshold set by Maryland DEP:
To satisfy offset requirements, new or modified major facilities in nonattainment areas must obtain ERCs for proposed emission increases. Offset ratio of 1.1 to 1 is required for facilities in marginal nonattainment area for ozone, while an offset ratio of 1.15 is required for moderate nonattainment area for ozone. That means if 100 tpy of VOCs are emitted from a proposed new or modified major facility located in the counties of Cecil, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George, the facility must obtain 110 tpy of ERCs to offset the increase in VOC emissions.
| Pollutant | Significant Emission Rates |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | >25 tons/year |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOC) | >25 tons/year |
| Hazard Air Pollutants (HAP) | >10 tons/year |
| Any other air pollutant | >100 tons/year |
On the other hand, facilities located in the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard, being moderate nonattainment for ozone, must obtain 115 tpy of VOC ERCs to offset 100 tpy of their proposed VOC emissions.
Emission Advisors assists clients in tackling challenges in the environmental markets. Please contact Emission Advisors to discuss your specific needs and how we can help.
