United States Environmental Protection Agency

General Permit for New or Modified Minor Sources of Air Pollution in 

Indian Country

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html

Questionnaire for Requesting Coverage under the General Air Quality Permit for 

New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers in Indian Country

Last Modified: July 2, 2014

Version 1.0

Does the General Permit apply to my facility?

The following questionnaire is intended to help you, the facility owner or operator, determine whether or not you are 

eligible for a General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers. You are not required to 

complete it and this questionnaire is not necessary to apply for a General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True

Minor Source Boilers. This questionnaire does not cover all of the General Air Quality Permit requirements and does not 

guarantee approval of a true minor source preconstruction permit under this program. This source category – true 

minor source boilers – includes stationary sources with boilers, process heaters and emergency engines.

Description of Boilers

A boiler means an enclosed device using controlled flame combustion in which water is heated to recover thermal 

energy in the form of steam and/or hot water. This Boilers Questionnaire is for stationary sources of boilers, process 

heaters, and emergency engines that are not major sources of air pollution and that are located, or planning to locate, 

within Indian country.

 

About this Questionnaire

The questions focus on general information pertaining to your existing or future boilers, process heaters and 

emergency engines. The questionnaire is not meant to be exhaustive and only requires knowledge of basic facility 

information, including heat input capacity. 

You should continue with this Questionnaire if you:

 Plan to construct a new, true minor source boilers within Indian country; 

 Plan to modify an existing, true minor source boiler located within Indian country; 

 Have a potential to emit (PTE) less than the New Source Review (NSR) major source thresholds and equal to or 

above the minor NSR applicability thresholds. See the “Does my Boiler Need or Qualify for a Minor Source 

Permit?” section below; 

 Have a PTE less than the major source thresholds for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). See the “Does my Boiler 

Need or Qualify for a Minor Source Permit?” section below; 

 Plan to construct or modify a boiler that, after construction or modification, burns only gaseous or low-sulfur 

(containing no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) (0.0015 percent) sulfur) liquid fuels;

 Have no single boiler with a capacity of 100 million British thermal units (MMBtu)/hour (hr) or greater; 

 Do not know whether your facility needs a permit, or if you do not know the attainment status of your area and 

want to find out whether or not you should apply for a minor source general air quality permit or a major source 

permit for a boiler; and 

 Intend to satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and National Historic Preservation Act 

(NHPA) according to the procedures attached to the Request for Coverage under the General Air Quality Permit

for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers.

 

More Information

The definition of a “modification” and “PTE” can be found at 40 CFR 49.152(d) and in the “Instructions” document. 

Additional information on the applicability of the Indian Country Minor NSR rule can be found at 40 CFR 49.153.
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Information on the ozone attainment status of the area where your facility is located can be found at: 

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/greenbook/. You may also contact your reviewing authority for information on your 

attainment status. 

Information on any available voluntary consensus standards that can used as alternatives to the emissions measurement 

standards in the General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers can be found in: “Voluntary 

Consensus Standard Results for General Permits and Permits by Rule for the Indian Country Minor New Source Review 

Program; 40 CFR Part 49, Subparts 156(c) and 162,” from Robin Segall, Acting Group Leader, Measurement Technology 

Group, to Laura McKelvey, Community and Tribal Programs Group, February 7, 2014, 

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. 

Please contact your reviewing authority if you have questions or need assistance. A list of reviewing authorities, their 

area of coverage, and contact information can be found in Attachment C to the General Air Quality Permit for New or 

Modified True Minor Source Boilers or by visiting: http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html

Questionnaire for Boilers

Part 1: Does my Boiler Need a True Minor Source Permit?

The following questions are meant to determine whether or not your boiler needs a true minor source permit.

1. Is the PTE of your facility less than 250 tons per year (tpy) for particulate matter (PM, PM10, or PM2.5), volatile 

organic compounds (VOC), nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)? The emissions 

from your facility may be calculated using the PTE calculator provided at 

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. Be sure to include all existing, new, and modified emission units.

Yes No

If you answered ‘No,’ yoursource does not qualify for the minor NSR program. Please contact your reviewing 

authority to apply for a site-specific permit. If you answered ‘Yes,’ continue on to the next question.

2. Is your facility a minor source of HAPs? If the PTE of your facility is less than 10 tons per year for a single HAP and 

less than 25 tons per year for any combination of HAPs, your source is a minor source of HAPs. The emissions 

from your facility may be calculated using the PTE calculator provided at 

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. Be sure to include all existing, new, and modified emission units.

Yes No

If you answered ‘No,’ yoursource does not qualify for the minor NSR program. Please contact your reviewing 

authority to apply for a site-specific permit. If you answered ‘Yes,’ continue on to the next question.
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3. Is the PTE of your new facility or the emissions increase from your modified existing facility equal to or above the 

applicable minor NSR thresholds listed below for ANY of the seven pollutants listed in the table below? The 

emissions from your facility may be calculated using the PTE calculator provided at 

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. Be sure to include all new, modified, and existing emission units 

when determining PTE.

Pollutant Attainment Area Nonattainment Area

CO 10 tpy 5 tpy

PM 10 tpy 5 tpy

PM10 5 tpy 1 tpy

PM2.5 3 tpy 0.6 tpy

SO2 10 tpy 5 tpy

NOX 10 tpy 5 tpy

VOC 5 tpy 2 tpy

Yes No

If you answered ‘No,’ your source is exempt from the minor NSR program. Please contact reviewing 

authority to confirm that your facility will not need a permit. If you answered ‘Yes,’ continue on to the next 

question. 

4. If located in a nonattainment area for any pollutant, is the PTE of your facility for the particular 

nonattainment pollutant less than the NSR major source thresholds specified in the table below (based on 

nonattainment classification)? The emissions from your facility may be calculated using the PTE calculator 

provided at http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. Be sure to include all existing, new, and 

modified emission units.

Pollutant Nonattainment Classification NSR Major Source Threshold

Ozone Marginal 100 tpy of VOC or NOX

Moderate 100 tpy of VOC or NOX

Serious 50 tpy of VOC or NOX

Severe 25 tpy of VOC or NOX

Extreme 10 tpy of VOC or NOX

PM10 Moderate 100 tpy

Serious 70 tpy

CO Moderate 100 tpy

Serious 50 tpy

SO2, NO2, PM2.5 No nonattainment classification 100 tpy

Yes No Not Applicable
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If you answered ‘No,’ your source does not qualify for the minor NSR program. Please contact your 

reviewing authority to apply for a site-specific permit. If you answered ‘Yes’ or ‘Not Applicable,’ continue 

on to Part 2 of the Questionnaire. 

Part 2: What Types of Facilities DO NOT Qualify for Coverage under the General Air Quality 

Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers?

The following questions are meant to determine whether or not your boiler(s) would be disqualified from coverage 

under the General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers. Please only answer the 

questions that are applicable to your particular boiler(s).

1. Will your boiler burn any solid fuels (e.g. wood, wood waste, coal, solid waste, tires, etc.)?

 Yes No

2. Will your boiler burn any liquid fuels other than ultra low-sulfur (containing no more than 15 ppm (0.0015 

percent) diesel or biodiesel?

Yes No Not Applicable

3. If located in an extreme ozone nonattainment area, will your boilers and heaters burn any liquid fuels?

Yes No Not Applicable

4. Does any individual boiler located at your facility have a capacity of equal to or greater than 100 MMBtu/hr?

 Yes No

If you answered ‘No’ or ‘Not Applicable’ to all of these questions, your facility may qualify for coverage under the 

General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers, and should continue on to Part 3 of the 

Questionnaire.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, your facility likely does not qualify for coverage under the General 

Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers. Please contact your reviewing authority to 

confirm that your boiler will not qualify for this permit.
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Part 3: Does my Boiler, Process Heater and/or Emergency Engine Qualify for Coverage under 

the General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers?

The following questions are meant to determine whether or not your boiler would qualify for coverage under the 

General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers.

1. If burning only natural gas in your boilers and process heaters and located in an attainment/unclassifiable area 

for ozone or a marginal, moderate, serious or severe nonattainment area for ozone, will the total heat input 

capacity of all boilers, heaters and emergency engines at your stationary source meet the following 

requirements:

Permitted Source Using Only Natural Gas in Boilers and Heaters1

Types of Emission Unit

Combined Allowed Maximum Rating of Emissions Units

Ozone Designation/Attainment Status

Attainment, 

Unclassifiable, or 

Attainment/ 

Unclassifiable

Nonattainment

Marginal, Moderate, 

or Serious Severe

All boilers rated ≥ 10.0 MMBtu/hr 160 MMBtu/hr 160 MMBtu/hr 100 MMBtu/hr

All small boilers and process

heaters rated < 10.0 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr

All emergency generators (all fuels) 1500 horsepower 

(hp)

1500 hp 1000 hp

Natural gas only boilers and heaters may also use diesel or biodiesel as an emergency backup fuel for up to 500 

hours per calendar year.

Yes No Not Applicable

2. If burning gaseous and/or liquid fuels and located in an attainment area for ozone or a marginal, moderate, 

serious, or severe nonattainment area for ozone, will the total heat input capacity of all boilers, heaters, and 

emergency engines at your stationary source meet the following requirements:

Permitted Source Using Gaseous and/or Liquid Fuels in Boilers and Heaters

Types of Emission Units

Combined Maximum Rating of Emissions Units

Ozone Designation/Attainment Status

Attainment, 

Unclassifiable, or 

Attainment/ 

Unclassifiable

Nonattainment

Marginal, 

Moderate, or 

Serious

Severe

All boilers rated ≥ 10.0 MMBtu/hr 120 MMBtu/hr 120 MMBtu/hr 100 MMBtu/hr

All small boilers and auxiliary 

heaters rated < 10.0 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr

All emergency generators (all fuels) 1500 hp 1500 hp 1000 hp

Yes No Not Applicable
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If located in an extreme ozone nonattainment area, will the total heat input capacity of all boilers, heaters, and 

emergency engines meet the following requirements? 

Stationary Sources Locating in Extreme Ozone Nonattainment Areas 

(Using Only Natural Gas in Boilers and Heaters)

Types of Emission Units Combined Allowed Maximum 

Rating of Emissions Units

All boilers rated ≥ 2.0 MMBtu/hr 100 MMBtu/hr

All small boilers and heaters rated 

< 2.0 MMBtu/hr 20 MMBtu/hr

All emergency generators (all fuels) 750 hp

Yes No Not Applicable

4. Will the exhaust from each boiler or heater be located a minimum of 50 feet from the nearest property line and 

150 feet from any adjacent residential or commercial establishment or place of public assembly?

 Yes No

5. Do you intend to satisfy the ESA and NHPA requirements according to the procedures attached to the Request 

for Coverage under the General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers?

Yes No

Conclusion

If you answered ‘Yes’ or ‘Not Applicable’ to each of the questions in Part 3, you may qualify for coverage under the 

General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers. If you believe based upon your answers in 

this questionnaire that your new or modified boiler qualifies for a General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified 

True Minor Source Boilers, please contact your reviewing authority to obtain a permit application.

If you answered ‘No’ to any of these questions, your boiler may not qualify for coverage under the General Air 

Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Boilers. Please contact your reviewing authority to confirm 

that your boiler will not qualify for a permit.