United States Environmental Protection Agency

General Permit for New or Modified True Minor Sources of Air 

Pollution in Indian Country

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

Instructions for Requesting Coverage under the General Air Quality 

Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Spark Ignition Engines in 

Indian Country

Version 1.0

Last Modified: July 2, 2014

If you wish to apply for the ‘General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Spark

Ignition Engines in Indian Country,’ please complete the form “Request for Coverage under the General Air 

Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source of Spark Ignition Engines in Indian Country.” 

This General Air Quality Permit implements the requirements of the minor New Source Review (NSR) rule as 

described under 40 CFR part 49.

These instructions are intended to provide you with information that may be useful in completing the 

Request for Coverage forms. In the form, please provide information on all existing, new and modified 

units.

Helpful Definitions from the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR Rule (40 CFR 49.152) –

This is not a comprehensive list.

 Modification means any physical or operational change at a source that would cause an increase in the 

allowable emissions of the affected emissions units for any regulated NSR pollutant or that would cause 

the emission of any regulated NSR pollutant not previously emitted. [40 CFR 49.152(d)]

The following exemptions apply: 

(1) A physical or operational change does not include routine maintenance, repair, or replacement. 

(2) An increase in the hours of operation or in the production rate is not considered an operational 

change unless such increase is prohibited under any federally-enforceable permit condition or 

other permit condition that is enforceable as a practical matter.

(3) A change in ownership at a source is not considered a modification.

 Potential to emit (PTE) means the maximum capacity of a source to emit a pollutant under its 

physical and operational design. Any physical or operational limitation on the capacity of the source 

to emit a pollutant, including air pollution control equipment and restrictions on hours of operation 

or on the type or amount of material combusted, stored or processed, shall be treated as part of its 

design if the limitation or the effect it would have on emissions is enforceable as a practical matter. 

Secondary emissions, as defined at 40 CFR 52.21(b)(18) of this chapter, do not count in determining 

the PTE of a source.
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Information collected on applications includes the following:

Section 1: Contact Information

1. Business Name: Provide the complete company name. For corporations, include divisions or 

subsidiary name, if any.

2. Date: Provide the date you submit the completed application.

3. Site Address: Provide the actual address of where the source is operating or proposing to operate

and not the mailing address. Include the state and the zip code.

4. County: Provide the county in which the source is operating or proposing to operate.

5. Name of Operator or Contact at Site(s): Provide the name(s) of the operator or contact at the site(s). 

6. Telephone Number of Operator or Contact at Site(s): Provide a telephone number where the 

operator or contact at the site(s) can be reached during business hours.

7. Owner: List the full name of the owner of the business. 

8. Telephone Number of Owner: Provide a telephone number where the owner of the business can be 

reached during business hours.

9. Mailing Address of Owner: Provide the mailing address of the owner. Include the state and the zip

code.

10. Correspondence Address: Provide the mailing address of the authorized contact person. Include the 

state and the zip code.

11. Authorized Contact Person: Provide the name, title, phone number, email address, and fax number 

of the authorized contact person. The authorized contact is the person authorized to receive 

requests for data and information.

Section 2: Facility Information for Requesting Coverage under the General Air Quality 

Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Spark Ignition Engines

12. Brief Description of Your Project: Is your facility new or a modification to an existing facility? If this is 

a new request, describe the proposed new source. If this is a modification, describe the modification 

proposed.

13. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)/Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code

and Description: Provide the NAICS/SIC Code and/or a description for the facility (check all that 

apply):

 2211** NAICS Electric Power Generation, Transmission or Distribution

 622110 NAICS Medical and Surgical Hospitals

 Other – please specify _____NAICS; _____SIC
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14. Ozone Attainment Status: Indicate if this facility is located in an ozone nonattainment area and 

specify the classification of the ozone nonattainment area. If part of a tribe’s area is designated as 

attainment, unclassifiable, or attainment/unclassifiable and another part as nonattainment, the 

answer to this question should be based on the designation where the source would be located. If 

the source straddles the two areas, the more stringent classification applies. Information on the 

ozone attainment status of the area where your facility is located can be found at: 

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/greenbook/. Please contact your reviewing authority if you have 

questions about an area’s attainment status.

15. Carbon monoxide (CO) Attainment Status: Indicate if this facility is located in a CO nonattainment 

area and specify the classification of the area.

16. Exemption from the Minor NSR Program: For a new facility, calculate the PTE of all proposed 

emission units and determine if the proposed construction is below the applicability thresholds in 

the Indian Country Minor NSR program (the thresholds listed in 40 CFR 49.153). For a modification 

to your existing facility, calculate the emissions increase from your new or modified emission units 

and determine if the proposed construction or modification is below the thresholds listed. For a new 

emissions unit, the emissions change is the PTE of the new unit. For a modified emissions units, the 

emissions change is the change in allowable emissions of the unit. 

You only need to consider the thresholds for nonattainment areas if your source is (or will be) 

located in an area designated nonattainment. If in a nonattainment area, then you only need to 

consider the nonattainment threshold for the pollutant(s) for which the area is designated 

nonattainment. 

If the PTE of your new facility or the emissions increase at your existing facility is below the 

applicable thresholds listed for ALL pollutants, the new or modified source is exempt from the minor 

NSR program. You do not need a permit for this source. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) is providing a PTE calculator to assist with this task. The calculator is available online at:

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

Do not include mobile engines or engines that remain in one location for less than 12 months in 

your calculation.

17. Qualification for General Permit – Facility in Attainment, Unclassifiable, or Attainment/Unclassifiable

Area: If located in an attainment, unclassifiable, or attainment/unclassifiable area, calculate the PTE 

of your entire facility (include new, modified, and existing units) and determine if the facility is 

below the NSR major source threshold of 250 tons per year (tpy). If the PTE of the proposed facility 

is equal or above 250 tpy for ANY pollutant, this new or modified source does not qualify for this 

general permit. The EPA is providing a PTE calculator to assist with this task. The calculator is 

available online at: http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html.

Do not include mobile engines or engines that remain in one location for less than 12 months in 

your calculation.

18. Qualification for General Permit – Facility in Nonattainment Area: If located in a nonattainment 

area, calculate the PTE of your entire facility (include new, modified, and existing units) and 

determine if the facility is below the NSR major source thresholds listed. Note the NSR major source 

classification is pollutant specific. You only need to consider the nonattainment area thresholds for 
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the particular pollutants for which your area is designated as nonattainment. If the PTE of the 

proposed facility is equal to or above the threshold for ANY pollutant for which the area is 

designated as nonattainment, then this new or modified source does not qualify for this general 

permit. The EPA is providing a PTE calculator to assist with this task. The calculator is available online 

at: http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/tribalnsr.html. Do not include mobile engines or engines that 

remain in one location for less than 12 months in your calculation.

19. Setback Requirement: The permit contains a setback requirement and seeks information to verify 

compliance with that requirement.

Section 3: Technical Information for Requesting Coverage under the General Air Quality 

Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source Spark Ignition Engines

20. Non-Emergency Spark Ignition Engines: List each unit’s unique identification number, unit 

description, maximum capacity, fuel(s) used (natural gas, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, 

landfill/digester gas), manufactured date for each engine and model year. Do not include mobile 

engines or engines that remain in one location for less than 12 months. Only non-emergency (prime) 

engines should be listed.

21. Emergency Engines: List each emergency engine’s unique identification number, unit description, 

maximum capacity, fuel(s) used, manufactured date and model year. Fuels can include: distillate 

fuel, diesel, biodiesel, natural gas, LPG, or gasoline. Do not include mobile engines or engines that 

remain in one location for less than 12 months. Only emergency engines should be listed.

22. Auxiliary Heaters: List each unit’s unique identification number, unit description, maximum heat 

input capacity, fuel(s) used, and construction date for each auxiliary heater (such as a hot oil heater).

Section 4: Information on Compliance with Federal Statutes Necessary for Requesting 

Coverage under a General Air Quality Permit for New or Modified True Minor Source 

Spark Ignition Engines

23. Endangered Species Act: To request coverage under this permit, sources must demonstrate that 

they have satisfied the permitting requirements related to the Endangered Species Act. The EPA is 

providing procedures with the application to assist with this task.

24. National Historic Preservation Act: To request coverage under this permit, sources must 

demonstrate that they have satisfied the permitting requirements related to the National Historic 

Preservation Act. The EPA is providing procedures with the application to assist with this task.

Section 5: Applicant’s Statement

Certify that the information supplied in the application is correct, then sign the document, print your name, 

and date the document in the spaces provided.