DEQ Releases Final Environmental Assessment and Air Quality Permit for Great Falls Renewable Diesel Project
HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued a decision on the air quality permit and Final Environmental Assessment for Montana Renewables Inc. (MRI), a proposed renewable diesel plant on the existing Calumet refinery property in Great Falls, Mont. located in Cascade County. The air quality permit analysis included the potential emissions from all equipment that will be operated at the renewable diesel plant to ensure the facility complies with the Clean Air Act of Montana. The proposed project would have a production capacity of approximately 15,000 barrels of biodiesel per day.
DEQ prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act. The draft permit and associated EA analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project and were published for public comment on Sept. 22, 2021. DEQ only received comments from MRI and has determined that the project meets state requirements. The permit will become final on Oct. 26, 2021, unless the Board of Environmental Quality receives an appeal within the 15-day appeal period.
The proposed project requires an air quality permit because the projected emissions exceed 25 tons per year for regulated pollutants including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The analysis of the proposed project shows that the project would not violate ambient air quality standards. Once issued, the permit would require MRI to comply with the enforceable permit conditions for the equipment and take reasonable precautions for fugitive emissions, which are emissions that cannot reasonably be captured by a control system. MRI would have to demonstrate compliance with emission limitations for the heaters used in the production process through source testing, continuous emissions monitoring and recordkeeping.
The proposed project is located on private land. According to the applicant, construction is estimated to begin in the Fall of 2021 and the project would be completed by the end of 2022.
To view the Final EA and permit, visit: https://deq.mt.gov/News/publicnotices-folder/news-article95
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