State Air Pollution Control Board Approves BCS Permit

On January 8, 2019, the State Air Pollution Control Board (SAPCB) voted unanimously to approve the Buckingham Compressor Station (BCS) minor new source review air permit. The official transcript from the January 8 meeting is now available for review.

The BCS permit sets a new national pollution control standard for all new compressor stations across the country. The permit was signed and issued to Dominion Energy on January 9, 2019.

The SAPCB met December 19, 2018 to consider the permit for BCS. At that meeting, the board approved a motion to hold an additional public comment period to review documents received since the last board meeting held November 8 and 9. The public comments received during the December 21, 2018 to January 4, 2019 comment period are available for review.

Signed Permit and Analysis

Background

In September 2015, ACP submitted an air permit application for proposed construction and operation of a natural gas-fired compressor station in Buckingham County, Virginia (Buckingham Compressor Station or BCS) 1.5 miles northwest of the intersection of Route 60 and Route 56. After submittal of the original application, ACP made significant design changes to the project. These changes, in addition to additional information requested by DEQ resulted in a revised application being submitted in May 2018. Following this submittal, DEQ requested further information and the application was finally deemed complete in July 2018. All the information received was used in the development of the draft permit which was subject to public comment.

The draft permit is a minor new source review (NSR) permit. For a compressor station to be classified as a major source under NSR, it must have the potential to emit greater than 250 tons per year (tpy) of any regulated NSR pollutant. All the emissions at the BCS will be well below major NSR permit levels with the highest permitted emissions for any pollutant being 43 tpy for particulate matter. DEQ required a thorough Best Available Control Technology (BACT) analysis, air quality dispersion modeling and held a public comment period including a public hearing.

Review

Part of DEQ’s process in developing the permit for the BCS included a comprehensive review of permits for other compressor stations across the United States. Based on the information available at the time of this review, the requirements established in this draft permit make BCS the most stringently controlled compressor station in Virginia and in the United States. The pollutant limits and monitoring requirements in the BCS draft permit are more restrictive than the permits already issued by West Virginia and North Carolina for two similar stations to be located along the ACP.

DEQ required an air quality modeling analysis to demonstrate compliance with the health-based concentrations called National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In addition, DEQ required the facility to conduct a modeling analysis for specific toxic air pollutants in order to ensure the concentrations would be below the Virginia Significant Ambient Air Concentrations (SAAC). The results of these analyses demonstrate that the facility will not cause any exceedances of regulatory health-based standards.

Buckingham Compressor Station Air Permitting Timeline

Date Responsible Party Action Location
January 9, 2019 DEQ Minor New Source Review permit was signed and issued to Dominion Energy Richmond, VA
January 8, 2019 SAPCB Consideration of the minor new source review permit for the Buckingham Compressor Station.  Doubletree Hilton
December 19, 2018 SAPCB Consideration of the minor new source review permit for the Buckingham Compressor Station.  First Floor House Committee Room, Pocahontas Building

December 10, 2018 Meeting cancelled due to inclement weather. Rescheduled to December 19, 2018

 SAPCB Consideration of the minor new source review permit for the Buckingham Compressor Station.  First Floor House Committee Room, Pocahontas Building
November 8 and November 9, 2018  DEQ/SAPCB Permit Report Presented to State Air Pollution Control Board for Consideration Greater Richmond Convention Center, Exhibit Hall Building, Exhibit Hall B. Use the 5th Street entrance. 
September 22, 2018 DEQ

Analysis of Comments

 

  
September 21, 2018 DEQ Public Comment Period Ended  
September 11, 2018 DEQ Public Hearing Buckingham County Middle School
August 16, 2018 DEQ Informational Briefing and Presentation Buckingham County Administration Building
August 8, 2018 DEQ Public Comment Period Opened  
July 13, 2018 DEQ Air Quality Modeling Summary  
July 13, 2018 ACP Fourth Supplemental Information Submittal  
July 10, 2018 ACP Third Supplemental Information Submittal  
July 3, 2018 ACP Second Supplemental Information Submittal  
June 29, 2018 ACP First Supplemental Information Submittal  
May 25, 2018 ACP Revised Application Submittal  
January 5, 2017 Buckingham County Board of Supervisors Approved Special Use Permit  
September 2015 ACP Original Application Submittal  

 

Additional Information on Frequently Asked Questions Not Covered by the Air Permit

DEQ has limited authority under its regulations and often receives questions which fall outside of the purview of the State Air Pollution Control Board Statute and Regulations. DEQ understands the importance of these issues to the citizens who live and work in the community surrounding the proposed facility. DEQ has identified some of the frequently asked questions and the following information should be helpful in answering some of those questions.

Site Zoning – The Buckingham County Board of Supervisors approved the Special Use Permit (SUP) for the siting of the facility on January 5, 2017. Buckingham County Board of Supervisors meeting minutes are available on the Buckingham County website.

Noise – The Buckingham County SUP limits noise at the property boundary both during construction and during operation of the facility. Noise is addressed in conditions 5, 6 and 18 of the SUP. Additional information regarding the BCS construction and noise control is available on the ACP website.

Light – The Buckingham County SUP limits light at the property boundary. The SUP lighting requirements can be found in conditions 8, 9, and 10.

Traffic – The Buckingham County SUP addresses the issue of traffic in condition 20.

Worker Safety – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workplace safety. OSHA programs apply to employer and employee.

Community Safety – Emergency preparedness and response is covered by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally the Buckingham County SUP addresses emergency issues, including fire, in conditions 4, 35, 36 and 40.

Facility Need – The need for a utility line such as the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and therefore the BCS, is reviewed and approved by the federal government’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

DEQ Water Webpages – Atlantic Coast Pipeline                       Pipeline Updates

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Virginia Department of
Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, VA 23218
(804) 698-4000


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