Regulated Businesses Business Recognition

Permitting Process Air Operating Permits

Business Permitting Process

The permitting process helps ensure that air quality is not significantly degraded from new or modified air pollution sources.  All new or modified sources of air pollution are required to obtain a permit from the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) before beginning construction.

The NWCAA Regulation Section 320 lists the air pollution sources that require registration, Section 321 lists sources and activities that are exempt (temporary sources are covered in Section 301). Section 324 lists registered source fees.

The application and permitting process may take up to 3 months.  The process begins when an applicant submits a completed Notice of Construction (NOC) application form to the NWCAA with the appropriate fees (Section 324) and adequate information to fully describe the project. Regulations covering the permitting process (Section 300) can be complicated and generally require some technical assistance. 

Agency staff works diligently to help business owners/managers know and understand the air quality regulations pertaining to their business. Some sources schedule a pre-application meeting with our staff to discuss what information should be submitted for complex and unique projects. These efforts increase compliance, resulting in cleaner air for us all.