Mining and road construction are both integral and essential parts of Alaska’s economic infrastructure, significantly contributing to the overall development and growth of the region. These industries play a crucial role in providing jobs, supporting local communities, and facilitating transportation and resource extraction throughout the state.

Mining operations typically include a power generation facility, onsite employee accommodations, haul roads, shipping infrastructure, and an airstrip. Mining operations can also include surveying and drilling of blast holes, blasting, ore and waste loading, rock crushing, and hauling activities.

Road construction and mining activities can include rock crushers and asphalt plants that generate fugitive particulate matter emissions which means those emissions which could not reasonably pass through a stack, chimney, vent, or other functionally equivalent opening.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has several minor general permits that can be used to accommodate these functions for road construction activities, the MG3 for asphalt plants and MG9 for rock crushers. Minor permits are required under 18 AAC 50.502(b)(1)&(3) before construction, modification, or relocation of a stationary source containing an asphalt plant or a rock crusher with a rated capacity of at least five tons per hour.

40 C.F.R. 60

Permittees must comply with applicable New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) provisions. NSPS requirements are included in the applicable requirement definition under 40 CFR 71.2, which has been adopted by the Department under 18 AAC 50.040(j)(1).

Mining activities may be subject to NSPS Subparts: A, Dc, I, LL, OOO, IIII, and for steam generating units, hot mix asphalt facilities, metallic and non metallic mineral processing units, and Compression Ignition (CI) Internal Combustion Engines (ICE).

40 C.F.R. 63

ADEC has incorporated by reference the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) requirements for specific industrial activities, as listed in 18 AAC 50.040(c). NESHAP Subpart A, ZZZZ, and JJJJJJ apply to owners and operators of CI ICE and industrial boilers located at major and area sources of Hazardous Air Pollution (HAP) emissions.

Compliance Assurance Monitoring (CAM) provisions are required under 40 C.F.R. Part 64. These provisions apply to emission units that employ the use of an add-on control device to meet an emission limit or standard and have pre-control emissions greater than 100 TPY for the pollutant for which the control device is operated. CAM provisions can apply to large and small power plant emissions units due to the operation of a control devices such as Selective Catalytic Reduction (NOx controls).

40 C.F.R. 64

Permittees are required to comply with all stationary source-specific requirements that were carried forward from previous SIP-approved Permits to Operate issued on or before January 17, 1997 and operating permits issued between January 18, 1997 and September 30, 2004, and with all stationary source-specific requirements in EPA Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits, State Implementation Program (SIP)-approved construction permits, SIP-approved minor permits, and owner requested limits established under 18 AAC 50.225.

These requirements include Best Available Control Technology (BACT) limits, limits to ensure compliance with the attainment or maintenance of ambient air quality standards or maximum allowable ambient concentrations, and owner requested limits.

Title I Permit
Requirements