The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing two rules to help businesses planning to build new facilities or make expansions to existing ones to obtain Clean Air Act permits that address their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In the spring of 2010, EPA introduced the GHG Tailoring Rule, which requires industrial facilities, like power plants and oil refineries that increase GHG emissions, to obtain an air permit.

The new rules are thus vital in implementing the Tailoring Rule to ensure that GHG emissions from these facilities are minimized in all 50 states.

The first rule requires 13 states to make changes to their implementation plans of EPA-approved air permitting programs to include GHG emissions. All other states need to review their existing permitting authority and inform EPA if their programs do not address GHG emissions.

In the second rule, EPA is proposing a federal implementation plan, which would allow EPA to issue permits for GHG emitters located in the states that are unable to develop and submit revisions to their plans before the Tailoring Rule becomes effective in 2011.

EPA and the states will work in close coordination to develop, submit, and approve necessary revisions to expedite the process of issuing air permits to GHG-emitting sources in the affected states.