Air Quality Compliance in Johnson County
Permitting and Inspections
| At the center of the air program is the inspection of companies that are subject to
the federal Clean Air Act, ensuring compliance with what some people refer to as
"outdoor air" quality. Companies receive unannounced annual inspections from
the JCED staff to determine compliance.
Companies that are subject to air quality regulations under the Clean Air Act have
their operations reviewed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. KDHE
thoroughly reviews all processes and operations at the company's facility and determines
the need for a permit and what specific regulations apply at that site. Some specific
types of permits, usually for larger sources, are put on public notice to allow the
public to have input. The completed permit will contain specific details that restrict
the way a facility can operate in order to comply with the regulations. This insures
that the facility's emissions will have the smallest impact on the area residents as
well as the environment itself.
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After the permit is issued by KDHE, our department acts as the designated legal agent
for the state. JCED conducts unannounced inspections at these facilities to determine
compliance with air regulations and permits. We meet with company personnel and discuss
and review records, existing operations, and any future facility modifications. The JCED
staff works to educate company personnel about the regulations affecting their company
and why these rules are needed. In the event of a violation, companies found to have
relatively minor compliance problems may receive a letter from JCED requiring them to correct the
situation within a specified period of time. If the inspection reveals, however,
that serious or repeated violations have occurred, all information is forwarded to
KDHE for possible enforcement action.
Air Quality Sources in Johnson County
Air quality regulations require that a company first obtain a Construction Permit/Approval from
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) before the site is constructed. This is not
to be confused with a construction permit issued by municipal building codes. Types of sources that
can be subject to the air quality regulations vary, but here are some examples:
- Diesel engines for electrical generation
- Rock crushing
- Painting of miscellaneous metal parts
- Printing (lithographic, flexographic, rotogravure)
The pie chart below shows some of the types of sources that have been issued permits in Johnson
County.
More Information
Types of Sources in Johnson County
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