Background

Congress established the New Source Review (NSR) permitting program as part of the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments. NSR is a preconstruction permitting program that serves two important purposes:

• First, it ensures that air quality is not significantly degraded from the addition of new and modified sources such as factories, industrial boilers and power plants. In areas with unhealthy air, NSR assures that new emissions do not slow progress toward cleaner air. In areas with clean air, especially pristine areas like national parks, NSR assures that new emissions do not significantly worsen air quality.
• Second, the NSR program assures people that any large new or modified industrial source in their neighborhoods will be as clean as possible, and that advances in pollution control occur concurrently with industrial expansion.

NSR permits are legal documents that the facility owners/operators must abide by. The permit specifies what construction is allowed, what emission limits must be met, and often how the emissions source must be operated.

• Supporting Materials
• General Permits and Permits by Rule Implementation - 5 Source Categories
• General Permits and Permits by Rule Implementation - 6 Source Categories
• Oil and Natural Gas Sources - Federal Implementation Plan Rule - Indian Country
• True Minor Source and Synthetic Minor Source Permits
• Existing Source Registration Program for Tribal Minor New Source Review
• Background on Federal Indian Country Minor New Source Review
• Tribal and Permitting Programs in EPA's Regional Offices