TITLE 12 CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Section 9. Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, 12-9-1 through 12-9-70.

ARTICLE 1 AIR QUALITY

12-9-3. Definitions.

1. As used in this article, the term:
   1. "Administrator" means the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
   2. "Air-cleaning device" means any method, process, or equipment which removes, reduces, or renders less noxious air contaminants discharged into the atmosphere.
   3. "Air contaminant" means solid or liquid particulate matter, dust, fumes, gas, mist, smoke, or vapor or any matter or substance either physical, chemical, biological, radioactive, including without limitation source material, special nuclear material, and by-product material, or any combination of any of the above.
   4. "Air pollution" means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants.
   5. "Ambient air" means that portion of the atmosphere external to facilities to which the general public has access.
   6. "Area of the state" means any city or county or portion thereof or other substantial geographical area of the state as may be designated by the division.
   7. "Board" means the Board of Natural Resources of the State of Georgia.
   8. "Compliance plan" means a plan which outlines the methods, procedures, or other means by which the owner, operator, or applicant intends to achieve or maintain compliance with the requirements of this article or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article.
   9. "Construction" means any fabrication, erection, or installation and includes any modification as defined in paragraph (22) of this Code section.
   10. "Control measure" means any equipment, device, process, procedure, material, or method used to reduce emissions from a source in such a manner that the emission reduction can be verified by the director.
   11. "Director" means the director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources of the State of Georgia or his designee.
   12. "Division" means the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources of the State of Georgia.
   13. "Effects on welfare" includes, but is not limited to, effects on soils, water, crops, vegetation, man-made materials, animals, wildlife, weather, visibility, and climate, damage to and deterioration of property, public safety, and hazards to transportation, as well as effects on economic values or development and on personal comfort and well-being.
   14. "Emission" or "emitting" means any discharging, giving off, sending forth, placing, dispensing, scattering, issuing, circulating, releasing, or any other emanation of any air contaminant or contaminants into the atmosphere.
   15. "Emission limitation" means a requirement established which limits the quantity, rate, type, or concentration of emissions of air contaminants, including all means of emission limitation, supplemental or intermittent means of emission limitation, and any requirement relating to the equipment or operation or maintenance of a source to assure emission reduction.
   16. "Emission offset" means a requirement providing for a proportional decrease in the emissions of a quantity or type of air contaminant from a source, facility, or area of the state in order to compensate or counteract the effects of an emission increase from such source, facility, or area of the state.
   17. "Facility" means any stationary source or group of stationary sources located within a contiguous area and under common control that emits or has the potential to emit any air contaminants.
   18. "Federal act" means 42 U.S.C. Section 7401, et seq., as amended.
   19. "Indirect source" means a source or facility which attracts or tends to attract activity that results in emission of any air pollutant for which there is an ambient air standard.
   20. "Manager" means the person appointed, employed, or delegated to the position of small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance office manager.
   21. "Means of emission limitation" means a system of continuous emission reduction, including the use of specific technology or fuels with specified pollution characteristics.
   22. "Modification" means any change in or alteration of fuels, processes, operation, or equipment, including any chemical changes in processes or fuels, which affects the amount or character of any air pollutant emitted or which results in the emission of any air pollutant not previously emitted. No source shall, by reason of a change which decreases emissions, become subject to the new source performance standards of 42 U.S.C. Section 7411, unless required by the federal act. This definition does not apply where the word "modification" is used to refer to action by the director, division, or Board of Natural Resources in modifying or changing rules, regulations, orders, or permits. In that context the word has its ordinary meaning.
   23. "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, state, municipality, or political subdivision of a state, and any agency, department, or instrumentality of the United States government, or any other entity, and any officer, agent, or employee of any of the above.
   24. "Schedule and timetable of compliance" means a schedule of remedial measures including an enforceable sequence of actions or operations leading to compliance with an emission limitation, other limitation, prohibition, or standard.
   25. "Small business advisory panel" means the small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance advisory panel created by Code Section 12-9-25.
   26. "Small business stationary source or facility" means an entity that:
       1. Is owned or operated by a person employing 100 or fewer individuals;
       2. Is a small business under the federal Small Business Act;
       3. Does not emit 50 tons or more per year of any regulated pollutant; and
       4. Emits less than 75 tons per year of all regulated pollutants and does not qualify as a major stationary source.
   27. "Source" means any property, building, structure, location, equipment, or installation at, from, or by reason of which emissions of air contaminants are or may reasonably be expected to be emitted into the atmosphere. Such term includes both real and personal property, stationary and mobile sources, and direct and indirect sources and both public or private property.
   28. "Standard of performance" means a requirement of continuous emission reduction, including any requirement relating to the equipment, operation, or maintenance of a source to assure continuous emission reduction. A standard of performance for any fossil fuel fired stationary source subject to 42 U.S.C. Section 7411(b) must also produce and result in a percentage reduction in the emissions from such category of sources from the emissions which would have resulted from the use of fuels which are not subject to treatment prior to combustion, as required by 42 U.S.C. Section 7411(a)(1).
   29. "Stationary source" means any source or facility emitting, either directly or indirectly, from a fixed location.
   30. "Supplemental or intermittent means of emission limitation" means all other means of emission limitation other than systems of continuous emission reduction and includes all dispersion dependent techniques.
   31. "Title V permit" means a permit issued by the director which is subject to the permitting requirements and procedures for such permits pursuant to this article and the regulations promulgated pursuant to this article and in accordance with the federal act, 42 U.S.C. Section 7661, et seq., as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
2. The following terms shall have the same meaning as provided for such terms in the federal act:
   1. Hazardous air pollutants;
   2. Major stationary source;
   3. Mobile source; and
   4. Implementing authority.

(Code 1933, 88-902, enacted by Ga. L. 1967, p. 581, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 275, § 4; Code 1981, §12-9-3 enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 918, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2886, § 1; Ga. L. 2001, p. 4, § 12.)