Notice of Public Comment Period - Draft Air Quality Permit 7390 - Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

PUBLIC NOTICE 

Draft Air Quality Permit 7390, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB)
Construction and operation of a non-automotive powder coating paint booth at JBAB Building 399, 20 MacDill Boulevard SW, Washington DC

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 20 DCMR §210, the Air Quality Division (AQD) of the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), located at 1200 First Street NE, 5^th Floor, Washington DC, is proposing to issue an air quality permit (No. 7390) to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), to construct and operate a new non-automotive powder coating paint booth (PB-399-3).  The paint booth has an associated electric coating oven to cure the painted surface. The booth is equipped with primary and final filtration system that ensures particulate matter emissions from the powder spray using an electrostatic spray gun is controlled. The unit uses synthetic pocket filters with blanket overlay rated for 99.9% efficiency for capturing paint overspray and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) final filters rated at 95% efficiency. This two-stage configuration is designed to minimize emissions of particulate matter. The spray booth will vent inside the building, not directly to the outdoor atmosphere. The equipment is located on the ground floor of Building 399 at JBAB, 20 MacDill Boulevard SW, Washington DC 20032. The contact person for the facility is Amberleigh Ray, Air Quality Program Manager at [email protected] or by telephone (202) 528-7730.

Emissions Estimate:

The JBAB spray booth activity will use a low-emission alternative to traditional solvent-based coatings because the powder contains no solvents and therefore releases near zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The spray booth uses a two-stage filtration system with 99.9% filter efficiency in the first stage and MERV 13 final filters rated at 95% efficiency for the second stage.

Estimated maximum emissions from the equipment are 0.68 pounds per year of VOCs and 3.35 pounds per year of particulate matter.

Emissions Limits:

The proposed emission limits for the equipment are as follows:

1. Except for emissions resulting from operations subject to Conditions (d) and (e), the Permittee shall not discharge into the atmosphere more than fifteen (15) pounds of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in any one (1) day, nor more than three pounds (3 lb.) in any one (1) hour, from all operations that occur in the equipment covered by this permit and any other combination of articles, machines, units, equipment, or other contrivances at a facility, not covered by a section of 20 DCMR Chapter 7 other than Section 700, unless the uncontrolled VOC emissions are reduced by at least ninety percent (90%) overall capture and control efficiency. [20 DCMR 700.1 and 700.2]
    
2. An emission into the atmosphere of odorous or other air pollutants from any source in any quantity and of any characteristic, and duration which is, or is likely to be injurious to the public health or welfare, or which interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of life or property is prohibited [20 DCMR 903.1]

   Violation of the requirements of this condition that occurs because of unavoidable malfunction, despite the conscientious employment of control practices, shall be an affirmative defense for which the owner or operator shall bear the burden of proof. A malfunction shall not be considered unavoidable if the owner or operator could have taken, but did not take, appropriate steps to eliminate the malfunction within a reasonable time, as determined by the Department. [20 DMR 903.13(b)]

   Note that this condition is District-enforceable only.

3. Visible emissions shall not be emitted into the outdoor atmosphere from the paint spray booth. [20 DCMR 102, 20 DCMR 201, and 20 DMCR 606]
    
4. The Permittee shall not discharge into the atmosphere more than forty pounds (40 lb.) of non-photochemically reactive solvents in any one (1) day, nor more than eight pounds (8 lb.) in any one (1) hour, from any article, machine, equipment, or other contrivance, unless the uncontrolled organic emissions are reduced by at least eighty-five percent (85%). [20 DCMR 708.2]
    
5. Emissions of VOCs from the use of any cleaning solvent, except those listed in Conditions II(e)(1) through (5) below (which are included in the accounting for compliance with Condition II(a)) shall be maintained below fifteen (15) pounds in any one (1) day from all such sources at the facility. [20 DCMR 201 and 20 DCMR 770.1]
    
6. Emissions from products used to strip cured inks, coatings, and adhesives;
    
7. Emissions from cleaning products used for janitorial purposes, including graffiti remover products;
    
8. Emissions from products used to clean resin, coating, ink, and adhesive mixing, molding, and application equipment; and
    
9. Emissions from cleaning and surface preparation operations related to application of coatings subject to regulation under 20 DCMR 773 to 778 (AIM) to the extent the coatings are used as architectural and industrial maintenance coatings.

The permit application and supporting documentation, along with the draft permit are available for public inspection at AQD and copies may be made available between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. Interested parties wishing to view these documents should provide their names, addresses, telephone numbers and affiliation, if any, to Stephen S. Ours at (202) 498-8143 or [email protected]. Copies of the draft permit and related technical support memorandum are also available in the attachments section below.

Interested persons may submit written comments or may request a hearing on this subject within 30 days of publication of this notice. The written comments must also include the person’s name, telephone number, affiliation, if any, mailing address, and a statement outlining the air quality issues in dispute and any facts underscoring those air quality issues. All relevant comments will be considered before taking final action on the permit application.

Comments on the proposed permit and any request for a public hearing should be addressed to:

Stephen S. Ours
Chief, Permitting Branch - Air Quality Division

Department of Energy and Environment
1200 First Street NE, 5^th Floor
Washington DC 20002

[email protected]
 

No comments or hearing requests submitted after December 29, 2025 will be accepted.

For more information, please contact Stephen S. Ours at (202) 498-8143 or [email protected].