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Odor: Odor Study

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Lindsay James Contact Service Lines Odor Air Quality Solid Waste Project Understanding Blackstone conducted a multi-phase odor study and provided consulting services for a Kansas municipality. Beginning in late 2015, the City observed an increase in odor reports in the vicinity of a large local landfill and assembled an Odor Study Team consisting of personnel from the City, County, landfill, and Blackstone. The goals of the Odor Study Team involved identifying the cause or causes of the increase in odor reports and using a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to reduce odors in the community. Services Provided Phase I of the odor study focused on identifying potential odor sources and other factors which may have contributed to the sudden and sustained increase in odor reports such as local meteorological conditions, topography, and the release of an electronic reporting app. As part of this phase, Blackstone created a database which allowed for the analysis of report information (time, location, description) and meteorological records (temperature, wind speed…
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DD: Cement Terminal Site Assessment & Permitting

July 31, 2019

Iowa Location Lindsay James Contact Service Lines Due DiligenceWater ResourcesAir Qualilty Project Summary Blackstone Environmental, Inc. supported the development of a new cement terminal in the Des Moines area by conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and wetland delineation for a proposed site location and then preparing air quality permit applications for the proposed equipment. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Blackstone conducted the Phase I ESA for a 15.09-acre agricultural property that was identified as a potential location for the cement terminal. The Phase I ESA assessed site conditions, both past, and present, for indications of recognized environmental conditions (RECs) at the Site prior to purchase. Land use in the area included recent light industrial development and agricultural/undeveloped properties. Aerial photos reviewed indicated that the site had been vacant or agricultural land since at least the late 1930s. Blackstone reviewed environmental database records, interviewed the current landowner, and conducted site reconnaissance, and did not identify indications of RECs associated with the historic use…
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Air Quality: Permitting: NGL Fractionation Plant

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Austin Quick Contact Service Lines Air Quality Project Summary Blackstone prepared an air quality construction permit application for a natural gas liquids fractionation facility in Kansas. The project included updates to existing equipment within the fractionation train plus the addition of new equipment, including a boiler, a cooling tower, and piping & equipment components. Blackstone was provided the engineering plans for the proposed new and modified equipment and utilized that information, as well as ongoing discussions with the project engineering design team, to determine affected emission sources and to develop a permitting strategy. Services Provided Blackstone developed emissions calculations for the project, including baseline and past actual emissions to determine applicability of Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting, and potential emissions to determine applicability of state construction permitting. Several iterations of emissions calculations were prepared as the project design progressed. The past ten years of emissions inventories and production information was collected and reviewed to determine an appropriate baseline period. Since this project…
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Air Quality: Permit Applications: Petroleum Products Terminals

July 31, 2019

Iowa Location Austin Quick Contact Service Lines Air Quality Project Summary Blackstone's client had five terminals in the state of Iowa that needed modifications to construction permits or new construction permits for truck loading systems. Services Provided Blackstone prepared construction permit applications for each of the five terminals, including applicable Iowa Department of Natural Resources forms. The applications included updated emissions calculations for volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), based on the facility’s representative HAP analysis for their products. Throughput limits were requested for two facilities to reduce control device requirements under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Gasoline Distribution Bulk Terminals, Bulk Plants, and Pipeline Facilities, 40 CFR 63 Subpart BBBBBB.
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Air Quality: Permit Application: Reactivation of Petroleum Products Terminal

July 31, 2019

Wisconsin Location Austin Quick Contact Service Lines Air Quality Project Summary A midstream petroleum products company wanted to reactivate operations at a terminal that was not operational and had air quality permits that were been terminated over six years prior. In order to initiate operations at the facility, several physical modifications were needed, and the facility was required to reapply for air quality construction permits. Services Provided Blackstone prepared uncontrolled and controlled emissions calculations for all operations at the terminal, including seven tanks storing transmix, gasoline, diesel, and ethanol. Emissions calculations for tanks were prepared with the TankESP software tool. Blackstone reviewed regulatory applicability of New Source Performance Standards for the storage tanks (40 CFR 60 Subpart Kb) and loading rack (40 CFR 60 Subpart XX), National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 40 CFR 63 Subpart BBBBBB for the bulk terminal, and Wisconsin state regulations. Appropriate Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources application forms were also prepared. An Air Pollution Control Construction Permit and Federally…
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Air Quality: Construction Permit Applications: Cement Terminal

July 31, 2019

Iowa Location Austin Quick Contact Service Lines Air QualityEnvironmental Compliance Project Summary Blackstone prepared air quality construction permit applications for emission sources associated with a new cement terminal proposed in Altoona, Iowa. The proposed facility consisted of a cement storage dome, four storage silos, train and truck material unloading, and truck loadouts. Blackstone was provided the engineering plans and vendor quote documentation for the new facility and utilized that information to determine emission sources and emission points. Services Provided After determining all new emission points, Blackstone developed an emissions inventory, including potential and actual emissions, for each emissions point. The potential emissions for the project and each point did not exceed the significant emission rates and modeling was not required. In addition, Blackstone communicated with the Polk County Air Quality Division (AQD) local contact during the application process. Polk County AQD provided draft permits and Blackstone reviewed and provided comments back to the agency prior to permit issuance.
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