New Jersey has made remarkable advancements in improving its air quality over the past decades. These improvements arise from constant efforts in pollution reduction, more innovative regulatory controls, and switching to cleaner energy sources. However, there are instances where air quality still fails to meet the state’s standards, as fine particle emissions continue to impose risks to the environment and public health.
To remain committed to maintaining the downward trend of pollution levels, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has modified its state-of-the-art (SOTA) standards. This aims to introduce new emission caps and stricter requirements for sources of air pollution, particularly those involving reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE).
The updated SOTA targets both compression ignition (CI) and spark ignition (SI) RICE. The CI RICE manual now sets more stringent emission limits on pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), total suspended particulate matter (TSP), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which usually come from diesel engines fueling generators.
Further, CI RICE also demands facilities to adapt upgraded emission-control technologies like oxidation catalysts, selective catalytic reduction systems, and diesel particulate filters. Enhanced monitoring and reporting protocols are also needed to support compliance tracking.
Similarly, the SI RICE manual reduces acceptable emission levels for natural gas-fueled units. Also, tougher data-collection and reporting now mandate the installation of advanced emission control technologies. Together, these updates are intended to decrease emissions more aggressively and improve regulatory oversight.
With these new SOTA standards, multiple facilities might be pushed to comply. Reviewing existing CI and SI engine equipment is a practical starting point to determine gaps and create a targeted action plan to adapt. Therefore, facilities with older engines that fail to meet these revised measures may need replacements or upgrades depending on operational needs.
Given the intricacy of NJDEP’s revamped regulations, involving an air permit consultant in NJ is essential. They can help with compliance assessment, assess current engine performance, handle permit applications or renewals, or guide emission testing and reporting to attain NJDEP permit compliance. Their specialized insight can also help companies stay compliant while contributing to New Jersey’s cleaner air goals.
Know more about NJDEP’s new SOTA standards by reading this infographic from Lockatong Engineering.
