Unless specifically exempted, an air contaminant source is required to obtain a permit to construct and operate within Knox County from the Knox County Department of Air Quality Management (Air Quality). An air contaminant source is “any and all sources of emission of air contaminants, whether privately or publicly owned or operated.” The following is a list of common air contaminant sources.
- Process emission sources such as printing presses, asphalt plants, aggregate processing plants and coating processes (painting of automobiles, office equipment, wood furniture, etc.).
- Fuel burning equipment such as boilers, emergency generators, gas or oil-fired heaters, and coal fired steam electric generating plants.
- Incinerators for medical waste, municipal waste, etc.
- Farming equipment, mobile sources and other exempted air contaminant sources are not required to obtain permits.
Below are the types of permits issued by Air Quality and a brief description of the requirements for each. Click on the relevant button for more information on the permit.
Permit-by-Rule is a faster and less expensive method of permitting for the following air contaminant sources:
- Gasoline dispensing facilities;
- Emergency engines/generators where the total brake horsepower is 642 or less at the facility; and
- Auto body refinishing operations that do not complete more than 50 jobs/week.
Unless specifically exempted or qualify for a Permit-by-Rule, any person wishing to construct an air contaminant source or modify an existing air contaminant source is required to obtain a construction permit from Air Quality.
Persons planning to operate an air contaminant source that is a Title V source require a Title V operating permit from Air Quality. In Knox County, a Title V source is any of the following:
- Facilities with the potential to emit 10 tons per year (tpy) of any hazardous air pollutant (HAP), 25 tpy of any combination of HAPs, or 100 tpy of any regulated air pollutant;
- Facilities subject to acid rain requirements under Title IV of the Clean Air Act; or
- Facilities with lower tpy limits in non-attainment areas (currently Knox County has no non-attainment areas).
Unless specifically exempted or qualify for a Permit-by-Rule, persons planning to operate an air contaminant source that is not a Title V source require a Non-Title V operating permit from Air Quality.
Please call 865-215-5900 or email airquality@knoxcounty.org if you have any questions or need assistance.
Click here for the Knox County Department of Air Quality Management Regulations.
