Air Quality

The University of Utah is categorized as a major source¹ of air pollutants. This is determined by our calculated potential to emit criteria pollutants. These pollutants are: carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. University processes also emit small amounts of hazardous air pollutants.

Because we are a major source we are required to have a Title V Operating Permit. The operating permit regulates many of our physical plant operations on campus, for example: the types of fuel we use in our boilers and emergency electrical generators, how much of each type of fuel we can use, the number of hours we can run our emergency electrical generators for testing purposes, when we can operate our boilers on backup fuel for testing purposes, etc. In addition to regulating what we do, the operating permit spells out how we will record information about our operations and how we will monitor the environmental performance of our processes.

The University also has an Approval Order (AO) that permits the construction of all stationary sources of air pollution. We must modify our AO before we begin construction or modification of any source of air pollution. For example, if we are planning to upgrade the electrical system in a building and part of that upgrade includes adding an emergency backup generator, before we pour the concrete for the generator pad we must have completed modifying our AO. Any piece of equipment that is an air pollution source must be in the operating permit before the University can operate the equipment.

Any time we fail to comply with the conditions of our Operating Permit we are required to tell the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) by filing a Deviation Report. In June and December each year we report to DAQ how we are doing monitoring the environmental performance of our processes. This Monitoring Report summarizes any deviations during the six-month reporting period. Each year, by December 3rd, we must certify compliance with the terms and conditions contained in the Operating Permit, including emission limitations, standards, and work practices. The Compliance Certification is a legal document, with criminal penalties associated with knowingly making false statements.

Every three years we must submit an inventory of our actual emissions. This inventory includes both stationary and mobile sources owned and operated by the University of Utah. Each year we pay a fee to the DAQ based on our actual emissions.

The University currently has 265.5 tons of banked emissions credits as a result of decreases in actual emissions over the past two decades, despite a significant increase in building square footage over the same time period. This is a result of conscious decisions to use cleaner fuel, replace old equipment with newer, more efficient combustion technology, and undertake energy conservation projects campus-wide.

If you have any questions about the University’s regulated air quality program please call Judy Moran at 581-6590.

1. 'Major source' is terminology specific to and defined by the EPA.