Help/Assistance

For assistance information and materials please visit https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/Permits-certifications/Air-Quality-permits/Air-quality-general-orders.

Other sources of help, information, and references:

General Order of Approval for Asphalt Plants

Description/Purpose

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) issues general orders to businesses in their jurisdiction to make sure Washington meets state and federal air quality requirements. We issue general order permits to commercial sources of air pollution. A general order is a category of permit that simplifies the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting process. When several sources of air pollution are similar, we can issue a streamlined NSR permit (or “general order”) for sources in that category, rather than a series of full NSR individual permits. Currently, there are seven categories of general orders for air pollution that come from commercial sources.

If you apply for a general order and we approve it, we will issue an individual Coverage Order for your facility under that specific General Order.

Triggers and activities which would require this entry

Any portable or stationary asphalt drum mix plant, proposing to operate in the following counties:

  • Adams
  • Asotin
  • Chelan
  • Columbia
  • Douglas
  • Ferry
  • Franklin
  • Garfield
  • Grant
  • Kittitas
  • Klickitat
  • Lincoln
  • Okanogan
  • Pend Oreille
  • San Juan
  • Stevens
  • Walla Walla
  • Whitman

This includes chemical pulp and paper mills, aluminum smelters, and the Hanford Reservation site.

If the county you would like to operate in is not listed here, please visit the Washington Clean Air Agencies webpage to get the correct contact information.

    Facilities that don’t meet the criteria for a general order will need to apply for an individual Notice of Construction permit.

    If you own or operate the type of business below and already have a valid air permit from a local clean air agency, we will accept that permit if it was issued after July 1, 2010 and complies with the other portable relocation requirements in WAC 173-400-036.

    • Portable asphalt plants
    • Portable concrete plants
    • Portable rock crushers
    • Non-road engines used to power these operations
    Explanation/Description of costs/fees, including statutory, regulatory, or other legal authority for fees

    See the application for fee information.

    Application Information

    The application is called 'General Order Application: Asphalt Plants' is online and can be accessed at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/ECY070385.html.

    See the application instructions for what to include in your application.

    When making the decision on your order, Ecology will consider:

    • The applicable laws and rules.
    • The contents of your application.
    • The background environmental conditions.
    • Facilities that don’t meet the criteria for a general order will need to apply for the individual Notice of Construction permit.

    Send your complete application package to the address provided on the application.

    The General Order is valid for the life of the facility or until the source either modifies the equipment or its practices.

    An order, permit, license, or decision can be appealed within 30 days from the "date of receipt" of the decision. The appeal process is governed by RCW 43.21B and WAC 371-08. "Date of receipt" is defined in RCW 43.21B.001(2). Get more information on the Pollution Control Hearings Board web page.

    Permit Timeliness Results

    Permit Timeliness data collection is in response to a State Auditor’s Performance Audit and RCW 43.42A. Each regulatory agency developed a plan to improve permit clarity, predictability, and timeliness. Each agency considers the customers experience to ensure permit assistance is simple to use, easy to access, and designed in a customer-friendly manner. Agencies report progress to the Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA). ORIA prepares and distributes reports, with participation from the State Auditor’s Office and Results Washington. See latest report here: https://www.oria.wa.gov/ORIA-2020-PermitTimelinessProgressReport.pdf.

    Estimated Time Required By the Agency to Process a Permit Application (Definition)
    Average days from Receipt to Complete: 52
    Maximum days from Receipt to Complete: 255

    Estimated Time Required By the Agency to Issue a Permit Decision (Definition)
    Average days from Complete Application to Decision: 40
    Maximum days from Complete Application to Decision: 63

    The general order permits are not tracked individually so the results are combined for General Order of Approval for: Asphalt Plants, Auto Body Shops, Concrete Batch Plants, Dairy Manure Anaerobic Digesters, Gas Fired Emergency Electrical Generators, Perchloroethylene Dry Cleaners, Small Boilers Using Natural Gas, Propane, or Diesel Fuel, and Stationary or Portable Rock Crushers.


    (Summary results based on 12 submittals in 2024)

    Legal authority
    Notes / Comments

    The agency that issues these general orders varies by location. If your county is not listed below, visit the Washington Clean Air Agencies webpage to see which agency covers your location.

    The Department of Ecology issues the general orders in the following counties:

    • Ecology Central Regional Office - Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Okanogan counties
    • Ecology Eastern Regional Office - Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties
    Contacts
    Department of Ecology
    Air Quality Program
    Headquarters
    300 Desmond Drive
    PO BOX 47600
    Olympia WA 98504-7600
    Website: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Our-Programs/Air-Quality
    Telephone: (360) 407-6000
    * Credential details last updated 5/28/2024
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