Nonmetallic mineral processing plants are commonly referred to as rock crushers. These plants use equipment to crush or grind any nonmetallic minerals wherever located, including lime plants, power plants, steel mills, asphalt concrete plants, Portland cement plants or any other facility processing nonmetallic minerals. Examples of nonmetallic minerals are concrete, recycled asphalt pavement, common clay, sand, shell, gravel, and crushed or broken stone, including limestone, dolomite, trap rock, sandstone, quartz, quartzite, slate, shale, or oil-shale. Nonmetallic mineral processing plant equipment includes crushers, grinding mills, belt conveyors, bucket elevators, screening operations, bagging operations, storage bins, enclosed truck or railcar loading stations, crusher engines, and auxiliary generators.
Nonmetallic mineral processing plants are eligible to operate in Florida under the terms of an air general permit (AGP) pursuant to the requirements of Rule 62-210.310(5)(e), Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).
An AGP is an authorization by rule to construct or operate a specific type of air pollutant emitting facility. Use of such authorization by any individual facility does not require action by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The terms and conditions of an AGP are set forth in the rule, rather than in a separately issued air construction or air operation permit.
Some relocatable wet screening processes may qualify for an exemption under Rule 62-210.300(3)(a)(31) F.A.C., provided:
- The screening operation is not connected to a nonmetallic mineral processing plant subject to 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOO, adopted and incorporated by reference under Rule 62-204.800, F.A.C.;
- No hazardous waste, as defined in Section 403.703, Florida Statutes, shall be processed; and
- The operation shall not operate at a single site for more than six (6) months in any consecutive twelve (12) months. For purposes of this provision, a site is any and all locations on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties which are under the control of the same person (or persons under common control).
Registration
You can register, renew, change ownership or make administrative corrections to AGPs online.
If you do not wish to use AGPERS, you can optionally download and complete the following worksheet and mail it to DEP at the address indicated in the worksheet instructions along with the $100 processing fee.
Nonmetallic mineral processing plants that are registered as relocatable facilities are required to complete a Facility Relocation Notification Form and submit it to the appropriate compliance authority each time they relocate to a new site. These relocation notifications can now be done online in the Department’s Business Portal. To access the online process, go to the Business Portal (http://www.fldepportal.com/go/home) and sign in (or register if you’re a new user) from the link in the upper right corner of the page. From the Welcome page, select the Submit option, then select Registration/Notification, and then click on Air General Permit Relocation Notification. Once in the process, just carefully read the instructions on each screen (and under the Help tabs) to complete the relocation notification.
Compliance Assistance Info
For more information on AGPs or assistance with using AGPERS, please contact DEP’s Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 1-800-722-7457.
For questions related to compliance procedures such as test notifications, report submittals, record keeping, inspections, etc., please contact the compliance authority specific to the county where your facility is located. If it’s located in Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas or Sarasota counties, visit our Local Program Air Contacts page. For all other counties, go to our District Air Contacts page.
