Protecting air quality on Kirtland AFB

  • Published
  • By Melissa Clark
  • Kirtland AFB Air Program manager
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  The Kirtland Air Force Base Civil Engineering Environmental Management Section needs Team Kirtland's help to make sure we protect air quality while continuing to comply with the provisions of a city of Albuquerque permit.

Six common air pollutants are present throughout the United States, which the Environmental Protection Agency has identified as causing harm to human health, the environment and property. Those pollutants are particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and lead. The EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards to help minimize harm from these pollutants.

The Albuquerque Environmental Health Department is responsible for implementing regulations and issuing permits to ensure that Bernalillo County meets those air quality standards.

The AEHD has established regulations and a permitting program for air emission sources in Bernalillo County. On Dec. 16, 2011, the AEHD issued Kirtland AFB a basewide air emissions permit, referred to as a "Title V Operating Permit." The permit contains the operating, monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping requirements for Kirtland AFB air emission sources, which help minimize Kirtland AFB's air emissions and helps the county meet NAAQ standards.

Kirtland AFB joins the ranks of other permitted large industrial air emission sources in Bernalillo County, such as the University of New Mexico, Public Service Company of New Mexico and American Gypsum Co.

Approximately 110 individual air emission sources on Kirtland AFB are regulated by this permit, including emergency generators, gas stations, chemical usage, paint booths and aircraft engine test facilities. Additionally, the permit contains broader requirements that regulate such things as dust created during ground disturbance, and refrigerants used in motor vehicles and building air conditioning systems.

This new basewide air permit has extensive requirements, including significant civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance. The 377th Mission Support Group has implemented processes to ensure Kirtland AFB continues to comply with the permit - for example, by submitting monthly operational logs to calculate organization air emissions.

Some of the most critical established processes that allow Environmental Management to identify activities that may potentially trigger air emissions requirements are Form 332 work order requests; dig permit requests; and Air Force Form 813, Environmental Impact Analysis Requests. Whenever facility or infrastructure work is being done, new activities are being performed on base or processes are significantly changing, these forms must be completed and submitted for analysis.

For more information about air quality compliance on Kirtland AFB, call the Air Program manager, Melissa Clark, at 853-1588 or the Air Program specialist, Andria Cuevas, at 846-2522.