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Contact Information:
New Hampshire Department
of Environmental Services
6 Hazen Drive
P.O. Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
(603) 271-6798
Or view the Department's
Website
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
DE MINIMIS EXEMPTIONS:
If a source has heat input less than 1.5 MMBtu/hr for liquid fuel or 10 MMBtu/hr for gas AND a potential to
emit less than 25 tons per year of all criteria pollutants it is exempt from permitting. No state notification
is required for these units.
Table 1
2003 DG Certification Standards
| Device/Source |
Design Rating |
Fuel |
| Fuel Burning Device |
Less than 10 Million Btu/hr |
Natural Gas, LP Gas, #2 fuel oil |
| Fuel Burning Device |
Less than 4 Million Btu/hr |
#4 fuel oil |
| Fuel Burning Device |
Less than 2 Million Btu/hr |
Coal, wood, #6 fuel oil, used oil |
| Internal Combustion Engine (One or more at a source; design rating threshold is combined
total of all engines) |
Corresponding to natural gas with sulfur content not more than 1 grain/100 scf |
MINOR SOURCE PERMITTING:
Sources with a potential to emit more than 25 tons per year must obtain a permit. Modeling will be required
and conditions in the permit will depend on the results of the modeling. Any controls will be required on a case
by case basis, but will most likely be in the form of an annual fuel use cap. Engines that emit more than 50 tons
per year of NOx are required to meet RACT. RACT for NOx is currently 8 g/hp-hr. Stack testing and record keeping
will also be included in the permit.
New Hampshire has an output-based emission fee program for DG. The program requires affected generators to
report NOx emissions and power production and either: (1) offset their emissions through the purchase of
NOx emissions allowances within the Ozone Transport Region; or (2) pay an emissions fee. The new regulation
affects any internal combustion engine or combustion turbine that generates electricity for use or sale and
emits more than 5 tons of NOx per year, however back-up, start-up, and emergency generators are exempted,
as are generators used in areas where electrical power is not reasonably and reliably available. The amount
of the fee per ton of NOx emitted is $100 from October 1 to April 30 and $200 from May 1 to September 30.
The fee increases over time but is capped at $500 per ton from October 1 to April 30 and $1,000 from May 1
to September 30. A NOx emissions reductions fund will be established with these fees and used to reduce NOx
emissions from generation sources. No fee or allowance is required for the first 7 lb/MWh of NOx. The original
intent of the 7 lb/MWh threshold was to focus the fee in higher emitting engines, including diesels. However,
this limit provides the additional benefit of encouraging efficiency by rewarding units that emit at a lower
output-based rate.
There is a 30 day public comment period for minor sources. The whole permitting process usually takes around
90 days to complete (including the comment period).
MAJOR NSR/PSD PERMITTING:
The state is in the OTR, which means a potential to emit 100 tons per year of NOx, or VOCs triggers NSR. A potential
to emit 250 tons of any other criteria pollutant triggers PSD. In the serious nonattainment areas of the state
50 tons of NOx triggers NSR.
TREATMENT OF EMERGENCY ENGINES:
A general permit is available that limits units to 500 hours of operation per year. Units may only operate
for maintenance and during blackouts. Use of an emergency generator as a load-shaving unit, peaking power production unit, or a standby engine in an energy
assistance program is prohibited. Participants must report annual hours of operation and will be subject to
the fee-based program above. The general permit program was recently renewed (August 19, 2003) for another five years. Full details of the
permit program can be viewed by clicking here.
An electrical generation facility greater than 30 MW requires a certificate of compliance from the
New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee. If the committee approves the facility, it grants a Certificate for
Site and Facility with conditions. Approval of the Certificate is contingent upon the applicant's
successful demonstration that a need exists for the facility, evidence that the appropriate financial
management to support the proposed facility is in place, and that the facility will suitably comply
with all pertinent state public health, environmental, economic, and safety standards.
TITLE 12, Public Safety and Welfare, CHAPTER 162H
Energy Facility Evaluation, Siting, Construction And Operation
(a) Electric generating station equipment and associated facilities designed for, or capable of,
operation at any capacity of 30 megawatts or more, or electric generating station equipment and associated
equipment which the applicant or 2 or more petition categories as defined in RSA 162-H:2, XI request and
the committee agrees, or which the committee determines should require a certificate, consistent with the
findings and purposes set forth in RSA 162-H:1.
There are no exit fees for DG in the state of New Hampshire. (See below)
On March 14, 2003, the
New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued a decision addressing whether rate
reduction bond (RRB) charges must be collected from retail customers of an electric service provider which
is not a public utility. The decision also addressed the applicability of exit fees on self-generators.
The order
(No. 24,137) was a reconsideration of an earlier Commission decision.
We conclude that RSA 369-B
does not require the collection of RBB charges in connection with energy sold to a customer by an entity
that is not a public utility, if there are no intervening regulated utility facilities used to provide
such energy, even if the customer remains physically connected to the PSNH system and takes backup service
from PSNH under rate B.
The Commission expressed definitively that the use of backup service or mere reliance on third party
financing would not trigger the collection of RRB charges. The order on reconsideration also clarified
that the rate reduction bond charges (which are a part of the stranded cost recovery charge) may not be
collected on electricity that is self-generated and transferred to another user without the use of any
intervening transmission or distribution facilitates owned by a public utility.
New Hampshire Building Code Review Board
In the state of New Hampshire, the legislature is responsible for promulgating and adopting building standards and
codes. The state has adopted statewide building, plumbing and mechanical codes. The Building Code Review Board is responsible
for amending the code and enforcement is handled by local authorities.
Division of Fire Safety
The Division sets the minimum fire safety standards in
the state.
State Fire Code
International Code Council State Adoption Information Page
Provides an easy to use US map to locate state and local adoption of the International Code Council's model codes.
US DOE's Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs, Building Codes Database
The US DOE's database provides a comprehensive look at a state's building code implementation and enforcement
process.
Public Service of NH
This rate is for commercial and industrial
customers who sometimes require backup and
standby service from PSNH along with their
own source of generation. Rate B is optional
for customers with generation installed on or
before January 1, 1985, or whose generation is
used only for emergency situations. Call PSNH
at 1-800-662-7764 for details.
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