WHAT'S NEW:

No recent state activity has been identified.

AIR EMISSIONS REGULATIONS:

Air Quality Status	There is one area in serious nonattainment for CO, 2 areas in serious nonattainment with PM-10 standards and 1 Subpart 1 8-hr ozone nonattainment area. Nonattainment areas are only in Washoe and Clark Counties, please see the note directly below this table. EPA's Nonattainment Areas
Major Source Threshold	250 tons of any criteria pollutant or 50 tons of NOx or VOCs in nonattainment areas
Minor Source Permitting Exemption	Smaller than 3 MMBtu/hr
Minor Source Treatment	BACT
Emergency Generating Limits	Size and hour limits

*Nonattainment areas are addressed through regulations at the county level in Clark and Washoe counties. State regulations apply to attainment areas only. The state Bureau of Air Pollution Control (BAPC) has jurisdiction over air quality programs in all counties in the state, with the exception of these two counties. The BAPC only has jurisdiction over fossil fuel-fired units that generate steam for electrical production in these counties.

DE MINIMIS EXEMPTIONS

Stationary internal combustion engines smaller than 250 hp are exempt from permitting. Larger engines are exempt if they agree to a 100 hour operating limit. No state notification is necessary, although a written log must be kept for at least five years.

MINOR SOURCE PERMITTING

Permitting sources are grouped into size categories, with the Class 2 category (those emitting more than 5 tons and less than 100 tons per year) being the most typical for DG units. Class II permitting guidelines will mainly govern minor sources. Sources that are not exempt must obtain a minor source permit. The permit will include a 20% opacity limit and a 0.05% fuel sulfur limit for diesel burning units. The permit may also include operating hour and fuel limits to ensure that the source remains below the minor source threshold.

There is no public comment period and the entire permitting process takes about 70 days. 10 days for the Bureau of Air Pollution Control to review for technical completeness, and another 60 days to issue or deny the permit. Fees for a general Class II permit are $500. More information on permitting timelines and fees can be found here.

Permit Emission Thresholds
Class 3	Typically for facilities that emit 5 tons per year or less in total of regulated air pollutants and emit less than one-half ton of lead per year, and must not have any emission units subject to Federal Emission Standards (ie: NSPS, NESHAPS, MACT, etc.)
Class 2	Typically for facilities that emit less than 100 tons per year for any one regulated pollutant and emit less than 25 tons per year total HAP and emit less than 10 tons per year of any one HAP.
Class 1	Typically for facilities that emit more than 100 tons per year for any one regulated pollutant or emit more than 25 tons per year total HAP or emit more than 10 tons per year of any one HAP or is a PSD source or major MACT source.
SAD	Surface Area Disturbance of >5 acres

MAJOR NSR/PSD PERMITTING

A potential to emit 250 tons per year of a criteria pollutant triggers PSD in attainment areas. Major sources would most likely have to apply for a Class III permit.

TREATMENT OF EMERGENCY ENGINES

Emergency generators qualify as an insignificant activity only if the emergency generator is an internal combustion engine and is used to generate electricity to maintain essential operations during unplanned power outages. An emergency generator that is owned or operated by a Class II source and whose potential to emit is calculated on the basis of less than 500 hours of operation does not qualify as an insignificant activity.

SITING REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-UTILITY GENERATORS:

In all counties with a population under 200,000 the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada is responsible for reviewing and approving siting applications. In the two counties with populations above 200,000, Washoe and Clark, applications are considered and siting is approved by the County Air Quality Boards and other local agencies. In all counties, the applicant requests a permit under the Utility Environmental Permit Act (UEPA) from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada. The Commission has 150 days to review and act on the application. (http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-704.html#NRS704Sec330)

Information on Washoe County can be found here. Information on Clark County can be found here.

BUILDING, ZONING AND FIRE CODES:

Building Codes: Nevada has adopted the 2003 IBC as its state building code with some amendments. [1] This code serves as a mandatory minimum for all buildings, but localities may adopt more stringent codes.

Energy Codes: Nevada law requires adoption of the most recent IECC code with amendments. Currently, the state code is the 2003 IECC. Local jurisdictions may adopt other codes, but current rulemaking is proposing statewide adoption of the 2006 IECC.

• Nevada Energy Office

Fire Codes: Nevada has adopted the 2003 IFC as its state fire code with some amendments. [2]

• State Fire Marshal

Zoning: Zoning and planning happens at the local level. Check with each jurisdiction regarding their zoning codes.

Resources (information may not be as current as provided above)

A general overview of each state’s enacted codes can be found HERE.

The International Code Council Adoption page gives state-by-state adoption status of specific ICC codes, as well as information about code adoption by some municipal governments within that state.

Information about energy codes can be found at the DOE’s Building Codes for Energy Efficiency page or at the Building Codes Assistance Project.

INTERCONNECTION REQUIREMENTS:

The Public Utility Commission of Nevada (PUCN) adopted interconnection standards for customers of Nevada Power and Sierra Power in 2003. On-site generators up to 20 MW in capacity are eligible to net meter. Nevada's standards are similar to IEEE 1547 standards, California's interconnection rule and the model interconnection rule established by NARUC. Additional insurance requirements are not specified and a system does not have to have an external disconnect.

Systems up to 1 MW in capacity that generate electricity using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and certain types of hydropower are generally eligible for net metering. However, systems greater than 100 kW may be subject to extra costs. Each investor-owned utility must offer net metering until the aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems in its service territory equals 1% of the utility's peak capacity. Excess energy credits are carried forward to over to the next month as a kWh credit, without any expiration date. Legislation passed in 2007, A.B. 178, requires the PUCN to adopt regulations that outline a standard contract for net metering along with a net-metering tariff.

For more detailed information contact the PUCN.

Public Utilities Commission of Nevada
1150 E. William Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: (775) 687-6001
Fax: (775) 687-6110

EXIT FEES:

There is no statewide policy on exit fees, but the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada does allow for DG systems to be charged exit fees. Contact your electric utility for more information.

UTILITY STANDBY RATES:

Nevada does not have a statewide policy on standby rates. For NV Energy Standby service is provided under Schedule LSR to customers that contract for a specified amount of standby capacity. A moderate customer charge and moderate demand based reservation charge are assessed every month. Actual usage is charged through a moderate demand charge and moderate energy charges. Billing demand is based on the maximum demand of the month. Rate available at: http://www.nevadapower.com/company/rates/tariffs/schedules/