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Dust Control
While dust control pertains primarily to air quality, it's a necessary stormwater management requirement due to the fact that fugitive dust generated from construction activities easily settles and can be washed away by rain or snowmelt. Settled dust becomes stormwater runoff and, as a pollutant composed of fine sediment and potential toxins, it can exacerbate murkiness in local waterways, creating UPDES violations and adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem.
Fugitive Dust Control Plan
Utah requires construction site dust control plans called a Fugitive Dust Control Plan (FDCP). It is regulated by the Utah Division of Air Quality (UDAQ) of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ). Though it is not referred to precisely as a "permit" in the identical way that a stormwater permit is, the necessity to submit and adhere to an approved Fugitive Dust Control Plan plays a very parallel regulatory role for air.
Fugitive Dust Control Plan (FDCP): Any source disturbing 1/4 acre or greater is generally required to submit a Fugitive Dust Control Plan (FDCP) to UDAQ. The plan outlines how the project will minimize fugitive dust generated on site.
Online Application: UDAQ generally has an online application system for submitting and filing such plans, with instant approval being the option.
Opacity Limits: In addition to the plan, there are also numerical opacity limits for dust emissions: usually 20% or less at the site, and 10% or less at the property boundary. Opacity is a measurement of how much visibility is blocked by the dust plume.
Record Keeping: Projects are required to keep records that show compliance with their approved FDCP.
Non-Attainment Areas: A geographic region that has failed to consistently meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for one or more specific criteria air pollutants (like ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, etc.). Emissions standards are more stringent and emphasized in non-attainment and maintenance areas, which includes larger urban areas such as Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, and Utah counties.
Key Elements of a Utah FDCP:
Though project-specific practices differ, typical ones are:
Watering: Spraying water over active disturbed land, haul roads, and stockpiles to maintain moist surfaces and minimize dust.
Chemical Stabilizers: Applying or spraying dust suppressants (e.g., magnesium chloride) to unpaved roads, disturbed surfaces, or stockpiles for longer-term dust suppression.
Physical Barriers: Placing windbreaks, tarps, or enclosures over stockpiles and operations that create large amounts of dust.
Track-Out Prevention: Taking steps such as gravel pads or reusable trackout controls at the exits of the site to stop dirt from being tracked onto hard-surfaced public highways.
Regular Sweeping or Vacuuming: of paved roads and public spaces to clear dust and debris that has accumulated.
Vehicle Speed Limits: Implementing reduced speed limits on the unpaved roads within the site to reduce dust generation.
Minimizing Disturbance: Minimizing the area of active disturbance to the smallest possible size.
Stabilization: Quickly stabilizing disturbed sections not under active work with vegetation, mulches, or chemical stabilizers.