Notice of Public Comment Period - Draft Air Quality Permit 7446 - MedStar Georgetown Medical Center

PUBLIC NOTICE

Draft Air Quality Permit 7446, MedStar Georgetown Medical Center Inc. dba MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Construction and operation of a 2,000 kWe emergency generator set at the Concentrated Care Center, 3880 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 20 DCMR §210, the Air Quality Division (AQD) of the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), located at 1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor, Washington DC, proposes to issue an air quality permit (No. 7446) to MedStar Georgetown Medical Center Inc. dba MedStar Georgetown University Hospital to construct and operate one 2,000 kWe emergency generator set powered by a 2,923 hp diesel-fired engine at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Concentrated Care Center, located at 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC. The contact person for the facility is Benjamin M. Geppi, Director of Environmental Health & Safety, at (443) 866-5201 or [email protected].

Emissions:

The applicant has estimated that maximum potential emissions from the emergency generator set, operating five hundred (500) hours per year, are:

The proposed overall emission limits for the equipment are as follows:

a. Emissions from the generator set shall not exceed those found in the following table as measured using the procedures set forth in 40 CFR 1065. [40 CFR 60.4205(b), 40 CFR 60.4202(a)(2), and 40 CFR 1039, Appendix I, Table 2]

b. Visible emissions shall not be emitted into the outdoor atmosphere from this generator set, except that discharges not exceeding twenty-seven percent (27%) opacity (unaveraged) shall be permitted for two (2) minutes during any start-up, cleaning, adjustment of combustion or operational controls, or regeneration of emission control equipment [20 DCMR 606.1 and 606.2(d)].

c. In addition to Condition (b), exhaust opacity, measured and calculated as set forth in 40 CFR 1039.501(c) and 40 CFR 1065, Subpart L, shall not exceed [40 CFR 60.4205(b), 40 CFR 60.4202(a)(2), and 40 CFR 1039.105]:

1. 20 percent during the acceleration mode;
2. 15 percent during the lugging mode;
3. 27 percent during peaks in either the acceleration or lugging modes. Note that this condition is streamlined with the requirements of 20 DCMR 606.2.

d. An emission into the atmosphere of odorous or other air pollutants from any source in any quantity and of any characteristic, and duration which is, or is likely to be injurious to the public health or welfare, or which interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of life or property is prohibited. [20 DCMR 903.1]

Violation of the requirements of this condition that occurs as a result of unavoidable malfunction, despite the conscientious employment of control practices, shall be an affirmative defense for which the owner or operator shall bear the burden of proof. A malfunction shall not be considered unavoidable if the owner or operator could have taken, but did not take, appropriate steps to eliminate the malfunction within a reasonable time, as determined by the Department. [20 DCMR 903.13(b)]

Note: This condition is District-enforceable only.

The permit application and supporting documentation, along with the draft permit are available for public inspection at AQD and copies may be made available between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested parties wishing to view these documents should provide their names, addresses, telephone numbers and affiliation, if any, to Stephen S. Ours at (202) 498-8143 or [email protected]. Copies of the draft permit and related technical support memorandum are also available in the attachments section below.

Interested persons may submit written comments or may request a hearing on this subject within 30 days of publication of this notice. The written comments must also include the person's name, telephone number, affiliation, if any, mailing address and a statement outlining the air quality issues in dispute and any facts underscoring those air quality issues. All relevant comments will be considered in issuing the final permit.

Comments on the draft permit and any request for a public hearing should be addressed to:

Stephen S. Ours Chief
Permitting Branch - Air Quality Division

Department of Energy and Environment
1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002

[email protected]

No comments or hearing requests submitted after August 24, 2026 will be accepted.

For more information, please contact Stephen S. Ours at (202) 498-8143 or [email protected].