Overview of Chapter NR 438 Information

Chapter NR 438, Wis. Adm. Code, requires companies to annually report stationary source air emissions if the air contaminant exceeds a reporting level. Chapter NR 438 was established on June 1, 1993 and was amended on July 1, 2004.

Changes to ch. NR 438, Wis. Adm. Code

Chapter NR 438, Wis. Adm. Code, was amended on July 1, 2004 and numerous changes were made to the pollutant list and the reporting thresholds. In order to assist companies to report their air contaminant emissions in 2004, we are providing the following information:

• Lists of pollutants differentiated by how the July 1, 2004 version of NR 438 changed the original June 1, 1993 version of NR 438^*. The new version of NR 438 had:
• 182 air contaminants that did not change reporting thresholds from the original NR 438,
• 50 air contaminants in which the reporting threshold was increased,
• 356 air contaminants in which the reporting threshold was decreased,
• the addition of 114 new pollutants.
• Use and regulatory information on each of the 702 air contaminants listed in Tables 1 and 2 of NR 438.03, Wis. Adm. Code. This information is specific to each air contaminant.
• Rule information on specific pollutants and rule sections.

Specific Pollutant Information

Information is supplied based on the particular air pollutant.

1. Information by pollutant. This information lists the reporting thresholds for each pollutant, supplies hyperlinks to relevant data for that pollutant, and shows the number of facilities by Source Industrial Classification (SIC) Code reported this information in 2006. For more information click on the name of a pollutant.
2. Information by SIC for reporting pollutants. Based on the SIC we reviewed the pollutants reported in 2006 and calculated the amount of fuel or thruput necessary to exceed reporting levels in Table 1 of NR 438.03, Wis. Adm. Code. This is experimental information and has limitations. For more information...
3. Fugitive Coal Dust Emissions. Fugitive coal dust emissions have been reported inconsistently throughout Wisconsin. DNR developed a guidance document and has added sources to some facilities based on that information. For more information...

^*Note: The pollutant PM2.5 was added to the information in these tables. DNR has not yet added PM2.5 to its list of state criteria air pollutants. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires Wisconsin to report PM2.5 emissions annually and so that is why this air contaminant was added to the table.