American Pellet Company, Weidman, Michigan violated its air quality construction permit 2018-49MISC-003, which was issued in accordance with the Federal Minor Source New Source Review Program in Indian Country. American Pellet Company violated its permit by revising its Malfunction Abatement Plan (MAP) without EPA approval, thereby failing to operate its baghouse in accordance with an EPA approved MAP when operating its hammermill 2 emissions unit. American Pellet Company also failed to submit its 2023 annual report of oven dried tons per year of hardwood throughput and hours of operation of the Facility to EPA by March 1, 2024.
Prior to EPA intervention, the Facility had stopped operating the control device associated with hammermill 2. The Facility now operates the emissions unit with an existing baghouse. This ACO requires American Pellet Company to equip its baghouse with a differential pressure gauge, maintain an adequate inventory of baghouse filters, and submit a revised MAP for EPA approval. The revised MAP is to require American Pellet Company to conduct daily monitoring and recording of baghouse differential pressure and to change baghouse filters if the differential pressure is outside of the acceptable range. Further, American Pellet Company is required to submit a permit application to reflect that the hammermill 2 emissions unit is now controlled by a baghouse rather than a cartridge filter and to send semiannual compliance reports to EPA.