Air Programs

Licensing - This program regulates and limits air emissions from a variety of stationary and area sources within Maine through a statewide permitting program. This site outlines the permitting process and list sources that require permits for air emissions, either by overall source, specific device, or by pollutant.

Emissions Inventory - This program collects and evaluates data on emissions of criteria pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases. Emissions of air pollutants result from both natural activities and human activities. Emissions resulting from human activities, called anthropogenic emissions, are divided into three categories: stationary (or point) sources, area sources, and mobile sources.

Emissions Testing - This program oversees the testing of stationary emissions sources to determine a source’s compliance with licensed emission limits and as part of quality assurance procedures for continuous emission monitors.

Hazardous Air Pollutants - Hazardous air pollutants are pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. Learn more about the effects of hazardous air pollutants, where they come from, what is being done to control their emissions in Maine.

Compliance - This program assesses whether regulated facilities are operating in accordance with their air emission license and any additional air pollution rules. This program also responds to citizen complaints about air pollution. This site provides forms, guidance, and resources for complying with air regulations for stationary sources.

Meteorology - This program evaluates the air quality impacts of emissions from local sources and out-of-state sources contributing to long-range transport, to produce technical analyses of existing air quality problems and alternative control strategies, and to produce daily air quality forecasts for the public.

Mobile Sources - This program implements strategies to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles, engines, and the fuels used to operate them, and by encouraging travel choices that minimize emissions. These "mobile sources" include cars and light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, nonroad recreational vehicles (such as dirt bikes and snowmobiles), farm and construction machines, lawn and garden equipment, marine engines, aircraft, and locomotives.

Monitoring - This program operates and maintains a network of ambient air quality monitors around the state to measure levels of ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and a number of other pollutants in the outdoor (ambient) air. This program also conducts meteorological monitoring at many of these sites.