Welcome to SBEAP's Monthly Newsletter!

This newsletter provides Tennessee’s small businesses with updates, reminders, tips, and resources related to environmental topics that may affect them.

You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the TN Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) newsletter. SBEAP provides free and confidential assistance to Tennessee’s small businesses to help them understand and comply with environmental regulations. The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only.

TDEC's Division of Air Pollution Control (APC) protects Tennessee’s air quality while supporting public health and safety and fostering economic growth. APC serves 91 counties directly and supports local air programs in Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Shelby counties.

This month, we're focusing on what to expect when you're inspected by APC. Inspections of permitted facilities may be routine or the result of a complaint. During the inspection, the inspector will review the facility's paperwork and perform a site review.

ℹ️ Reminder: Your permit paperwork and inspection documentation must be kept at the facility and available for review.

Inspectors will review the following documents:

*Item is reviewed if applicable to the facility.

The inspector will walk the facility to verify that all air pollution emission sources are documented in the permit and check for visible and fugitive emissions. 

After the inspection, the inspector sends the company an inspection report which includes the observations made at the facility. 

If any permit violations were noted during the inspection, the company may receive a Notice of Violation letter (NOV). If you receive an NOV, don't panic! It will have corrective action items that specify what the facility needs to do to return to compliance with the permit before a specified timeline. The inspector can be contacted if there are any action items that you need help understanding. Their contact information is usually at the end of the NOV. 

Next month we'll cover common air permit violations, so stay tuned!

On August 13, 2026, a public hearing for changes to the Non-Title V fee rule (Rule 1200-03-26) will take place. Non-Title V sources include conditional majors (about 360 facilities) and true minors (about 7,000 facilities, of which around 800 pay annual fees).

There will be an informal question and answer session at 12:30 PM CT which will include a brief presentation of the proposed fee changes followed by Q&As.

The public hearing at 1:30 PM CT will allow for members of the public to provide formal comments to the Division of Air Pollution Control's proposed rule changes. 

The sessions can be attended in-person or online. It will take place at the Davy Crockett Tower, 500 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243, First Floor Conference Room 1-A or online via Webex. The link for the Webex sessions is located on the APC Public Participation Opportunities page.

The TDEC Division of Water Resources will be holding regulatory forums in each grand division. These forums are designed to strengthen communication, transparency, and collaboration with stakeholders.

This three-day conference is dedicated to environmental innovation and sustainability through panel discussions, workshops, and booth exhibitions. 

📍Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at the Park Vista Hotel. 

📅August 19, 2026, to August 21, 2026

For updates on information relevant to small businesses, follow us on LinkedIn.