Maryland's Air Quality Compliance Program

T​h​e Air Quality Compliance Program works to ensure compliance at stationary sources of air pollution. The Compliance staff conducts inspections, responds to complaints, provides compliance assistance and pursues enforcement actions when necessary.



Maryland HFC Reduction Program 
COMAR 26.11.33 - Prohibition on Use of Certain Hydroflourocarbons

MDE requires manufacturers (including importers and/or distributors) that sell products and equipment that contain or use HFCs in certain industry sectors to submit an HFC Notification Form.  

Subsequently, manufacturers will provide annual updates to the Department if they continue to use certain HFC products.  Manufacturers whose products do not contain a restricted substance are exempt from these requirements.  

The HFC Notification Form is due by January 31, 2021Click here​ for a copy of the form.

For more information about COMAR 26.11.33, click here​

Smoke School - - Next Session Spring 2024

Visible Emissions Evaluation Training and Testing:  Dates to be determined

Location: Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) - Essex Campus

The classroom session will be held Monday beginning at 8:30 a.m. There will be no field session on Tuesday. The field sessions will be held on Wednesday, and Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Classroom session:  Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Classroom location:  On-line.  The classroom session will be conducted live, but virtually only.  Additional information will be provided after registration.

Field sessions 
Wednesday beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m. 
(A total of 10 runs will be conducted over 2 days.)

The field sessions will be held in Parking Lot 3 (same as previous years). 

General Information
Visible Emissions Evaluation Training an​d Testing Courses are held at CCBC Essex approximately every six months. Registration is coordinated through the Community Colleges of Baltimore County. To register for this smoke school, call (443) 840-4700.

Additional Smoke Schools are available at other locations and on a different schedule than listed here. An internet search of "Smoke Schools in Maryland" will give you information about other programs in the area. 


Information for Dry Cleaners

Click here for a summary about the permit requirements for Perc Dry Cleaning. 

Click to download and print the 2024-2025 Dry Cleaner Calendar.  Dry Clean Calendar 2024-2025.pdf

Reminder:  After December 21, 2020 PERC dry cleaner machines are banned in co-residential buildings.  This includes apartment buildings which may have commercial businesses on the first floor.  Those commercial businesses can no longer include dry cleaners.

The MACT Standard:  § 63.320 Subpart M—National Perchloroethylene Air Emission Standards for Dry Cleaning Facilities

(page 465) 5(i) After December 21, 2020, the owner or operator shall eliminate any emission of PCE from any dry cleaning system that is located in a building with a residence.

The full CFR regulation can be found by following this link.


Emissions Certification Reports are Due Annually by April 1

Beginning with the 2010 emissions year, ARA is requiring that all Title V facilities report emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) from all registered equipment including fuel burning sources. These emissions will be due annually on April 1st, along with the rest of the certified emissions. To review the Emissions Certification letter, click here (pdf).

The Emissions Certification Report is to be completed on forms provided by the Department.  Please submit all forms and supporting documentation electronically to the following email address:  mdeair.ECR@maryland.gov.   (Also cc: your compliance inspector, if known.)

Use the web links below to access the blank forms.

  • Form 1 - General Facility Information
  • Form 2 - Criteria Air Pollutants
  • Form 3 - Criteria Air Pollutant: PM
  • Form 4 - Toxic Air Pollutants
  • Form 5 - Billable Toxic Air Pollutants
  • Form 6 - Greenhouse Gas Air Pollutants
To review a list of the 192 Toxic Air Pollutants, click here.

This list includes the deminimus reporting values in lbs per hour and tons per year.

  • Please email the completed report to:  mdeair.ECR@maryland.gov
  • Remember to include supporting calculations and a toxics certification statement.
  • Call us at (800) 633-6101 ext. 3220 for more information.

Do you need the latest AP-42 Emission Factors or emissions estimation software?

If so, check out EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Clearinghouse for Inventories and Emission Factors (CHIEF) at www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/. This site provides access to the latest information and tools for estimating emissions of air pollutants.

ARA is requiring all Title V facilities to report emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) from all registered equipment, including fuel burning sources. Click here for more information.


Emission Certification Forms in Excel Spreadsheet format

Click the link here​​​​ to download the Emission Certification Report Forms in Excel spreadsheet format.  The cover page gives some general instructions with Forms 2-6 located on separate tabs.


Compliance Certification Report due annually by April 1

Those facilities which have been issued a Part 70 Operating Permit (Title5) are required to certify compliance each year. The Compliance Certification Reports are due by April 1 for the previous year.

The Compliance Certification is to be completed on forms provided by the Department and the EPA. Use the web links below to access the forms. 

The report must be sent electronically to MDE & EPA at the following addresses:

MDE:  mdeair.ACOMP@maryland.gov

EPA:  R3_APD_Permits@epa.gov  

  • To get a copy of the Annual Compliance Certification Form, (A-COMP), or the Semi-annual Monitoring Report Form (SIXMON), from EPA's Operating Permits Program site, click here.
  • To view Maryland's Part 70 Compliance Certification Letter, click here.
  • The Certification form for Section III - Plant-wide Conditions is located here.

Maryland's Open Burning Ban

In effect annually between June 1 and September 1.

As in past years, a seasonal open burning ban will be imposed in: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties and Baltimore City.

The ban includes the open burning that is primarily used as a form of disposal of certain waste materials by individuals, farmers, and developers.

The ban does not affect backyard barbecue grilling or open fires for recreational purposes, such as campfires. Public officers may authorize certain other types of fires.

See COMAR 26.11.07 for more information.


​Do you have an air pollution complaint?

If so, call (410) 537-3215  to report it.​

Contact Information

For additional information about the Air Quality Compliance Program please send an email to: mdeair.othercompliance@maryland.gov​ ​​​​​

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