Small Business Environmental Assistance

The Georgia Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) is a non-regulatory program of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. SBEAP provides free environmental permitting and compliance assistance to help Georgia’s businesses comply with state and federal air quality requirements. SBEAP also helps make referrals for issues in water quality, solid and hazardous waste management, and other environmental areas. 

Types of Assistance

The Small Business Ombudsman assists in identifying and coordinating the technical assistance you need. Services include:

• Determining what environmental permits are required for your business
• Helping you find the right environmental experts to answer your questions.

Permit Application Assistance

5 steps to Determine Whether Your Facility Needs an Air Permit

Search for Air Quality Rules

Air Quality Rules in searchable form (unofficial publication).

To view the official version, visit http://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/;  See “Chapter 391”  for Department of Natural Resources; see “Chapter 391-3”  for Environmental Protection; see “Chapter 391 -3-  1”  for Air Quality Contro1).

Fact Sheets and Other Resources

• Boilers 
• Concrete Batching
• Cotton Ginning
• Dry Cleaners
  Heads up on a proposed rule change! Perc is being phased out of the drycleaner industry. “Facilities that own third generation* or older dry- cleaning machines may have to stop using perc or switch to alternate solvents within three years. Newer machines (non-vented with secondary vapor control) may have ten years to make the change”. Note that this rule is still in the proposed stage (as of December 2023). Check the national small business website for updates once the rule is final: https://www.sbeap.org/dry-cleaners
  • Dry Cleaners Compliance Calendar
• Portable Rock Crushing
  • Crushing Plant Relocation Instructions & Form
  • Crushing Plant Relocation Instructions & Form
• Wood Cabinets
• Wood Pellet Manufacturing
• Misc. Surface Coating/Stripping - Rule 6H
  • 6H Regulatory Navigation Tool
  • Electronic Reporting Guide for Certifiers
  • Electronic Reporting Guide for Preparers
  • Paint rule (Rule 6H) fact sheet
  • Paint rule (Rule 6H) brochure
  • Paint rule (Rule 6H) instructions
  • Subpart 6H Notification
  • Subpart 6H Petition
  • Collision Repair Rule training video featuring Jeff Gordon
    • También en español
  • Example Painter Training Documentation Form
  • EPA's Collision Repair Campaign Website
  • Paints and coatings Resource Center
• Additional info: Management of Airbag Waste
• Plating and Polishing Area Source NESHAP (40 CFR 63 Subpart 6W)
  • Initial Notification Example 6W
  • Notification of Compliance Status Example (NOCS) 6W
• Sustainable Business Clearinghouse
• EPA Guidelines and Standards for Solvent Use and Surface Coating Industry

National Resources

• National Assistance