Permit renewal for air operation at Glades Sugar House in Belle Glade.

Florida Department of
Environmental Protection
Division of Air Resource
Management, Permit Review SectionDraft Permit No.
0990026-053-AV
Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, Glades Sugar House
Palm Beach County, Florida

Applicant: The applicant for this project is Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. The applicants responsible official and mailing address are: Grant Lanham, Vice President, Environmental, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, Glades Sugar House, 1500 George Wedgworth Way, Belle Glade, FL 33430-0666.
Facility Location: The applicant operates the existing Glades Sugar House, which is in Palm Beach County at 1500 George Wedgworth Way in Belle Glade, Florida.
Project: The applicant applied on March 3, 2026, to the Department for a Title V air operation permit renewal to incorporate minor revisions to reflect facility changes and the incorporation of an emergency engine generator. Other changes include the incorporation of applicable federal regulations into the permit body, the removal of pressed sugarcane (i.e., bagasse) residue as a permitted fuel in the facility boilers, and minor miscellaneous revisions to reflect current federal and state regulations. This is a renewal of Title V Air Operation Permit No. 0990026-047-AV.
The existing facility consists of a sugar mill and a boiling house. During the crop season, harvested cane is crushed, and the juice is extracted in the processing mill. The raw juice goes through a series of process units, which include heaters, clarifiers, evaporators, vacuum pans, crystallizers and centrifuges, to produce two products, raw sugar and molasses. All of the bagasse is delivered to either the boilers for fuel, or to bagasse storage piles for future use.
The facility operates using steam provided by 6 boilers (Boiler Nos. 001-005 and 008). The boilers primarily burn bagasse but are also permitted to burn natural gas and small amounts of fuel oil and on-specification used oil. These boilers use dust collectors and wet scrubbers to control particulate matter (PM) emissions. The facility also operates a paint booth, an emergency generator used to drive a fire pump, and a natural gas-fired hot water heater used to heat water for cleaning bagasse residue.
Permitting Authority: Applications for Title V air operation permits for facilities that contain Acid Rain units are subject to review in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 403, Florida Statutes (F.S.) and Chapters 62-4, 62-210, 62-213 and 62-214, of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The proposed project is not exempt from air permitting requirements and a Title V air operation permit is required to operate the facility. The Permit Review Section in the Division of Air Resource Management is the Permitting Authority responsible for making a permit determination for this project. The Permitting Authoritys physical address is: 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida. The Permitting Authoritys mailing address is: 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS #5505, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400. The Permitting Authoritys telephone number is 850/717-9000.
Project File: A complete project file is available for public inspection during the normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (except legal holidays), at the address indicated above for the Permitting Authority. The complete project file includes the draft permit, the Statement of Basis, the application, and the information submitted by the applicant, exclusive of confidential records under Section 403.111, F.S. Interested persons may view the draft permit by visiting the following website: https://fldep.dep.state.fl.us/air/emission/apds/default.asp and entering the permit number shown above. Interested persons may contact the Permitting Authoritys project review engineer for additional information at the address or phone number listed above.
Notice of Intent to Issue Permit: The Permitting Authority gives notice of its intent to issue a renewed Title V air operation permit to the applicant for the project described above. The applicant has provided reasonable assurance that continued operation of the existing equipment will not adversely impact air quality and that the project will comply with all appropriate provisions of Chapters 62-4, 62-204, 62-210, 62-212, 62-213, 62-296 and 62-297, F.A.C. The Permitting Authority will issue a proposed permit and subsequent final permit in accordance with the conditions of the draft permit unless a response received in accordance with the following procedures results in a different decision or a significant change of terms or conditions.
Comments: The Permitting Authority will accept written comments concerning the draft Title V air operation permit for a period of 30 days from the date of publication of the Public Notice. Written comments must be received by the close of business (5:00 p.m.), on or before the end of this 30-day period, by the Permitting Authority at the above address and electronically by David Read at David.Read@FloridaDEP.gov. As part of his or her comments, any person may also request that the Permitting Authority hold a public meeting on this permitting action. If the Permitting Authority determines there is sufficient interest for a public meeting, it will publish notice of the time, date, and location in the Florida Administrative Register (FAR). If a public meeting is requested within the 30-day comment period and conducted by the Permitting Authority, any oral and written comments received during the public meeting will also be considered by the Permitting Authority. If timely received written comments or comments received at a public meeting result in a significant change to the draft permit, the Permitting Authority shall issue a revised draft permit and require, if applicable, another Public Notice. All comments filed will be made available for public inspection. For additional information, contact the Permitting Authority at the above address or phone number.
Petitions: A person whose substantial interests are affected by the proposed permitting decision may petition for an administrative hearing in accordance with Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. Petitions filed by any persons other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of publication of the Public Notice or receipt of a written notice, whichever occurs first. Under Section 120.60(3), F.S., however, any person who asked the Permitting Authority for notice of agency action may file a petition within 14 days of receipt of that notice, regardless of the date of publication. A petitioner shall mail a copy of the petition to the applicant at the address indicated above, at the time of filing. A petition for administrative hearing must contain the information set forth below and must be filed (received) with the Agency Clerk in the Office of General Counsel, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, Agency_Clerk@dep.state.fl.us, before the deadline. The failure of any person to file a petition within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that persons right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., or to intervene in this proceeding and participate as a party to it. Any subsequent intervention (in a proceeding initiated by another party) will be only at the approval of the presiding officer upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C.
A petition that disputes the material facts on which the Permitting Authoritys action is based must contain the following information: (a) The name and address of each agency affected and each agencys file or identification number, if known; (b) The name, address, any email address, telephone number and any facsimile number of the petitioner; the name, address, any email address, telephone number, and any facsimile number of the petitioners representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioners substantial interests will be affected by the agency determination; (c) A statement of when and how each petitioner received notice of the agency action or proposed decision; (d) A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate; (e) A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agencys proposed action; (f) A statement of the specific rules or statutes the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agencys proposed action including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and, (g) A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agencys proposed action. A petition that does not dispute the material facts upon which the Permitting Authoritys action is based shall state that no such facts are in dispute and otherwise shall contain the same information as set forth above, as required by Rule 28-106.301, F.A.C.
Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the filing of a petition means that the Permitting Authoritys final action may be different from the position taken by it in this written notice of Intent to Issue Air Permit. Persons whose substantial interests will be affected by any such final decision of the Permitting Authority on the application have the right to petition to become a party to the proceeding, in accordance with the requirements set forth above.
Extension of Time: Under Rule 62-110.106(4), F.A.C., a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Departments action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@dep.state.fl.us, before the deadline for filing a petition for an administrative hearing. A timely request for extension of time shall toll the running of the time period for filing a petition until the request is acted upon.
Mediation: Mediation is not available in this proceeding.
Objections: Finally, pursuant to 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 7661d(b)(2), any person may petition the Administrator of the EPA within 60 days of the expiration of the Administrators 45-day review period as established at 42 U.S.C. Section 7661d(b)(1), to object to the issuance of any Title V air operation permit. Any petition shall be based only on objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable specificity during the 30-day public comment period provided in the Public Notice, unless the petitioner demonstrates to the Administrator of the EPA that it was impracticable to raise such objections within the comment period or unless the grounds for such objection arose after the comment period. Filing of a petition with the Administrator of the EPA does not stay the effective date of any permit properly issued pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 62-213, F.A.C. Petitions filed with the Administrator of EPA must meet the requirements of 42 U.S.C. Section 7661d(b)(2) and must be filed with the Administrator of the EPA at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Administrator, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Code: 1101A, Washington, DC 20460. For more information regarding EPA review and objections, visit EPAs Region 4 web site at https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/florida-proposed-title-v-permits
5/5/2026   12302267