Applying for approval for a significant change to an installation requiring approval

Do you operate an installation that requires a permit under immission control law, for which you already have a permit under immission control law, and are you planning to make significant changes to this installation?

Significant changes are deemed to exist if the change in location, quality or operation could have adverse effects. If these are also significant for the approval requirements for installations requiring approval, approval is required.

A permit is also always required if the modification or expansion of the operation of installations requiring a permit causes the performance limits or the size of the installation to be reached. For this reason, significant changes to installations requiring approval must be reviewed by the immission control authority.

To do this, you must submit an application for a modification permit and submit all the documents required for the assessment. The application can be made in writing or electronically.

However, approval is not required if

• the adverse effects caused by the change are obviously minor and
• compliance with the requirements of the licensing conditions of the Federal Immission Control Act for installations subject to licensing is ensured.

This also applies if an approved installation or parts of an approved installation are to be replaced within the scope of the approval granted.

If the operator is of the opinion that the planned change is not significant, notification of the change to the competent authority is required.

Requirements

The modification permit will be granted if:

• it is ensured that the obligations arising from the provisions of the Federal Immission Control Act and the Federal Immission Control Ordinances are fulfilled and
• other public law regulations and occupational health and safety concerns do not conflict with the construction and operation of the plant.