EPA Proposes New Rule to Update Emissions Standards for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

Trade Update • Dec. 8, 2022

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a supplemental proposal to update the standards proposed on November 15, 2021, to mitigate climate-destabilizing pollution and protect human health by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and VOC emissions from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry, specifically the Crude Oil and Natural Gas source category.

Updates to Proposed Standards

The purpose of this supplemental proposed rulemaking is to strengthen, update, and expand the proposed standards for certain emissions sources in the November 2021 proposal, including:

1. To reduce emissions from the source category more comprehensively by adding proposed standards for certain sources that were not addressed in the November 2021 proposal, revising the proposed requirements for fugitive emissions monitoring and repair, and establishing a super-emitter response program;

2. To encourage the deployment of innovative technologies and techniques for detecting and reducing methane emissions by providing additional options for the use of advanced monitoring;

3. To modify and refine certain elements of the proposed standards in response to concerns and information identified in an initial review of public comments on the November 2021 proposal; and

4. To provide additional information not included in the November 2021 proposal for public comments, such as the content for the new subparts that reflects the proposed standards and emission guidelines and details of the timelines and other requirements that apply to states as they develop state plans to implement the emission guidelines.

Comments

Since its call for comments, the EPA has received over 470,000 public comments from various stakeholders, including state and tribal governments. Many commenters representing diverse perspectives expressed general support for the proposal and requested that the EPA further strengthen the proposed standards and make them more comprehensive.

Other commenters highlighted implementation or cost concerns related to elements of the November 2021 proposal or provided specific data and information that the EPA could use to refine or revise several of the standards included in the November 2021 proposal.

The complete proposal can be found in the Federal Register:: Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review.

Comments on the proposed changes must be received on or before February 13, 2023, and can be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, email at a-and-r-docket@epa.gov (include Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317 in the subject line of the message), or mail to the following address:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center,
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317, Mail Code 28221T,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460