80 FR 56577 - Release of Draft Control Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 181 (September 18, 2015)
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 181 (September 18, 2015)
| Page Range | 56577-56578 | |
| FR Document | 2015-21027 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 56577-56578] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-21027] Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 181 / Friday, September 18, 2015 / Notices [[Page 56577]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0216; FRL-9932-42-OAR] RIN 2060-ZA22 Release of Draft Control Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of a draft Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) document for select oil and natural gas industry emission sources. This document, when finalized, will provide state, local, and tribal air agencies (air agencies) information to assist them in determining reasonably available control technology (RACT) for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from such sources. DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 17, 2015. ADDRESSES: The draft Control Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry is available primarily via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/index.html. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015- 0216, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. Instructions. Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR- 2015-0216. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or email. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means the EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to the EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any CD you submit. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, avoid any form of encryption and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about the EPA's public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. For additional instructions on submitting comments, go to section I.A of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. Docket. All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically at http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, EPA WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air Docket is (202) 566-1742. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Charlene Spells, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Sector Policies and Programs Division (E143-05), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number:(919) 541- 5255; fax number:(919) 541-3470; email:[email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. What should I consider as I prepare my comments? Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to the EPA through http://www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a CD that you mail to the EPA, mark the outside of the CD as CBI and then identify electronically within the CD the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. Send or deliver information identified as CBI only to the following address: Tiffany Purifoy, OAQPS Document Control Officer (C404-02), U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0216. II. Information About the Document Section 172(c)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) provides that State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for nonattainment areas must include ``reasonably available control measures'', including ``reasonably available control technology'' (RACT), for existing sources of emissions. Section 182(b)(2)(A)of the CAA requires that for Moderate ozone nonattainment areas, states must revise their SIPs to include RACT for each category of VOC sources covered by a CTG document issued between November 15, 1990, and the date of attainment. CAA section 182(c) through (e) applies this requirement to States with ozone nonattainment areas classified as Serious, Severe and Extreme. The CAA also imposes the same requirement on States in ozone transport regions (OTR). Specifically, CAA Section 184(b) provides that states in the Ozone Transport Region (OTR) [[Page 56578]] must revise their SIPs to implement RACT with respect to all sources of VOCs in the state covered by a CTG issued before or after November 15, 1990. CAA section 184(a) establishes a single OTR comprised of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) that includes the District of Columbia. The EPA defines RACT as ``the lowest emission limitation that a particular source is capable of meeting by the application of control technology that is reasonably available considering technological and economic feasibility'' (44 FR 53761, September 17, 1979). The EPA is developing this CTG to provide air agencies information to assist them in determining RACT for VOC from select oil and natural gas emission sources. In developing the CTG, the EPA, among other things, evaluated the sources of VOC emissions from the oil and natural gas industry and the available control approaches for addressing these emissions, including the costs of such approaches. Based on available information and data, the EPA is providing draft recommendations for RACT for select oil and natural gas industry emission sources. The VOC RACT recommendations contained in this draft CTG were made based on a review of the 1983 CTG, the oil and natural gas NSPS, existing state and local VOC emission reduction approaches, and information on costs, emissions and available emission control technologies obtained since issuance of these guidelines and rules. For instance, the EPA released for external peer review five technical white papers on potentially significant sources of emissions in the oil and gas sector. We considered information included in the white papers, along with the input we received from the peer reviewers and the public, when evaluating and recommending a RACT level of control for emission sources. Upon finalization of the CTG, air agencies can use the recommendations in the CTG to inform their determinations as to what constitutes RACT for VOC for these oil and natural gas industry emission sources in their particular areas. The information contained in the CTG is provided only as guidance. This guidance does not change, or substitute for, requirements specified in applicable sections of the CAA or the EPA's regulations; nor is it a regulation itself. The CTG does not impose any legally binding requirements on any entity. It provides only recommendations for air agencies to consider in determining RACT. Air agencies are free to implement other technically-sound approaches that are consistent with the CAA and the EPA's regulations. The recommendations contained in the CTG are based on data and information currently available to the EPA. These general recommendations may not apply in all situations. Regardless of whether a state chooses to implement the recommendations contained in a CTG through state rules, or to issue state rules that adopt different approaches for RACT for VOC from oil and natural gas industry emission sources, states must submit their RACT rules to the EPA for review and approval as part of the SIP process. The EPA will evaluate the rules and determine, through notice and comment rulemaking in the SIP review process, whether the submitted rules meet the RACT requirements of the CAA and the EPA's regulations. To the extent a state adopts any of the recommendations in this CTG, upon its finalization, into its state RACT rules, interested parties can raise questions and objections about the substance of this guidance and the appropriateness of the application of this guidance to a particular situation during the development of the state rules and the EPA's SIP review process. Section 182(b)(2) of the CAA requires that a CTG issued between November 15, 1990, and the date of attainment provide the period for submitting SIP revisions in response to such CTG. In the draft CTG, the EPA is providing a two-year period, from the date of final issuance, for the required submittal. The Tribal Authority Rule (63 FR 7254, February 12, 1998) (TAR) identifies CAA provisions for which it is appropriate to treat Indian tribes in the same manner as states (TAS). Pursuant to the TAR, tribes may apply for TAS for purposes of CAA section 110 and Part D planning requirements in CAA section 172. As a result, tribes may, but are not required to, apply for TAS for the purpose a developing a tribal implementation plan (TIP) addressing RACT for sources located in a Moderate (or higher) nonattainment area for ozone within the tribe's jurisdiction. If the EPA grants that status and approves the TIP, the tribe would implement RACT in Moderate (or higher) ozone nonattainment areas within the geographic scope of the TAS designation. If a tribe does not seek and obtain the authority from the EPA to establish a plan, the EPA will be responsible for establishing CAA section 110 and 172 plans for reservations and trust lands if the EPA determines that such a plan is necessary or appropriate to protect air quality in such areas. III. Specific Comments Solicited In addition to providing an opportunity to review and comment on the draft CTG, the EPA is also soliciting specific comment on the following: 1. Information on costs associated with retrofitting an existing storage vessel to allow routing of emissions to a control device. 2. Information on the implementation of a monitoring plan that includes the use of optical gas imaging for fugitive emissions at existing well sites. 3. Interaction of the CTG with new builds in areas affected by the CTG. Refer to materials in the docket (EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0216). 4. The appropriateness of a daily average of 15 barrel equivalents as a representative threshold to define low production wells for purposes of requiring a fugitive emissions program and information on fugitive air emissions associated with low production wells. Dated: August 18, 2015. Gina McCarthy, Administrator. [FR Doc. 2015-21027 Filed 9-17-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 181 / Friday, September 18, 2015 / Notices 56577
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 0216. The EPA’s policy is that all Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744,
AGENCY comments received will be included in and the telephone number for the Air
the public docket without change and Docket is (202) 566–1742.
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2015–0216; FRL–9932–42–
OAR]
may be made available online at http:// FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
www.regulations.gov, including any Charlene Spells, U.S. Environmental
RIN 2060–ZA22 personal information provided, unless Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality
the comment includes information Planning and Standards, Sector Policies
Release of Draft Control Techniques claimed to be Confidential Business and Programs Division (E143–05),
Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Information (CBI) or other information Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;
Industry whose disclosure is restricted by statute. telephone number:(919) 541- 5255; fax
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Do not submit information that you number:(919) 541–3470;
Agency (EPA). consider to be CBI or otherwise email:spells.charlene@epa.gov.
ACTION: Notice of availability. protected through http:// SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
www.regulations.gov or email. The
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection http://www.regulations.gov Web site is I. General Information
Agency (EPA) is announcing the an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which A. What should I consider as I prepare
availability of a draft Control means the EPA will not know your my comments?
Techniques Guidelines (CTG) document identity or contact information unless
Submitting CBI. Do not submit this
for select oil and natural gas industry you provide it in the body of your
information to the EPA through http://
emission sources. This document, when comment. If you send an email
www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly
finalized, will provide state, local, and comment directly to the EPA without
mark the part or all of the information
tribal air agencies (air agencies) going through http://
that you claim to be CBI. For CBI
information to assist them in www.regulations.gov, your email
information in a CD that you mail to the
determining reasonably available address will be automatically captured
EPA, mark the outside of the CD as CBI
control technology (RACT) for volatile and included as part of the comment
and then identify electronically within
organic compound (VOC) emissions that is placed in the public docket and
the CD the specific information that is
from such sources. made available on the Internet. If you
claimed as CBI. In addition to one
DATES: Comments must be received on submit an electronic comment, the EPA
complete version of the comment that
or before November 17, 2015. recommends that you include your
includes information claimed as CBI, a
ADDRESSES: The draft Control name and other contact information in
copy of the comment that does not
Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and the body of your comment and with any
contain the information claimed as CBI
Natural Gas Industry is available CD you submit. If the EPA cannot read
must be submitted for inclusion in the
primarily via the Internet at http:// your comment due to technical
public docket. Information so marked
www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/ difficulties and cannot contact you for
will not be disclosed except in
index.html. clarification, the EPA may not be able to
accordance with procedures set forth in
Submit your comments, identified by consider your comment. Electronic files
40 CFR part 2. Send or deliver
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2015– should avoid the use of special
information identified as CBI only to the
0216, to the Federal eRulemaking characters, avoid any form of encryption
following address: Tiffany Purifoy,
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. and be free of any defects or viruses. For
OAQPS Document Control Officer
Follow the online instructions for additional information about the EPA’s
(C404–02), U.S. EPA, Research Triangle
submitting comments. Once submitted, public docket, visit the EPA Docket
Park, NC 27711, Attention Docket ID
comments cannot be edited or Center homepage at http://
No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2015–0216.
withdrawn. The EPA may publish any www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
comment received to its public docket. For additional instructions on II. Information About the Document
Do not submit electronically any submitting comments, go to section I.A Section 172(c)(1) of the Clean Air Act
information you consider to be of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION (CAA) provides that State
Confidential Business Information (CBI) section of this document. Implementation Plans (SIPs) for
or other information whose disclosure is Docket. All documents in the docket nonattainment areas must include
restricted by statute. Multimedia are listed in the http:// ‘‘reasonably available control
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be www.regulations.gov index. Although measures’’, including ‘‘reasonably
accompanied by a written comment. listed in the index, some information is available control technology’’ (RACT),
The written comment is considered the not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other for existing sources of emissions.
official comment and should include information whose disclosure is Section 182(b)(2)(A)of the CAA requires
discussion of all points you wish to restricted by statute. Certain other that for Moderate ozone nonattainment
make. The EPA will generally not material, such as copyrighted material, areas, states must revise their SIPs to
consider comments or comment will be publicly available only in hard include RACT for each category of VOC
contents located outside of the primary copy. Publicly available docket sources covered by a CTG document
submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or materials are available either issued between November 15, 1990, and
other file sharing system). For electronically at http:// the date of attainment. CAA section
additional submission methods, the full www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at 182(c) through (e) applies this
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES2
EPA public comment policy, the U.S. Environmental Protection requirement to States with ozone
information about CBI or multimedia Agency, EPA Docket Center, EPA WJC nonattainment areas classified as
submissions, and general guidance on West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Serious, Severe and Extreme.
making effective comments, please visit Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, The CAA also imposes the same
http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/ DC. The Public Reading Room is open requirement on States in ozone
commenting-epa-dockets. from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday transport regions (OTR). Specifically,
Instructions. Direct your comments to through Friday, excluding legal CAA Section 184(b) provides that states
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2015– holidays. The telephone number for the in the Ozone Transport Region (OTR)
VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:15 Sep 17, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\18SEN2.SGM 18SEN2](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_56758/page/1.svg)
![56578 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 181 / Friday, September 18, 2015 / Notices
must revise their SIPs to implement RACT for VOC for these oil and natural is appropriate to treat Indian tribes in
RACT with respect to all sources of gas industry emission sources in their the same manner as states (TAS).
VOCs in the state covered by a CTG particular areas. The information Pursuant to the TAR, tribes may apply
issued before or after November 15, contained in the CTG is provided only for TAS for purposes of CAA section
1990. CAA section 184(a) establishes a as guidance. This guidance does not 110 and Part D planning requirements
single OTR comprised of Connecticut, change, or substitute for, requirements in CAA section 172. As a result, tribes
Delaware, Maine, Maryland, specified in applicable sections of the may, but are not required to, apply for
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New CAA or the EPA’s regulations; nor is it TAS for the purpose a developing a
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode a regulation itself. The CTG does not tribal implementation plan (TIP)
Island, Vermont and the Consolidated impose any legally binding addressing RACT for sources located in
Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) requirements on any entity. It provides a Moderate (or higher) nonattainment
that includes the District of Columbia. only recommendations for air agencies area for ozone within the tribe’s
The EPA defines RACT as ‘‘the lowest to consider in determining RACT. Air jurisdiction. If the EPA grants that status
emission limitation that a particular agencies are free to implement other and approves the TIP, the tribe would
source is capable of meeting by the technically-sound approaches that are implement RACT in Moderate (or
application of control technology that is consistent with the CAA and the EPA’s higher) ozone nonattainment areas
reasonably available considering regulations. within the geographic scope of the TAS
technological and economic feasibility’’ The recommendations contained in designation. If a tribe does not seek and
(44 FR 53761, September 17, 1979). The the CTG are based on data and obtain the authority from the EPA to
EPA is developing this CTG to provide information currently available to the establish a plan, the EPA will be
air agencies information to assist them EPA. These general recommendations responsible for establishing CAA section
in determining RACT for VOC from may not apply in all situations. 110 and 172 plans for reservations and
select oil and natural gas emission Regardless of whether a state chooses to trust lands if the EPA determines that
sources. In developing the CTG, the implement the recommendations such a plan is necessary or appropriate
EPA, among other things, evaluated the contained in a CTG through state rules, to protect air quality in such areas.
sources of VOC emissions from the oil or to issue state rules that adopt
and natural gas industry and the III. Specific Comments Solicited
different approaches for RACT for VOC
available control approaches for from oil and natural gas industry In addition to providing an
addressing these emissions, including emission sources, states must submit opportunity to review and comment on
the costs of such approaches. Based on their RACT rules to the EPA for review the draft CTG, the EPA is also soliciting
available information and data, the EPA and approval as part of the SIP process. specific comment on the following:
is providing draft recommendations for The EPA will evaluate the rules and 1. Information on costs associated
RACT for select oil and natural gas determine, through notice and comment with retrofitting an existing storage
industry emission sources. The VOC rulemaking in the SIP review process, vessel to allow routing of emissions to
RACT recommendations contained in whether the submitted rules meet the a control device.
this draft CTG were made based on a RACT requirements of the CAA and the 2. Information on the implementation
review of the 1983 CTG, the oil and EPA’s regulations. To the extent a state of a monitoring plan that includes the
natural gas NSPS, existing state and adopts any of the recommendations in use of optical gas imaging for fugitive
local VOC emission reduction this CTG, upon its finalization, into its emissions at existing well sites.
approaches, and information on costs, state RACT rules, interested parties can 3. Interaction of the CTG with new
emissions and available emission raise questions and objections about the builds in areas affected by the CTG.
control technologies obtained since substance of this guidance and the Refer to materials in the docket (EPA–
issuance of these guidelines and rules. appropriateness of the application of HQ–OAR–2015–0216).
For instance, the EPA released for this guidance to a particular situation 4. The appropriateness of a daily
external peer review five technical during the development of the state average of 15 barrel equivalents as a
white papers on potentially significant rules and the EPA’s SIP review process. representative threshold to define low
sources of emissions in the oil and gas Section 182(b)(2) of the CAA requires production wells for purposes of
sector. We considered information that a CTG issued between November requiring a fugitive emissions program
included in the white papers, along 15, 1990, and the date of attainment and information on fugitive air
with the input we received from the provide the period for submitting SIP emissions associated with low
peer reviewers and the public, when revisions in response to such CTG. In production wells.
evaluating and recommending a RACT the draft CTG, the EPA is providing a
level of control for emission sources. Dated: August 18, 2015.
two-year period, from the date of final
Upon finalization of the CTG, air issuance, for the required submittal. Gina McCarthy,
agencies can use the recommendations The Tribal Authority Rule (63 FR Administrator.
in the CTG to inform their 7254, February 12, 1998) (TAR) [FR Doc. 2015–21027 Filed 9–17–15; 8:45 am]
determinations as to what constitutes identifies CAA provisions for which it BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES2
VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:15 Sep 17, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\18SEN2.SGM 18SEN2](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_56758/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:28:08
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:28:08
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability. | |
| Dates | Comments must be received on or before November 17, 2015. | |
| Contact | Ms. Charlene Spells, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Sector Policies and Programs Division (E143-05), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number:(919) 541- 5255; fax number:(919) 541-3470; email:[email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 56577 | |
| RIN Number | 2060-ZA22 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR