Notice of Proposed Withdrawal of the Control Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting public comment on a potential withdrawal of the Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. The final CTG provided recommendations for reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from existing oil and natural gas industry emission sources in ozone nonattainment (NA) areas classified as Moderate or higher and states in the Ozone Transport Region (OTR). The CTG relied upon underlying data and conclusions made in the final rule titled ``Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources,'' published in the Federal Register on June 3, 2016 (2016 New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)). On June 5, 2017, the EPA granted reconsideration in regard to additional provisions of the 2016 NSPS. Pursuant to those actions, the EPA is currently looking broadly at the 2016 NSPS. In light of the fact that the EPA is reconsidering the 2016 NSPS and because the recommendations made in the CTG are fundamentally linked to the conclusions in the 2016 NSPS, the EPA believes it is prudent to withdraw the CTG in its entirety. The EPA also believes that the withdrawal will be more efficient for states in revising their state implementation plans (SIPs). The EPA is seeking comment on a potential withdrawal of the CTG.