The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its Clean Air Act review of emission standards for the oil & natural gas sector. The agency has now released a final rule implementing a number of new requirements. See the final rule here.
Among the elements of the final rule:
- Revised NSPS for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from leaking components at onshore natural gas processing plants;
- NSPS for sulfur dioxide emissions from natural gas processing plants;
- Newly established standards regulating VOC emissions from gas wells, centrifugal compressors, reciprocating compressors, pneumatic controllers and storage vessels;
- Finalization of the residual risk and technology review for the Oil & Natural Gas Production source category and the Natural Gas Transmission & Storage source category. This action includes revisions to the existing leak detection and repair requirements;
- Emission limits reflecting maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for certain currently uncontrolled emission sources in these source categories;
- Modification and addition of testing and monitoring and related notification, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, as well as other minor technical revisions to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants;
- Finalization of revisions to the regulatory provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction.
This final rule is effective on October 15, 2012.
Roundtable Actions:
- The Roundtable engaged on this rulemaking. See our filed comments here.
