Controlling Air Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

Actions and Notices about Oil and Natural Gas Air Pollution Standards

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Regulatory Actions

EPA Updates New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), permitting rules
May 12, 2016 - EPA has issued three final rules that together will curb emissions of methane, smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic air pollutants such as benzene from new, reconstructed and modified oil and gas sources, while providing greater certainty about Clean Air Act permitting requirements for the industry.

Proposed measures to cut methane and VOC emissions from the oil and natural gas industry and clarify permitting requirements
August 18, 2015 - EPA has proposed a suite of commonsense requirements that together will help combat climate change, reduce air pollution that harms public health, and provide greater certainty about Clean Air Act permitting requirements for the oil and natural gas industry

EPA Issues Final Air Rules for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
April 17, 2012 – EPA issued cost-effective regulations, required by the Clean Air Act, to reduce harmful air pollution from the oil and natural gas industry while allowing continued, responsible growth in U.S. oil and natural gas production. The final rules include the first federal air standards for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured, along with requirements for several other sources of pollution in the oil and gas industry that currently are not regulated at the federal level.

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Control Techniques Guidelines

Oct. 20, 2016 - EPA has issued final Control Techniques Guidelines for reducing smog-forming volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from existing oil and natural gas equipment and processes in certain states and areas with smog problems.

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Information Requests

Final Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
Nov. 10, 2016 - EPA issued a final Information Collection Request (ICR) seeking information needed to help the agency determine how to best reduce methane and other harmful emissions from existing sources in the large and complex oil and natural gas industry. The final ICR reflects a number of changes made based on comments about on two drafts of the ICR, issued for public review and comment earlier this year.

Second Draft Information Collection Request (ICR)  for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
Sept. 23, 2016 - EPA issued the second draft of an Information Collection Request (ICR) to require oil and natural gas companies to provide extensive information needed to develop regulations to reduce methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources. The second draft reflects a number of changes EPA made based on comments the agency received on a draft ICR announced in May.

Voluntary Request for Information on Emerging Technologies

July 8, 2016 - EPA has issued a voluntary Request for Information inviting all parties to provide information on innovative technologies to detect, measure and mitigate emissions from the oil and natural gas industry.

Draft Information Collection Request for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
May 12, 2016 - EPA issued the first draft of an Information Collection Request (ICR) to require oil and natural gas companies to provide extensive information needed to develop regulations to reduce methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources. In addition, the agency announced plans to issue a Request for Information to seek information on innovative strategies that can accurately and cost-effectively locate, measure and mitigate methane emissions.

EPA Requests Information on Hazardous Air Pollution Emissions from Sources in Oil and Natural Gas Production, and Natural Gas Transmission and Storage
Nov. 4, 2015 – EPA has issued a request for additional data and information on emissions of hazardous air pollutants (air toxics) that were not available in 2012 when EPA updated its major source air toxics standards for oil and natural gas production facilities, and natural gas transmission and storage facilities. The agency is requesting data on storage vessels without potential for flash emissions, and data on air toxics emissions from regulated small glycol dehydrators.

Controlling Air Pollution from Oil and Natural Gas Production