EPA Proposes New Source Performance Standards Updates, Emissions Guidelines to Reduce Methane and Other Harmful Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
On November 2, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took what they state is a “significant step in fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health” and signed a proposed rule that will greatly impact the oil and natural gas industry. The proposed rule would add regulations to sharply reduce methane emissions from both new and existing sources. The proposal also expands and strengthens the emission reductions requirements and equipment applicable to the existing regulations (NSPS OOOO and NSPS OOOOa).
Most importantly, for the first time, the U.S. EPA is proposing to require states to reduce methane emissions from hundreds of thousands of existing sources nationwide.
A prepublication version of the proposal, supporting technical documents and summary fact sheets are now available on the EPA website.
This proposed rule is far reaching and will impact the fugitive monitoring requirements for virtually the entire industry segment, require controls on most storage tank batteries and greatly limit the usage of pneumatic controllers and devices. The EPA expects a final rule to be issued by the end of 2022.
Additional Resources:
- EPA New Release
- EPA Overview of the Proposed Rule
- EPA Proposal, Supporting Technical Documents and Summary Fact Sheets
- Proposed Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed and Modified Sources and Emissions
Altamira is at the forefront of these changes and will closely follow both this proposal and all future comments and proposals. Let Altamira’s knowledgeable and experienced staff be your competitive advantage as you navigate these proposed rules and regulations in the coming months. For more information on how our team can help contact us at info@altamira-us.com.
