Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Request for Information, Emerging Technologies, 46670-46672 [2016-16927]
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46670
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 137 / Monday, July 18, 2016 / Notices
TABLE 1—CRITERIA FOR QUALIFYING CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY—Continued
Description
Satisfies
(Y/N)
On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is not licensed, or exempted from the licensing requirements of Part I of the FPA.
Y
Statutory provision
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii),
HREA.
as
amended
by
Preliminary Determination: Based
upon the above criteria, Commission
staff has preliminarily determined that
the proposal satisfies the requirements
for a qualifying conduit hydropower
facility under 16 U.S.C. 823a, and is
exempted from the licensing
requirements of the FPA.
Comments and Motions to Intervene:
The deadline for filing comments
contesting whether the facility meets the
qualifying criteria is 45 days from the
issuance date of this notice.
The deadline for filing motions to
intervene is 30 days from the issuance
date of this notice.
Anyone may submit comments or a
motion to intervene in accordance with
the requirements of Rules of Practice
and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210 and
385.214. Any motions to intervene must
be received on or before the specified
deadline date for the particular
proceeding.
Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: All filings must (1) bear in
all capital letters the ‘‘COMMENTS
CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR A
CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY’’
or ‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE,’’ as
applicable; (2) state in the heading the
name of the applicant and the project
number of the application to which the
filing responds; (3) state the name,
address, and telephone number of the
person filing; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of sections
385.2001 through 385.2005 of the
Commission’s regulations.1 All
comments contesting Commission staff’s
preliminary determination that the
facility meets the qualifying criteria
must set forth their evidentiary basis.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file motions to
intervene and comments using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your
name and contact information at the end
of your comments. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866)
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
1 18
CFR 385.2001–2005 (2015).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Jul 15, 2016
Jkt 238001
(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please
send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
A copy of all other filings in reference
to this application must be accompanied
by proof of service on all persons listed
in the service list prepared by the
Commission in this proceeding, in
accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and
385.2010.
Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies
of the notice of intent can be obtained
directly from the applicant or such
copies can be viewed and reproduced at
the Commission in its Public Reference
Room, Room 2A, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426. The filing may
also be viewed on the web at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp
using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the
docket number (e.g., CD16–15–000) in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call toll-free
1–866–208–3676 or email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY,
call (202) 502–8659.
Dated: July 12, 2016.
Kimberly Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–16896 Filed 7–15–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2016–0346; FRL–9949–14–
OAR]
RIN 2060–AS30
Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Request
for Information, Emerging
Technologies
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; request for information.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is issuing this request for
information to the public to obtain
information about monitoring, detection
of fugitive emissions, and alternative
mitigation approaches in the oil and
natural gas sector.
DATES: Responses must be received on
or before November 15, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Submit your information,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
OAR–2016–0346, to the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting responses.
Once submitted, responses cannot be
edited or withdrawn. The EPA may
publish any response 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.
Additional information on submission
of CBI can be found below in this
document. Multimedia submissions
(audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written response. The
written response is considered the
official response and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. The EPA will generally not
consider information or content 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 https://
www2.epa.gov/dockets/commentingepa-dockets.
Docket. All documents in the docket
are listed in the https://
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 https://
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: For
further information about this action,
contact Mr. Matthew Witosky, Sector
Policies and Programs Division (E143–
E:\FR\FM\18JYN1.SGM
18JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 137 / Monday, July 18, 2016 / Notices
05), Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, Environmental Protection
Agency, Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina 27711, telephone number:
(919) 541–2865; facsimile number: (919)
541–3740; email address:
witosky.matthew@epa.gov. For further
information on the EPA’s oil and natural
gas sector regulatory program, contact
Mr. Bruce Moore, Sector Policies and
Programs Division (E143–05), Office of
Air Quality Planning and Standards,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
27711, telephone number: (919) 541–
5460; facsimile number: (919) 541–3470;
email address: moore.bruce@epa.gov.
For additional contact information, see
46671
the following SUPPLEMENTARY
section.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
INFORMATION
I. General Information
A. Who may be interested in this
request?
This request may be of interest to the
categories and entities listed in Table 1:
TABLE 1—INDUSTRIAL SOURCE CATEGORIES POTENTIALLY INTERESTED IN THIS ACTION
Category
NAICS code 1
Industry .......................................................................................
211111
211112
221210
486110
486210
........................
........................
Federal government ....................................................................
State/local/tribal government ......................................................
1
Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction.
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction.
Natural Gas Distribution.
Pipeline Distribution of Crude Oil.
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas.
Not affected.
Potentially interested.
North American Industry Classification System.
This table is not intended to be
exhaustive, but rather is meant to
provide a guide for readers regarding
entities that may desire to submit
information responsive to this request. If
you have any questions, consult either
the air permitting authority for the
entity, your EPA Regional representative
as listed in 40 CFR 60.4 (General
Provisions), or the individuals listed in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this document.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Examples of industrial entities
B. What should I consider as I prepare
my information and responses to the
EPA?
Do not submit information containing
CBI to the EPA through https://
www.regulations.gov or email. Send or
deliver information identified as CBI
only to the following address: OAQPS
Document Control Officer (C404–02),
Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Research Triangle
Park, North Carolina 27711, Attention:
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2016–
0346. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI.
For CBI in a disk or CD–ROM that you
mail to the EPA, mark the outside of the
disk or CD–ROM as CBI and then
identify electronically within the disk or
CD–ROM the specific information that
is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the information that
includes information claimed as CBI, a
copy of the information 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Jul 15, 2016
Jkt 238001
following address: OAQPS Document
Control Officer (C404–02), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
27711, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–
HQ–2016–0346.
II. Background
On June 3, 2016, the EPA published
a final rule titled ‘‘Oil and Natural Gas
Sector: Emission Standards for New,
Reconstructed, and Modified Sources,’’
81 FR 35824 (June 3, 2016). These new
source performance standards (NSPS),
at 40 CFR part 60, subpart OOOOa, set
standards for both greenhouse gases
(GHGs) and volatile organic compounds
(VOC).
While a great deal of information is
available on the oil and natural gas
industry and has to date provided a
strong technical foundation to support
the Agency’s recent actions, the EPA is
seeking additional information now of a
broader perspective. This additional
information may be key in addressing
emissions from existing oil and natural
gas sources under section 111(d) of the
Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA has taken
the first step toward obtaining such
information, issuing the first draft of an
Information Collection Request (ICR)
requiring owners/operators to provide
information that may enable the
development of effective standards for
this industry under CAA section 111(d).
The EPA published the first draft of the
ICR June 3, 2016, for public comment
(81 FR 35763).
Recognizing that technology used to
detect, measure, and mitigate emissions
is rapidly developing, the EPA is issuing
this request for information, inviting all
parties to provide information on
innovative technologies to accurately
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
detect, measure, and mitigate emissions
from the oil and natural gas industry.
For example, the EPA is aware of
efforts to foster development and use of
advanced monitoring and leak detection
equipment, generally similar to optical
gas imaging required in the 2016 NSPS.
The Agency is requesting information
related to these efforts. The EPA seeks
to take advantage of the new knowledge
being generated by research and focused
activities such as the Department of
Energy’s Advanced Research Projects
Agency-Energy (ARPA–E) and other
similar programs that are developing
innovative monitoring, detection, and
mitigation technologies. While final
results are not yet available from some
projects, such as those funded under
ARPA–E, the EPA is interested in
learning about works-in-progress that
may lead to advanced monitoring
techniques, devices or systems
appropriate for the dynamic and
complex oil and natural gas sector.
The EPA also is seeking information
on how these advanced monitoring
technologies would be broadly
applicable to existing sources. For
example, research may be developing
monitoring systems that provide
coverage across emission points or
equipment in a way that was not
previously possible, thus enabling a
different approach to setting standards.
The EPA is also seeking information
to advance mitigation opportunities.
The EPA is particularly interested in
information on technologies that could
allow for effective emissions controls at
well sites or other co-located facilities.
Parties may respond to this request for
information with published or
unpublished papers, technical
information, data, or any other
E:\FR\FM\18JYN1.SGM
18JYN1
46672
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 137 / Monday, July 18, 2016 / Notices
information they consider responsive to
this request.
In addition to consideration of the
information we hope to receive in
response to this request, the EPA
intends to provide an opportunity to
further engage with stakeholders on
these subjects. An event, such as the
Natural Gas STAR Annual
Implementation Workshop, tentatively
scheduled for early 2017, may be a
valuable forum for this exchange of
information. Specific information
regarding an event will be made
available in the coming months.
The EPA is providing a 120-day
period for the public to submit the
requested information. While the EPA
will not respond to all submissions, we
may contact respondents for further
information or data.
Dated: July 8, 2016.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air
and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2016–16927 Filed 7–15–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9949–20–OA]
Notification of a Public Teleconference
of a Work Group Under the Auspices
of the Chartered Science Advisory
Board
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The EPA Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a
public teleconference of a Work Group
under the auspices of the Chartered
Science Advisory Board to gather and
review information on shipboard ballast
water treatment system efficacy and
related conclusions in the 2011 SAB
report, Efficacy of Ballast Water
Treatment Systems: A Report by the
EPA Science Advisory Board.
DATES: The public teleconference for the
Work Group of the Chartered SAB will
be conducted on Friday, August 12,
2016, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Eastern Time).
Location: The public teleconference
will be conducted by telephone only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any
member of the public wishing to obtain
information concerning the public
teleconference may contact Mr. Thomas
Carpenter, Designated Federal Officer
(DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board
Staff Office (1400R), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Jul 15, 2016
Jkt 238001
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; by
telephone/voice mail at (202) 564–4885
or at carpenter.thomas@epa.gov.
General information about the SAB as
well as any updates concerning the
teleconference announced in this notice
may be found on the EPA Web site at
https://www.epa.gov/sab.
The SAB
was established pursuant to the
Environmental Research, Development,
and Demonstration Authorization Act
(ERDDAA), codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365,
to provide independent scientific and
technical advice to the Administrator on
the technical basis for Agency positions
and regulations. The SAB is a federal
advisory committee chartered under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. At the request
of the SAB, a Work Group composed of
a subset of SAB members will review
the underlying data on ballast water
treatment efficacy to assist the SAB in
considering information regarding
conclusions about shipboard treatment
efficacy in the SAB report, Efficacy of
Ballast Water Treatment Systems: A
Report by the Science Advisory Board
(EPA–SAB–11–009). The Work Group
will gather and review information,
analyze the report’s underlying data and
related conclusions and develop
recommendations for deliberation by
the Chartered Science Advisory Board at
a future meeting. The SAB is not
seeking new data regarding ballast water
treatment system efficacy and will focus
its inquiry on analyzing the data
underlying the report and the related
conclusions. The SAB Staff Office notes
that neither the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) nor EPA policy
requires meetings of Work Groups under
the auspices of a chartered federal
advisory committee to provide notice or
conduct public meetings. Public notice
of this meeting of the Work Group is
being provided to assist the Work Group
in obtaining public comment from
interested parties on the topic under
consideration.
Availability of Meeting Materials: The
agenda and materials in support of this
teleconference will be available on the
EPA Web site at https://www.epa.gov/sab
in advance of the teleconference.
Procedures for Providing Public Input:
Public comment for consideration by
EPA’s federal advisory committees and
panels has a different purpose from
public comment provided to EPA
program offices. Therefore, the process
for submitting comments to a federal
advisory committee is different from the
process used to submit comments to an
EPA program office.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
Federal advisory committees and
panels, including scientific advisory
committees, provide independent
advice to EPA. Members of the public
can submit comments for a federal
advisory committee to consider as it
develops advice for EPA. Input from the
public to the SAB will have the most
impact if it provides specific scientific
or technical information or analysis for
SAB panels to consider or if it relates to
the clarity or accuracy of the technical
information. Oral Statements: In
general, individuals or groups
requesting an oral presentation at a
teleconference will be limited to three
minutes. Each person making an oral
statement should consider providing
written comments as well as their oral
statement so that the points presented
orally can be expanded upon in writing.
Interested parties should contact Mr.
Thomas Carpenter, DFO, in writing
(preferably via email) at the contact
information noted above, by August 4,
2016 to be placed on the list of public
speakers. Written Statements: Written
statements should be supplied to the
DFO, preferably via email, at the contact
information noted above one week
before the teleconference so that the
information may be made available to
the Board members for their
consideration. It is the SAB Staff Office
general policy to post written comments
on the Web page for the advisory
meeting or teleconference. Submitters
are requested to provide an unsigned
version of each document because the
SAB Staff Office does not publish
documents with signatures on its Web
sites. Members of the public should be
aware that their personal contact
information, if included in any written
comments, may be posted to the SAB
Web site. Copyrighted material will not
be posted without explicit permission of
the copyright holder.
Accessibility: For information on
access or services for individuals with
disabilities, please contact Mr. Thomas
Carpenter at (202) 564–4885 or
carpenter.thomas@epa.gov. To request
accommodation of a disability, please
contact Mr. Carpenter preferably at least
ten days prior to the teleconference to
give EPA as much time as possible to
process your request.
Dated: July 11, 2016.
Thomas H. Brennan,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Staff
Office.
[FR Doc. 2016–16929 Filed 7–15–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
E:\FR\FM\18JYN1.SGM
18JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 137 (Monday, July 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46670-46672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16927]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0346; FRL-9949-14-OAR]
RIN 2060-AS30
Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Request for Information, Emerging
Technologies
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; request for information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing this
request for information to the public to obtain information about
monitoring, detection of fugitive emissions, and alternative mitigation
approaches in the oil and natural gas sector.
DATES: Responses must be received on or before November 15, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Submit your information, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2016-0346, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
responses. Once submitted, responses cannot be edited or withdrawn. The
EPA may publish any response 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. Additional information on submission of CBI can
be found below in this document. Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
etc.) must be accompanied by a written response. The written response
is considered the official response and should include discussion of
all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider
information or content 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 https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
Docket. All documents in the docket are listed in the https://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 https://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: For further information about this
action, contact Mr. Matthew Witosky, Sector Policies and Programs
Division (E143-
[[Page 46671]]
05), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Environmental
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711,
telephone number: (919) 541-2865; facsimile number: (919) 541-3740;
email address: witosky.matthew@epa.gov. For further information on the
EPA's oil and natural gas sector regulatory program, contact Mr. Bruce
Moore, Sector Policies and Programs Division (E143-05), Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, telephone number: (919)
541-5460; facsimile number: (919) 541-3470; email address:
moore.bruce@epa.gov. For additional contact information, see the
following SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Who may be interested in this request?
This request may be of interest to the categories and entities
listed in Table 1:
Table 1--Industrial Source Categories Potentially Interested in This
Action
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Examples of industrial
Category NAICS code \1\ entities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry....................... 211111 Crude Petroleum and
Natural Gas
Extraction.
211112 Natural Gas Liquid
Extraction.
221210 Natural Gas
Distribution.
486110 Pipeline Distribution
of Crude Oil.
486210 Pipeline Transportation
of Natural Gas.
Federal government............. .............. Not affected.
State/local/tribal government.. .............. Potentially interested.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ North American Industry Classification System.
This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather is meant to
provide a guide for readers regarding entities that may desire to
submit information responsive to this request. If you have any
questions, consult either the air permitting authority for the entity,
your EPA Regional representative as listed in 40 CFR 60.4 (General
Provisions), or the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
B. What should I consider as I prepare my information and responses to
the EPA?
Do not submit information containing CBI to the EPA through https://www.regulations.gov or email. Send or deliver information identified as
CBI only to the following address: OAQPS Document Control Officer
(C404-02), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
27711, Attention: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0346. Clearly mark the
part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI in a
disk or CD-ROM that you mail to the EPA, mark the outside of the disk
or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or
CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to
one complete version of the information that includes information
claimed as CBI, a copy of the information 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: OAQPS
Document Control Officer (C404-02), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, Attention Docket
ID No. EPA-HQ-2016-0346.
II. Background
On June 3, 2016, the EPA published a final rule titled ``Oil and
Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and
Modified Sources,'' 81 FR 35824 (June 3, 2016). These new source
performance standards (NSPS), at 40 CFR part 60, subpart OOOOa, set
standards for both greenhouse gases (GHGs) and volatile organic
compounds (VOC).
While a great deal of information is available on the oil and
natural gas industry and has to date provided a strong technical
foundation to support the Agency's recent actions, the EPA is seeking
additional information now of a broader perspective. This additional
information may be key in addressing emissions from existing oil and
natural gas sources under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
The EPA has taken the first step toward obtaining such information,
issuing the first draft of an Information Collection Request (ICR)
requiring owners/operators to provide information that may enable the
development of effective standards for this industry under CAA section
111(d). The EPA published the first draft of the ICR June 3, 2016, for
public comment (81 FR 35763).
Recognizing that technology used to detect, measure, and mitigate
emissions is rapidly developing, the EPA is issuing this request for
information, inviting all parties to provide information on innovative
technologies to accurately detect, measure, and mitigate emissions from
the oil and natural gas industry.
For example, the EPA is aware of efforts to foster development and
use of advanced monitoring and leak detection equipment, generally
similar to optical gas imaging required in the 2016 NSPS. The Agency is
requesting information related to these efforts. The EPA seeks to take
advantage of the new knowledge being generated by research and focused
activities such as the Department of Energy's Advanced Research
Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and other similar programs that are
developing innovative monitoring, detection, and mitigation
technologies. While final results are not yet available from some
projects, such as those funded under ARPA-E, the EPA is interested in
learning about works-in-progress that may lead to advanced monitoring
techniques, devices or systems appropriate for the dynamic and complex
oil and natural gas sector.
The EPA also is seeking information on how these advanced
monitoring technologies would be broadly applicable to existing
sources. For example, research may be developing monitoring systems
that provide coverage across emission points or equipment in a way that
was not previously possible, thus enabling a different approach to
setting standards.
The EPA is also seeking information to advance mitigation
opportunities. The EPA is particularly interested in information on
technologies that could allow for effective emissions controls at well
sites or other co-located facilities.
Parties may respond to this request for information with published
or unpublished papers, technical information, data, or any other
[[Page 46672]]
information they consider responsive to this request.
In addition to consideration of the information we hope to receive
in response to this request, the EPA intends to provide an opportunity
to further engage with stakeholders on these subjects. An event, such
as the Natural Gas STAR Annual Implementation Workshop, tentatively
scheduled for early 2017, may be a valuable forum for this exchange of
information. Specific information regarding an event will be made
available in the coming months.
The EPA is providing a 120-day period for the public to submit the
requested information. While the EPA will not respond to all
submissions, we may contact respondents for further information or
data.
Dated: July 8, 2016.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2016-16927 Filed 7-15-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
