Amendments to Federal Implementation Plan for Managing Air Emissions From True Minor Sources in Indian Country in the Oil and Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas Processing Segments of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector, 21240-21253 [2019-09829]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 93 / Tuesday, May 14, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
signature is requested on single-ply
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(also see 6.0; excludes returns products).
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8.1
Basic Standards
1.0 Basic Standards for All Extra
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8.1.1
RIN 2060–AT96
Description
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Description
Insured mail is subject to the basic
standards in 1.0; see 1.4 for eligibility.
The following additional standards
apply to insured mail:
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[Revise the fourth and fifth sentences
of item c to read as follows:]
c. * * * An item insured for more
than $500.00 receives a delivery scan
(includes returns products meeting the
applicable standards in 505) and the
USPS provides a signature as the
delivery record to the mailer
electronically (excludes returns
products). Customers may optionally
obtain a delivery record by purchasing
a printed return receipt (Form 3811
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Ruth B. Stevenson,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019–09840 Filed 5–13–19; 8:45 am]
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40 CFR Part 49
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to read as follows:]
Extra services described in 2.0
a. * * * A delivery record (including
through 11.0 provide optional services
a signature) is maintained by the USPS
such as insurance coverage, restricted
delivery, and evidence of mailing, or a
and is available electronically or by
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Priority
Mail
Express
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Accountable
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a. Information by article number can
be retrieved at www.usps.com or by
The following conditions also apply
calling 1–800–222–1811. A proof of
to
the delivery of Priority Mail Express,
delivery letter (including a signature,
Registered
Mail, Certified Mail, mail
when available) may be provided by
insured for more than $500.00, Adult
email. When a proof of delivery letter
Signature, or COD, as well as mail for
includes a signature, the signature
which a return receipt is requested or
provided may be a signature that was
the sender has specified restricted
obtained from the recipient at the time
delivery:
of delivery or, for certain services, an
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[Revise the text of item b to read as
representative) and is maintained on file follows:]
with the Postal Service. Eligible mailers
b. Unless an electronic signature is
may require at the time of mailing that
used as described in 503.1.8a, a
a signature be obtained from the
mailpiece may not be opened or given
recipient at the time of delivery.
to the recipient before the recipient
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4.3.1 Description
1.1
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
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Amendments to Federal
Implementation Plan for Managing Air
Emissions From True Minor Sources in
Indian Country in the Oil and Natural
Gas Production and Natural Gas
Processing Segments of the Oil and
Natural Gas Sector
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is finalizing three
amendments to the existing National Oil
and Natural Gas Federal
Implementation Plan (National O&NG
FIP). This final rule applies to new true
minor sources and minor modifications
at existing true minor sources in the oil
and natural gas production and natural
gas processing segments of the oil and
natural gas sector that are locating or
expanding in Indian reservations or in
other areas of Indian country over
which an Indian tribe, or the EPA, has
demonstrated a tribe’s jurisdiction. The
National O&NG FIP, which includes a
mechanism for authorizing construction
of true minor new and modified oil and
natural gas sources, satisfies the minor
source permitting requirement under
the Federal Minor New Source Review
(NSR) Program in Indian Country
(Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule). We are finalizing two
amendments to apply the National
O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area. The purpose of these two
amendments is make available the
streamlined authorization to construct
process provided by the National O&NG
FIP to the Uintah and Ouray Reservation
(U&O Reservation) as part of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. We
are also finalizing a minor technical
correction to fix a typographical error in
a provision of the National O&NG FIP.
DATES: The final rule is effective on May
14, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0606, at
https://www.regulations.gov. All
documents in the docket are listed on
the https://www.regulations.gov
website. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly
available, e.g., Confidential Business
SUMMARY:
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Information or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, is not placed on
the internet and will be publicly
available only in hard copy form.
Publicly available docket materials are
available electronically through https://
www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Christopher Stoneman, Outreach and
Information Division, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards (C–
304–01), Environmental Protection
Agency, Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina 27711, telephone number (919)
541–0823, facsimile number (919) 541–
0072, email address: stoneman.chris@
epa.gov.
The
information presented in this preamble
is organized as follows:
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. What entities are potentially affected by
this action?
B. Where can I get a copy of this document
and other related information?
C. Effective Date of This Rulemaking
II. Purpose of This Final Action
A. Overview
B. Rationale for Final Action
III. Background
IV. Amendments to Regulations
V. Summary of Comments and Responses
A. Comments Pertaining To Extending the
Applicability of the National O&NG FIP
to the Indian Country Portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
B. Legal Authority To Extend Applicability
of the National O&NG FIP to the Indian
Country Portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area
C. Non-Air Quality Impacts of Extending or
Not Extending the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
D. Timing of Nonattainment Designation
Process for Newly Designated Indian
Country Areas as it Relates to Timing of
This Rulemaking Action
E. Uintah and Ouray Reservation-Specific
FIP
F. Out-of-Scope Comments
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and
Regulatory Review
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing
Regulations and Controlling Regulatory
Costs
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA)
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks
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I. Executive Order 13211: Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution or Use
J. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTAA)
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions
to Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
I. General Information
A. What entities are potentially affected
by this action?
Entities potentially affected by this
final action include the Ute Indian
Tribe,1 as well as new and modified true
minor sources that are in the oil and
natural gas production and natural gas
processing segments of the oil and
natural gas sector and that are in the
Indian country 2 portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. All
the Indian country lands located within
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
1 The
Ute Indian Tribe is a federally recognized
tribe organized under the Indian Reorganization Act
of 1934, with a Constitution and By-Laws adopted
by the Ute Indian Tribe on December 19, 1936, and
approved by the Secretary of the Interior on January
19, 1937. See Indian Entities Recognized and
Eligible to Receive Services from the United States
Bureau of Indian Affairs, 83 FR 34863, 34866 (July
23, 2018); 48 Stat. 984, 25 U.S.C. 5123 (IRA);
Constitution and By-Laws of the Ute Indian Tribe
of the U&O Reservation, available at: https://
www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/
PDF/37026342.pdf.
2 Indian country is defined in the National O&NG
FIP at 40 CFR 49.102, which adopts the definition
at section 49.152 of the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule. 40 CFR 49.152 references 18 U.S.C.
1151, which defines Indian country as: (a) All land
within the limits of any Indian reservation under
the jurisdiction of the United States Government,
notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and,
including rights-of-way running through the
reservation, (b) all dependent Indian communities
within the borders of the United States whether
within the original or subsequently acquired
territory thereof, and whether within or without the
limits of a state, and (c) all Indian allotments, the
Indian titles to which have not been extinguished,
including rights-of-way running through the same.
In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C.
Circuit addressed the EPA’s authority to promulgate
the FIP establishing the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR program (as well as another NSR
permitting program) in Indian country. Oklahoma
Dept. of Environmental Quality v. EPA, 740 F. 3d
185 (D.C. Cir. 2014). In that case, the court
recognized the EPA’s authority to promulgate a FIP
to directly administer CAA programs on Indian
reservations, but invalidated the FIP at issue as
applied to non-reservation areas of Indian country
in the absence of a demonstration of an Indian
tribe’s jurisdiction over such non-reservation area.
To address this court decision, section 49.152 notes
that the geographic scope of the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule is addressed at 40 CFR
49.151(c)(1). As described below, because the
current revisions to the National O&NG FIP would
apply only on Indian country lands that are within
the exterior boundaries of the U&O Reservation, i.e.,
on Reservation lands, they are unaffected by the
Oklahoma court decision.
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Area, of which the EPA is aware, are Ute
Indian Tribe Indian country lands.
Further, all of the Ute Indian Tribe
Indian country lands of which the EPA
is aware are located within the exterior
boundaries of the U&O Reservation, and
these amendments will apply to such
lands. To the extent that there are Ute
Indian Tribe dependent Indian
communities under 18 U.S.C. 1151(b) or
allotted lands under 18 U.S.C. 1151(c)
that are located outside the exterior
boundaries of the Reservation, those
lands will not be covered by these
amendments.3 This action amends the
National O&NG FIP, which only applies
in Indian country, and it does not
broaden its application to areas outside
of Indian country. This final rule will
not apply to any sources not in Indian
country lands, including any areas
within the exterior boundaries of the
Reservation that are not Indian country
lands.4
The list in Table 1 is not intended to
necessarily be exhaustive, but rather to
provide a guide for readers regarding
entities likely to be potentially affected
by this action. To determine whether
your facility could be affected by this
action, you should examine the
applicability criteria in the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule and the
National O&NG FIP (40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 49.153 and 49.101,
respectively). If you have any questions
regarding the applicability of this action
to a particular entity, contact the
appropriate person listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
3 Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), lands held in
trust for the use of an Indian tribe are reservation
lands within the definition at 18 U.S.C. 1151(a),
regardless of whether the land is formally
designated as a reservation. See Indian Tribes: Air
Quality Planning and Management, 63 FR 7254,
7258 (1998) (‘‘Tribal Authority Rule’’); Arizona Pub.
Serv. Co. v. EPA, 211 F.3d 1280, 1285–86 (D.C. Cir.
2000). The EPA’s references in this FIP to Indian
country lands within the exterior boundaries of the
U&O Reservation include any such tribal trust lands
that may be acquired by the Ute Indian Tribe.
4 Because of a series of federal court decisions,
there are some areas within the exterior boundaries
of the U&O Reservation that are not Indian country
lands. See Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 521 F. Supp.
1072 (D. Utah 1981); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 716
F.2d 1298 (10th Cir. 1983); Ute Indian Tribe v.
Utah, 773 F.2d 1087 (10th Cir. 1985) (en banc), cert.
denied, 479 U.S. 994 (1986); Hagen v. Utah, 510
U.S. 399 (1994); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 935 F.
Supp. 1473 (D. Utah 1996); Ute Indian Tribe v.
Utah, 114 F.3d 1513 (10th Cir. 1997), cert. denied,
522 U.S. 1107 (1998); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 790
F.3d 1000 (10th Cir. 2015), cert. denied, 136 S. Ct.
1451 (2016); and Ute Indian Tribe v. Myton, 835
F.3d 1255 (10th Cir. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct.
2328 (2017).
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TABLE 1—SOURCE CATEGORIES AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION
NAICS code a
Examples of regulated entities/description of industry category
Oil and Natural Gas Production/Operations ...............................
21111
Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction ............................
211111
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction .....................................................
211112
Drilling Oil and Natural Gas Wells ..............................................
213111
Support Activities for Oil and Natural Gas Operations ...............
213112
Engines (Spark Ignition and Compression Ignition) for Electric
Power Generation.
22111
Exploration for crude petroleum and natural gas; drilling, completing, and equipping wells; operation of separators, emulsion breakers, desilting equipment, and field gathering lines
for crude petroleum and natural gas; and all other activities
in the preparation of oil and natural gas up to the point of
shipment from the producing property.
Production of crude petroleum, the mining and extraction of oil
from oil shale and oil sands, the production of natural gas,
sulfur recovery from natural gas, and the recovery of hydrocarbon liquids from oil and natural gas field gases.
Exploration, development and/or the production of petroleum
or natural gas from wells in which the hydrocarbons will initially flow or can be produced using normal pumping techniques or production of crude petroleum from surface
shales or tar sands or from reservoirs in which the hydrocarbons are semisolids.
Recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from oil and natural gas field
gases; and sulfur recovery from natural gas.
Drilling oil and natural gas wells for others on a contract or fee
basis, including spudding in, drilling in, redrilling, and directional drilling.
Performing support activities on a contract or fee basis for oil
and natural gas operations (except site preparation and related construction activities) such as exploration (except
geophysical surveying and mapping); excavating slush pits
and cellars, well surveying; running, cutting, and pulling casings, tubes, and rods; cementing wells, shooting wells; perforating well casings; acidizing and chemically treating
wells; and cleaning out, bailing, and swabbing wells.
Provision of electric power to support oil and natural gas production where access to the electric grid is unavailable.
Industry category
a North
American Industry Classification System.
B. Where can I get a copy of this
document and other related
information?
In addition to being available in the
docket, an electronic copy of this final
rule will also be available on the World
Wide Web. Following signature by the
EPA Administrator, a copy of this final
rule will be posted in the regulations
and standards section of our NSR home
page located at https://www.epa.gov/nsr
and on the tribal NSR page at https://
www.epa.gov/tribal-air/tribal-minornew-source-review.
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C. Effective Date of This Rulemaking
This final rule is effective
immediately upon publication. The
Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
provides that final rules shall not
become effective until 30 days after
publication in the Federal Register,
except for, among other exceptions, ‘‘a
substantive rule which grants or
recognizes an exemption or relieves a
restriction.’’ 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1). In the
absence of this final action, the
streamlined authorization to construct
process associated with the National
O&NG FIP would be unavailable to oil
and natural gas sources constructing or
modifying in the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
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Area, and such sources otherwise would
have to comply with the site-specific
permitting requirements of the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule to
locate or expand on the U&O
Reservation. The amendments finalized
today allow such sources to comply
with the O&NG National FIP instead of
having to obtain permits under the
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule
that would otherwise apply in
nonattainment areas because of a
limitation on the applicability of the
National O&NG FIP. The purpose of the
generally applicable 30-day delayed
effective date is to ‘‘give affected parties
a reasonable time to adjust their
behavior before the final rule takes
effect.’’ Omnipoint Corp. v. FCC, 78
F.3d 620, 630 (D.C. Cir. 1996). Here,
affected sources are not subject to
additional, new requirements such that
they may need time to adjust their
behavior before the rule takes effect, but
are relieved of the requirement to follow
just one specified permitting procedure
and afforded the option to take
advantage of an otherwise unavailable,
streamlined approach to obtain
authorization for construction.
Accordingly, this action is excepted
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from the generally applicable APA 30day delayed effective date requirement.5
II. Purpose of This Final Action
A. Overview
In this action, after considering the
comments received, the EPA is
finalizing amendments to the National
O&NG FIP 6 consistent with the
5 The APA provides another exception to the
general requirement that final rules shall not
become effective until 30 days after publication in
the Federal Register: Except ‘‘as otherwise provided
by the agency for good cause found and published
with the rule.’’ 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). In determining
whether good cause exists to waive the 30-day
delay, an agency should ‘‘balance the necessity for
immediate implementation against principles of
fundamental fairness which require that all affected
persons be afforded a reasonable amount of time to
prepare for the effective date of its ruling.’’ U.S. v
Gavrilovic, 551 F.2d 1099, 1105 (8th Cir. 1977).
Here, affected sources are not adversely affected by
making this action effective upon publication and
fundamental fairness does not require that sources
be prohibited from taking advantage of streamlined
permitting of the National O&NG FIP for at least 30
days after publication. To the contrary, sources that
can immediately pursue streamlined authorizations
to construct may do so and sources that opt not to
do so may still utilize the site-specific permitting
approach of the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule. Under these circumstances, the EPA also finds
that there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to
make this rule effective immediately upon
publication.
6 ‘‘Federal Implementation Plan for True Minor
Sources in Indian Country in the Oil and Natural
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authorities and requirements of sections
301(a), 301(d)(4) and 110(a)(2)(C) of the
CAA and 40 CFR 49.11. The rule
extends coverage of the FIP to eligible
true minor new and modified oil and
natural gas sources in the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area, making the
FIP available as a mechanism for
authorizing construction in that area.
(The Indian country lands within the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
to which these amendments apply are
on the U&O Reservation.) The Uinta
Basin is a petroleum-producing region
that contains thousands of active oil and
natural gas wells. Oil and natural gas
production activity in the area is the
primary source of anthropogenic
emissions of volatile organic
compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides
(NOX), ozone precursors that react to
form wintertime ozone in the presence
of sunlight and widespread snow
cover.7
The National O&NG FIP currently
provides a mechanism for authorizing
construction for eligible true minor oil
and natural gas sources wishing to
locate or expand in areas of Indian
country designated as attainment,
unclassifiable and attainment/
unclassifiable. As promulgated in 2016,
it does not apply in areas designated as
nonattainment.8 In 2012, the counties in
the Uinta Basin were designated as
unclassifiable with respect to the 2008
ozone National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS),9 and those areas
were not designated as nonattainment
with any NAAQS until 2018. Thus,
when the National O&NG FIP became
effective on August 2, 2016, it was
available as a streamlined option for
authorizing construction in the U&O
Reservation, and owners and operators
of eligible oil and natural gas sources
Gas Production and Natural Gas Processing
Segments of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector;
Amendments to the Federal Minor New Source
Review Program in Indian Country to Address
Requirements for True Minor Sources in the Oil and
Natural Gas Sector,’’ U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 81 FR 35943, June 3, 2016, https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/201611969.pdf.
7 For more information, see: ‘‘Ozone in the Uinta
Basin,’’ https://deq.utah.gov/legacy/destinations/u/
uintah-basin/ozone/overview.htm, accessed August
16, 2018.
8 See 40 CFR 49.101(b)(1)(v).
9 ‘‘Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standards;
Implementation of the 2008 National Ambient Air
Quality Standards for Ozone: Nonattainment Area
Classifications Approach, Attainment Deadlines
and Revocation of the 1997 Ozone Standards for
Transportation Conformity Purposes,’’ U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 77 FR 30087,
May 21, 2012, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR2012-05-21/pdf/2012-11618.pdf.
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were able to use that streamlined
approach from that date.
However, on June 4, 2018, the EPA
designated portions of the Uinta Basin
as nonattainment with respect to the
2015 ozone NAAQS, and that
designation became effective on August
3, 2018.10 On that date, the Indian
country portion of the nonattainment
area fell out of the National O&NG FIP’s
coverage. Thus, the area currently lacks
a streamlined mechanism to authorize
construction of true minor new and
modified oil and natural gas sources.
With this final action, the EPA is
ensuring that the National O&NG FIP’s
streamlined approach for authorizing
construction and requirements to
comply with various emission standards
and standards of performance will reapply on the U&O Reservation. The EPA
intends to further address air quality in
the Uinta Basin through a separate U&O
Reservation-specific FIP 11 containing
requirements to reduce ozone-forming
emissions from oil and natural gas
sources on Indian country lands within
the U&O Reservation. Through that
rulemaking, the EPA will further
address the Uinta Basin’s air quality
situation in an area-specific manner.
B. Rationale for Final Action
In the preamble to the final June 2016
National O&NG FIP, we indicated that
we could extend the geographic
coverage of the FIP to nonattainment
areas, although we anticipated that we
would also address emissions from oil
and natural gas sources in separate areaspecific FIPs. Specifically, we stated
that the EPA could ‘‘potentially apply
the national FIP’s requirements as
appropriate to nonattainment areas
where the EPA has established a
separate, area-specific FIP.’’ 12 We
described the need to develop areaspecific plans if and when areas of
Indian country were designated
nonattainment. Further, we specifically
noted concern about the air quality
problem in the Uinta Basin and
indicated our expectation to propose a
separate U&O Reservation-specific FIP
10 ‘‘Additional Air Quality Designations for the
2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality
Standards,’’ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018, https://www.gpo.gov/
fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-04/pdf/2018-11838.pdf.
11 The rulemaking is listed on the Office of
Management and Budget’s Unified Agenda of
Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. For more
information, go to: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/
do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201710&RIN=2008AA03. In the Agenda, the rulemaking appears as:
‘‘Federal Implementation Plan for Oil and Natural
Gas Sources; Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation
in Utah.’’
12 See 81 FR 35943, 35946, June 3, 2016, https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/201611969.pdf.
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to address the issue in this particular
area.13
At the time that the National O&NG
FIP was issued there were no areas
officially designated as nonattainment
in Indian country with oil and natural
gas activity. In the absence of any such
areas but anticipating the possibility,
the EPA initially opted to not apply the
National O&NG FIP in such areas,
recognizing that whether and to what
extent it might be extended to apply to
nonattainment areas could be
subsequently evaluated in the event of
particular, relevant nonattainment
designations, such as in the Uinta Basin.
As noted above, the EPA previously did
anticipate that, in the event of a
nonattainment designation applicable to
the Uinta Basin, it likely would not
extend the National O&NG FIP until
after the EPA had issued an areaspecific nonattainment FIP, but that
particular anticipatory view was not
expressly set out in the relevant
regulatory text. Now, faced with an
actual nonattainment designation for the
Uinta Basin, the EPA is required to
address the question of whether the
National O&NG FIP should be extended
to nonattainment areas in the context of
an actual tribal nonattainment area with
O&NG activity.
Upon careful consideration of an
actual, specific nonattainment
determination, the EPA has determined
that, under the particular circumstances
presented, the National O&NG FIP may
be extended narrowly to cover the
Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The
EPA is not completely eliminating or
changing the applicability parameters of
the National O&NG FIP, but instead
creating only a narrow exception to the
limitation on its application in
nonattainment areas, such that it may
apply in the Indian country portion of
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area.
In light of the actual nonattainment
designation, the EPA now has more
carefully assessed the question of the
applicability of the National O&NG FIP
in one specific such area—the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area—and,
unlike what the EPA preliminarily had
anticipated in connection with the June
2016 publication of the National O&NG
FIP (but had not been required to
definitively address), the EPA is
satisfied that extending the National
O&NG FIP will be adequately protective
of air quality for the reasons stated here.
13 See 81 FR 35943, 35975, June 3, 2016, https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/201611969.pdf.
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That decision is made in consideration
of comments received in response to the
EPA’s proposal and various other
factors, including the extent and nature
of the particular air quality concerns in
the Uinta Basin, the nature of the
nonattainment designation (e.g.,
Marginal nonattainment), the
protections and controls associated with
the National O&NG FIP, and the recent
nature and extent of oil and natural gas
development in the Uinta Basin.
Moreover, the CAA provides the EPA
with significant authority to manage air
quality in Indian country.14 Here, the
EPA is exercising that authority
judiciously, consistent with the goals
and basic requirements of the statute.
The National O&NG FIP remains
inapplicable to non-attainment areas,
but the EPA has used our authority in
a limited manner to extend the reach of
the National O&NG FIP to only the
Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. As
discussed below, we believe that the
area will have adequate air quality
protection in the near future as sources
expanding or locating in the U&O
Reservation adopt emissions controls
required by the National O&NG FIP.
This process is reasonable and
adequately protective of air quality,
while ensuring the Ute Indian Tribe can
14 CAA section 110(a)(2)(C) is part of the
foundation for the minor NSR program, and it
requires states to submit plans that include
programs for the regulation of ‘‘the modification
and construction of any stationary source.’’ Further,
section 110(a)(2)(C) of the CAA requires state plans
to include ‘‘a program to provide for the . . .
regulation of the modification and construction of
any stationary source within the areas covered by
the plan as necessary to assure that national
ambient air quality standards are achieved,
including a permit program as required in parts C
and D of this subchapter.’’ CAA section 110(c) also
authorizes the EPA to promulgate a Federal
implementation plan in the absence of a satisfactory
state plan. CAA section 301(a) generally authorizes
the EPA to prescribe regulations as are necessary to
carry out its functions under the Act. Section 301(d)
of the CAA authorizes the EPA to treat Indian tribes
in the same manner as states and directs the EPA
to promulgate regulations specifying those
provisions of the CAA for which such treatment is
appropriate. (CAA sections 301(d)(1) and (2)). It
also authorizes the EPA, in circumstances in which
the EPA determines that the treatment of Indian
tribes as identical to states is inappropriate or
administratively infeasible, to provide by regulation
other means by which the EPA will directly
administer the CAA. (CAA section 301(d)(4)).
Acting principally pursuant to that authority, on
February 12, 1998, (‘‘Indian Tribes: Air Quality
Planning and Management,’’ U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 63 FR 7254, February 12, 1998,
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1998-02-12/pdf/
98-3451.pdf.) the EPA promulgated what we refer
to as the Tribal Authority Rule (TAR). (40 CFR
49.1–49.11). In the TAR, we determined that it was
appropriate to treat tribes in the same manner as
states for all CAA and regulatory purposes except
a list of specified CAA provisions and
implementing regulations thereunder. (40 CFR
49.4).
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continue to benefit from economic
development and industry can properly
plan its activities. Commenters will
have an opportunity to comment on the
measures in the U&O Reservationspecific FIP that we will propose for the
area to further protect its air quality in
the longer term.
The narrow extension of the National
O&NG FIP reflected in this rule will
provide coverage under the National
O&NG FIP for the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area now that the EPA’s
nonattainment designation of a portion
of the Uinta Basin is effective. The
EPA’s work on a separate rulemaking to
establish a U&O Reservation-specific
FIP remains ongoing and may be
completed before the start of the 2019–
2020 winter season in the Uinta Basin.
Nonetheless, while the EPA continues
its work on the U&O Reservationspecific FIP, we have decided to finalize
this action before that work is
completed. We believe that this
approach is reasonable and appropriate
for several reasons, as discussed in this
notice, including:
First, the National O&NG FIP will
help ensure that emissions from new
and modified true minor sources are
well-controlled.15 In particular, it
requires that all new and modified oil
and natural gas production facilities and
natural gas processing plants comply, as
applicable, with eight federal emission
standards—five New Source
Performance Standards and three
National Emissions Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants.16 These
standards control emissions of VOC,
NOX, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter
(PM, PM10, PM2.5), hydrogen sulfide,
carbon monoxide and various sulfur
compounds from the following units/
processes in the oil and natural gas
production and natural gas processing
segments of the oil and natural gas
sector: Compression ignition and spark
ignition engines; process heaters;
combustion turbines; fuel storage tanks;
glycol dehydrators; completion of
hydraulically fractured oil and natural
gas wells; reciprocating and centrifugal
compressors (except those located at
15 The CAA does not specifically prohibit the
construction of new minor sources in designated
nonattainment areas like the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. Nor does the CAA specifically
require the EPA to engage in any particular analysis
before authorizing construction of new or modified
minor sources in such areas. Here, the EPA has
determined, under the particular circumstances
presented, that extending the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area, while continuing to develop
the U&O Reservation-specific FIP, is adequately
protective of air quality.
16 See 40 CFR 49.105.
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well sites); pneumatic controllers;
pneumatic pumps; storage vessels; and
fugitive emissions from well sites,
compressor stations and natural gas
processing plants. We believe that these
controls are sufficiently strict that
authorizing construction of new or
modified minor sources, under the
relevant circumstances, will allow only
modest, incremental increases in
emissions, and will be adequately
protective of air quality in the U&O
Reservation during the period of time
following the finalization of this rule,
while we complete the separate
rulemaking to establish a U&O
Reservation-specific FIP.
Second, we believe this is the case
especially considering the slower
growth of oil and natural gas sources on
the U&O Reservation over the past two
and a half years since August 2016
when the National O&NG FIP became
effective. Since that time, we have seen
limited construction of new and
modified oil and natural gas sources on
the U&O Reservation. Oil and natural
gas sources planning to construct on or
after October 3, 2016 have been required
to either comply with the National
O&NG FIP or to seek a minor source
permit under the generally applicable
(site-specific) permit provisions of the
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule.17 Sources complying with the
National O&NG FIP are required to meet
a two-part registration requirement: The
Part 1 Registration Form is submitted 30
days before a source begins construction
and contains information about source
location and the Part 2 Registration
Form is submitted within 60 days after
the startup of production and contains
information about emissions.18
Since October 2016, we have received
only 122 Part 1 Registration Forms from
sources planning on constructing a new
or modified true minor oil and natural
gas sources on the U&O Reservation. Of
these, only 41 have submitted Part 2
Registration Forms.19 The 41 sources
covered by the Part 2 Forms estimate
their total annual allowable (or
potential) emissions to be about 623
tons per year (tpy) of VOC emissions,
17 See
40 CFR 49.151(c)(1)(iii)(B).
40 CFR 49.160(c)(1)(iv).
19 These numbers (i.e., 122 Part 1 Registration
Forms and 41 Part 2 Registration Forms) cover only
the period during the National O&NG FIP applied
from October 2016 until the during or Uinta Basin
nonattainment designation became effective in
August 2018. Since August 2018, the EPA has
received only one permit application from Encana
Corporation/Newfield Exploration Company
concerning a source modification; other operators
have approached the EPA requesting preapplication meetings to gather information on what
would be required for a permit application
(Anadarko and Andeavor, in addition to Encana
Corporation/Newfield Exploration Company).
18 See
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the chief pollutant of concern for the
winter ozone problem in the Uinta
Basin. As compared to the overall VOC
emissions inventory in the U&O
Reservation (about 72,718 tpy), the
increase in total allowable (or potential)
emissions represented by these 41
sources is very small (0.9 percent
average increase per year). And, as a
practical matter, it could be even
smaller, since the actual emissions
could be less than the allowable
emissions.20 We believe that this low
growth rate for new and modified minor
sources may continue for the short term,
during which time we plan to complete
the U&O Reservation-specific FIP.21
Third, it is generally accepted in the
field of oil and natural gas production
that a production well’s output (and
associated emissions) peaks during the
initial period of production and
generally declines thereafter over time.
That rate of decline is difficult to
precisely quantify and can vary from
well to well and from basin petroleum
play to basin petroleum play.
Nonetheless, it is a phenomenon that
does occur and is generally accepted.22
For example, the CAA permitting
authorities for several oil and natural
gas-producing states allow for the use of
a decline factor in calculating potential
emissions of production sources.23
These emissions declines over time are
relevant here because declines in
emissions from existing oil and natural
gas sources in the Uinta Basin could at
least partially ‘‘offset’’ any increases
20 See Microsoft Excel spreadsheet titled
‘‘ONGFIP Registrations_3–7–19.xlsx’’ in the docket
for this rule (Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–
0606).
21 There are indications, however, that some
owners or operators have taken preliminary steps
indicative of longer-range plans for greater
development in the Uinta Basin, including
requesting approvals from the Bureau of Land
Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. See,
for example: (1) https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplfront-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.
do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProject
Site&projectId=62904&dctmId=0b0003e880ba28f6;
(2) https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/
eplanning/legacyProjectSite.do?methodName=
renderLegacyProjectSite&projectId=72548; and (3)
https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/
eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=
renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&project
Id=53899&dctmId=0b0003e88092c30b.
22 See ‘‘Analysis of Decline Curves,’’ J.J. Arps,
British-American Oil Producing Company, Society
of Petroleum Engineers, December 1945, https://
www.pe.tamu.edu/blasingame/data/z_zCourse_
Archive/P648_15A/P648_15A_Lectures_(working_
lectures)/20150402_P648_15A_Lec_15_AIME_1758_
(Arps)_%5bPDF%5d.pdf.
23 See ‘‘Oil and Gas Production Facilities Chapter
6, Section 2 Permitting Guidance,’’ Revised May
2016, page 42, https://deq.wyoming.gov/media/
attachments/Air%20Quality/
New%20Source%20Review/
Guidance%20Documents/5-12-2016%20Oil%20
and%20Gas%20Guidance.pdf.
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from new or modified minor sources
taking advantage of the streamlined
authorization to construct process in the
Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area.24 25
Finally, it should be noted that, with
the separate U&O Reservation-specific
FIP that the EPA intends to pursue, the
approach we expect to take goes beyond
what comparable nonattainment areas
classified as Marginal are required to
submit on state-managed lands when an
area under state jurisdiction is
designated Marginal nonattainment for
ozone. Under section 182(a) of the CAA,
for the Uinta Basin Marginal Ozone
Nonattainment Area for the 2015 ozone
standard, a revised State
Implementation Plan (SIP) must be
prepared for the non-Indian country
portion of the area. Under section 182(a)
of the CAA, Marginal ozone
nonattainment areas are required to
submit and/or address a baseline
emissions inventory, a nonattainment
NSR permitting program, and general
conformity. With respect to
nonattainment NSR, new and modified
major sources are required to obtain 1.1
tons of emissions offsets for each ton of
emissions increase and are subject to
stringent emissions controls (called
Lowest Achievable Emission Rate).
Under section 182(a) of the CAA, a State
with a marginal nonattainment area is
not required to submit a SIP
demonstrating attainment of the ozone
NAAQS. The U&O Reservation-specific
FIP the EPA plans to propose to do so
in an expeditious manner is expected to
include emissions reductions measures
which will represent more than what
comparable areas classified as Marginal
are required to submit on state-managed
lands. And the nonattainment
designation for the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area (which includes
the U&O Reservation) was only effective
in August of last year.
In conclusion, for the multiple
reasons stated, the EPA believes that
this action—along with the EPA’s
24 This is not to say that the EPA believes that any
such general decline trends are sufficient, alone,
such that further measures or steps will not be
needed to further ensure that the Uinta Basin
achieves cleaner air quality and, ultimately,
attainment.
25 In addition, the EPA, as ‘‘Reviewing
Authority,’’ retains the discretion, even under the
National O&NG FIP, to require sources ‘‘to obtain
a source-specific permit to ensure protection of the
[NAAQS].’’ 40 CFR 49.101(b)(3). Accordingly,
contrary to the EPA’s current expectations, in the
event that the extension of coverage of the National
O&NG FIP to this nonattainment area may lead to
serious concerns about adequate protection of the
NAAQS, the EPA retains the authority,
notwithstanding the potential availability of the
streamlined permitting, to require site-specific
permitting.
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21245
related, forthcoming action to issue a
separate, area-specific FIP—will be
protective of air quality on the U&O
Reservation, while maintaining a
mechanism for authorizing construction
that helps ensure continued responsible
oil and natural gas production on the
U&O Reservation. Even if this action
may be regarded as reflecting some
difference from how the EPA previously
anticipated it would proceed, an agency
may change its course and must have
ample latitude to adapt their rules and
policies to changing circumstances.
When an agency changes course, its
action ordinarily is not subject to a more
searching review, and the agency need
only provide a reasoned explanation for
its action. To the extent that the EPA’s
decision to make a limited extension of
the application of the National O&NG
FIP to the Indian country portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
is viewed as a change of course, the
EPA’s action is permissible under the
CAA and the reasons articulated
provide a sound basis for this action.
The EPA has decided that this approach
is a reasonable course, in light of the
particular facts and circumstances
associated with this specific
nonattainment designation, the area in
question, the recent nature and extent of
oil and natural gas development in the
area, the protections afforded by the
National O&NG FIP, and the Agency’s
on-going development of the areaspecific FIP. We believe that the action
is protective of air quality, meets the
requirements of the CAA and provides
a much-needed method for streamlining
construction authorizations that the Ute
Indian Tribe and industry are seeking.
Finally, based on feedback from the Ute
Indian Tribe leadership, continued oil
and natural gas production is important
for the maintenance of the local tribal
economy, as the Ute Indian Tribe is
dependent upon oil and natural gas
revenue for its economic prosperity.
III. Background
In the proposed rule,26 we provided
background information on several
topics relating to this rulemaking. We
suggest interested parties consult the
proposed action for that background
information, as we are not repeating it
here. The following topics were covered
in the background discussion: (1) Indian
country FIPs, including the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule and the
National O&NG FIP; (2) areas for which
the EPA received comment on the
National O&NG FIP relevant to this
26 See 83 FR 20775, 20781–20784, May 8, 2018,
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-05-08/pdf/
2018-09652.pdf.
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action; (3) the Uinta Basin air quality
and nonattainment designation; and (4)
the authority for this action. In terms of
updates on the background information
since the proposal, the nonattainment
designation for the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area has been finalized
and, as noted, became effective on
August 3, 2018.27
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IV. Amendments to Regulations
For the reasons described above, this
action executes two amendments to the
National O&NG FIP to extend its
application to eligible true minor oil
and natural gas sources in the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area. The FIP
provides a streamlined mechanism for
authorizing construction of oil and gas
sources. We also are also correcting a
typographical error in § 49.101(c).
First, this action makes two
amendments to the regulation to extend
the scope of the FIP to include the area
described above. In the first of these two
amendments, this action adds a new
subparagraph to the CFR, to be codified
at § 49.101(e). In the new subparagraph,
we narrowly extend the geographic
scope of the National O&NG FIP to
cover eligible true minor oil and natural
gas sources seeking to locate or expand
in the Indian country portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area.
This extension of coverage to this one
nonattainment area does not otherwise
alter the National O&NG FIP’s current
geographic coverage of attainment,
unclassifiable and attainment/
unclassifiable areas regarding the rest of
Indian country across the nation. The
geographically limited extension is in
addition to the current coverage. Under
this amendment, true minor oil and
natural gas sources in the oil and
natural gas production and natural gas
processing segments of the oil and
natural gas sector wishing to locate or
expand in the Indian country portion of
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area will also have to meet the criteria
under § 49.101(b)(1) to qualify, except
for § 49.101(b)(1)(v). Section
49.101(b)(1)(v) contains the requirement
governing the primary geographic scope
of the National O&NG FIP and prevents
the FIP from applying in the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area. The new
§ 49.101(e) displaces existing
§ 49.101(b)(1)(v) for Indian country
within the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area—and only for that
area of Indian country.
27 See 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018, https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-04/pdf/201811838.pdf.
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To accomplish this extension, it is
also necessary to execute a second
amendment to the regulation, to define
the boundaries of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area to which the
National O&G FIP applies under this
final rule. To accomplish this, the EPA
incorporates the boundaries for the
nonattainment area for the Uinta Basin,
or areas within the Uinta Basin, as
defined at 40 CFR part 81, Designations
of Areas for Air Quality Purposes. This
action does not govern the development
and final decision of the boundaries for
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area. Instead, the regulatory and other
processes that have occurred within and
outside the EPA and between the EPA
and state and tribal governments
determined those boundaries, and this
action takes those boundaries as given.
Finally, this action makes a
typographical correction to § 49.101(c),
which currently reads: ‘‘When must I
comply with §§ 49.101 through 49.105?
You must comply with §§ 49.101
through 49.101 on or after October 3,
2016.’’ This provision is supposed to
reference §§ 49.101 through 49.105, as
the title indicates. We are correcting it
to read: ‘‘When must I comply with
§§ 49.101 through 49.105? You must
comply with §§ 49.101 through 49.105
on or after October 3, 2016.’’ The EPA
believes that this is a correction of a
self-evident scrivener’s error (in that
EPA plainly intended the second ‘‘101’’
to instead read ‘‘105’’) and does not
constitute a substantive change of the
existing regulatory provision.
V. Summary of Comments and
Responses
A. Comments Pertaining to Extending
the Applicability of the National O&NG
FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
Four oil and natural gas industry
commenters, one Indian tribe and one
state agency commenter supported
extending the applicability of the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area. As
summarized and discussed in the
following paragraphs, these commenters
cited several main arguments in their
support of the amendments.
Comment #1: Two oil and natural gas
industry commenters and one Indian
tribe commenter agreed with the EPA
that extending the National O&NG FIP
is an appropriate path forward while the
agency works through the
nonattainment process for the area.
One oil and natural gas industry
commenter stated that the amendments
are a reasonable exercise of the EPA’s
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discretion in regulating minor source
emissions and that the proposed action
is a sensible solution to address
emissions from minor source oil and gas
operations on tribal land. One oil and
natural gas industry commenter and one
Indian tribe commenter expressed that
the proposed action is a reasonable and
environmentally protective way to
address emissions during the period
between designation and
implementation of the attainment plan,
while preventing the development in
the Basin from coming to a standstill.
Two oil and natural gas industry
commenters and one state agency
commenter agreed with the EPA’s
identification of several consequences of
not extending the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The
commenters stated that many producers
that operate in Indian country have
come to rely on the streamlined
approach that is available through the
National O&NG FIP and will now be
required to seek site-specific permits for
new and modified sources. The
commenters asserted that this would
subject O&NG development on the U&O
Reservation to variable and uncertain
timelines and requirements. One state
agency commenter added that, based on
discussions with Utah’s Division of Air
Quality about future permitting
requirements for companies that are
operating on projects that overlap in and
out of Indian country and in and out of
attainment and nonattainment areas, it
is complicated for government attorneys
to understand, and a challenging issue
for industry.
Response #1: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees to extend the
coverage of the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. We
believe that extending coverage is
reasonable and can be done in an
environmentally protective manner. We
recognize that the site-specific
permitting that is available as an
alternative to the National O&NG FIP
poses less certain and more variable
timetables and can be more challenging
and complicated than the streamlined
process. We believe that extending the
National O&NG FIP and resuming
streamlined authorizations to construct
that had been available in the area
before the nonattainment designation
will help alleviate these concerns.
Comment #2: Four oil and natural gas
industry commenters and one Indian
tribe commenter agreed with the EPA’s
position that extending the National
O&NG FIP would provide a muchneeded, streamlined construction
authorization mechanism for the U&O
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Reservation. One oil and natural gas
industry commenter and one Indian
tribe commenter noted that it is
important that there be a streamlined
mechanism for obtaining construction
authorization in the Uinta Basin so there
is no gap in coverage while the EPA and
the Ute Indian Tribe develop and adopt
a U&O Reservation-specific FIP for the
U&O Reservation. One Indian tribe
commenter noted that without the
adoption of the proposed amendments
to the National O&NG FIP, the EPA
would face the administrative burden of
processing hundreds of true minor
source permits within a short time
frame. One oil and natural gas industry
commenter noted that the amendments
allow the Agency to focus its resources
on a reservation-specific regulatory
scheme.
Response #2: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees to extend the
coverage of the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. We
believe that extending coverage of the
National O&NG FIP will provide a more
efficient and certain path for affected
true minor sources. We have sought to
minimize the gap in streamlined
construction authorizations that began
after the nonattainment designation
became effective, and we are also
working on completing the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP. We also agree
that extending the National O&NG FIP
will enable the Agency to focus on
completing the U&O Reservationspecific FIP, instead of having to
process site-specific permits.
Comment #3: Three oil and natural
gas industry commenters noted that the
extension of the National O&NG FIP
will help to make sure that the Ute
Indian Tribe is treated fairly by avoiding
a potential disparity in the regulatory
landscape in the newly designated
nonattainment area in comparison to
surrounding areas and other areas of
Indian country covered by the National
O&NG FIP. One oil and natural gas
industry commenter, referring to the
Utah Division of Air Quality’s
streamlined Permit by Rule process,
stated that the extension of the National
O&NG FIP will help end the EPA’s
allegedly discriminatory approach to the
development of Tribal minerals.
Response #3: Finalizing this proposal
and extending the streamlined
authorization process to the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area will
enhance consistency by ensuring that
there are similar authorization processes
available to sources in Indian country
and other areas. In particular, in the
portion of the Uinta Basin under Utah
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jurisdiction, the state has a permit by
rule program available that is also
streamlined, like the streamlined
authorization to construct process
provided by the National O&NG FIP. Oil
and natural gas sources wishing to
construct on lands in the Uinta Basin
under Utah jurisdiction are subject to
the Utah Administrative Code Chapter
R307–401–10 (Permit: New and
Modified Sources. Source Category
Exemptions).28 Under Utah’s rules, such
oil and natural gas sources that are not
major sources can simply register with
the state and then proceed with
construction.29 This process is
substantially similar to what is required
of eligible true minor sources that wish
to gain coverage under the National
O&NG FIP.
The EPA does not agree with the
comment that we have engaged in a
discriminatory approach relative to the
development of tribal minerals. With
respect to oil and natural gas new or
modified minor sources in Indian
country, since October 2016 (and up to
August 2018), the streamlined
authorization process the National
O&NG FIP has been available. As noted,
that process is comparable to Utah’s
permit by rule approach in terms of the
degree to which it streamlines the
relevant construction authorization
process.
Comment #4: Three oil and natural
gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the
EPA’s position that use of the National
O&NG FIP will continue to be
adequately protective of air quality
while the EPA follows the process
detailed under the CAA that allows time
to develop an attainment plan.
Specifically, one oil and natural gas
industry commenter noted that the
National O&NG FIP requires compliance
with eight federal emission standards
that are required for all new and
modified sources and, thus, will allow
28 See https://rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r307/
r307.htm for a list of, and links to, all effective rules
under Title R307. Environmental Quality, Air
Quality.
29 Oil natural gas sources that include well sites
(as defined at 40 CFR 60.5430a), including
centralized tank batteries, that are not major sources
(as defined in Utah Administrative Code R307–101–
2) and that register with the UDAQ as required by
Utah Administrative Code R307–505 (Oil and Gas
Industry: Registration Requirements), are exempt
from the requirement to obtain an approval order
(the UDAQ equivalent of a site-specific NSR
permit). The registration program at Utah
Administrative Code R307–505 requires the
operator of a non-major well site to certify that they
are in compliance with a suite of emission unitspecific requirements in Utah Administrative Code
R307–506 through R307–510, as applicable (i.e., Oil
and Gas Industry Storage Vessels, Dehydrators,
VOC Control Devices, Leak Detection and Repair
and Natural Gas Engines).
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de minimis incremental increases in
emissions, while the EPA follows the
CAA nonattainment process. One Indian
tribe commenter stated that the
proposed action correctly noted that the
air quality issues in the Uinta Basin will
not manifest until winter, and,
therefore, these amendments are a
reasonable step to protect development
in the Uinta Basin from coming to a
standstill, while protecting public
health and the environment.
Another oil and natural gas industry
commenter cited the EPA’s language in
the EPA’s proposal that the ozone
problems in the Uinta Basin are limited
to the winter season and that
preliminary monitoring data from the
2017–2018 winter ozone season across
the region shows values well below the
2015 ozone NAAQS, and asserted that
extending the current National O&NG
FIP to Uinta Basin now will not
exacerbate the Basin’s wintertime ozone
air quality problem in the future.
Response #4: The EPA agrees that the
eight emissions standards are
sufficiently strict that authorizing
construction of new or modified minor
sources, under the relevant
circumstances, will allow only modest,
incremental increases in emissions, and
will be adequately protective of air
quality in the U&O Reservation during
the period in which we establish the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP. As noted
above in Section II.B. where we
compared the process we are adopting
here (and with the U&O Reservationspecific FIP to follow) to what is
required in the CAA for Marginal ozone
nonattainment areas, the approach we
intend to take is not unlike the CAA
process that occurs when an area under
state jurisdiction is designated
nonattainment. However, under the
CAA, as a Marginal nonattainment area,
an attainment plan—or SIP
demonstrating attainment—is not
required.
The EPA agrees that air quality issues
in the Uinta Basin will not manifest
until winter and that these amendments
are a reasonable step to ensure
development in the Uinta Basin from
coming to a standstill, while protecting
public health and the environment. For
the reasons stated above, we believe that
the National O&NG FIP will be
protective of air quality after this rule is
finalized and until the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP is finalized
(which may be before the next winter
ozone season).30
30 Ozone air quality levels in the Uinta Basin
during the winter ‘‘ozone season’’ can be quite
variable. For example, in 2017–18, preliminary
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Comment #5: Four oil and natural gas
industry commenters and one Indian
tribe commenter agreed with the EPA’s
concerns that the U&O Reservation
would be adversely affected if the
National O&NG FIP did not apply to
nonattainment areas. One oil and
natural gas industry commenter noted
that, due to permitting delays in the
affected area, operators may divert
operating capital to areas where there
are more predictable regulatory
requirements in state jurisdiction where
the Utah Division of Air Quality ‘‘Permit
by Rule’’ exists, thus denying the
economic benefits of oil and gas
developments to the U&O Reservation.
One oil and natural gas industry
commenter and one Indian tribe
commenter expressed that the
amendments will encourage a smooth
transition (with the streamlined
authorization approach) in allowing
continued oil and gas operations to
occur on tribal lands within the Uinta
Basin in the wake of the nonattainment
designation, as well as prevent further
regulatory burdens that have historically
served as a disincentive for the
development of oil and gas resources on
the U&O Reservation.
Response #5: After considering the
comments, we believe that the approach
in the final rule will both protect air
quality and avoid potential permitting
delays that could accompany sitespecific permitting, which may lead
operators to look outside the U&O
Reservation for oil and gas development
opportunities. In addition, through this
rulemaking, the EPA is seeking to
ensure a consistent set of regulatory
requirements for oil and natural gas
activity between Indian country lands
within the U&O Reservation and lands
under state of Utah jurisdiction. Finally,
the EPA agrees that this final rule will
help with the transition for the U&O
Reservation from being in an area
designated as unclassifiable to being
included in the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area.
Comment #6: Three oil and natural
gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the
EPA’s position that use of the National
O&NG FIP, after designation of the
Uinta Basin as an ozone nonattainment
area, will continue to be adequately
protective of air quality while the EPA
monitoring data for the winter ozone season from
across the region show values well below the 2015
ozone NAAQS. Preliminary information from the
recent 2018–19 season, on the other hand, show
values above the standards. See Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets titled: ‘‘Uinta Basin Ozone Data, Dec.
2017–Feb. 2018,’’ ‘‘2018 Duchesne_data.csv,’’ ‘‘2019
Duchesne_data.csv,’’ ‘‘2018 Uintah_data.csv,’’ and
‘‘2019 Uintah_data.csv,’’ Docket No. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2014–0606.
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follows the process detailed under the
CAA that allows areas time to develop
an attainment plan.
Response #6: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees with the
comment in part. We believe that the
National O&NG FIP will be protective of
air quality as we develop the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP, which we
intend to issue by the start of the next
winter ozone season. Specifically, the
terms and conditions of the construction
authorization permitted by the National
O&NG FIP will help protect air quality.
To further protect air quality in the
Uinta Basin, the EPA continues to
develop the U&O Reservation-specific
FIP.
Comment #7: One oil and natural gas
industry commenter expressed that the
industry’s objective is that final
regulations protect the environment and
the public and cost-effectively address
VOC emissions that as a co-benefit also
reduce methane emissions, without
unnecessarily hampering manufacturing
and business expansion. According to
the commenter, this objective can be
met while the private sector develops
and delivers more natural gas and oil to
its customers. According to the oil and
natural gas industry commenter, their
efforts are producing real results based
on the EPA’s latest Greenhouse Gas
Inventory which continues to show a
downward trend in methane emissions,
even as U.S. oil and natural gas
production rose dramatically. The
commenter reported that the inventory
report indicates that methane emissions
from natural gas systems and petroleum
systems increased 14 percent between
1990 and 2016, at a time when the
natural gas output increased by more
than 50 percent. This is in addition to
the U.S. continuing to lead the world in
reducing carbon emissions, which are at
25-year lows, largely due to the
increased use of natural gas.
Response #7: After considering the
comments, the EPA believes that it is
possible, as the commenter suggests, to
protect the environment and public
health by controlling VOC emissions
from oil and natural gas activity in a
cost-effective manner, while also
ensuring responsible oil and natural gas
development. The EPA also recognizes
the trends found in an EPA report on
greenhouse gas emissions, but because
they are not relevant to this rulemaking
we find it unnecessary to provide a
response here.31
31 Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
and Sinks 1990–2016, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, EPA 430–R–18–003, April 2018,
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/201801/documents/2018_complete_report.pdf.
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Comment #8: Three oil and natural
gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter were opposed to
a temporary implementation of the
proposed amendments. One oil and
natural gas industry commenter noted
that classifying this proposal as a
permanent construction authorization
mechanism for the Uinta Basin will
conserve resources as the Agency will
not have to reinvent a new scheme
when a temporary extension would
expire. One oil and natural gas industry
commenter and one Indian tribe
commenter stated that they agree with
the EPA’s concern that a temporary
extension of the National O&NG FIP
could have a significant effect on oil and
natural gas activity on the U&O
Reservation, with a resulting serious
effect on the revenue which the Ute
Indian Tribe relies upon for its
livelihood.
Response #8: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees to finalize
the extension of the National O&NG FIP
to the Indian country portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area,
without expressly providing that it is
temporary, to provide certainty to the
Ute Indian Tribe and to the affected oil
and natural gas companies that operate
in the U&O Reservation. Deciding not to
make the extension temporary will help
the tribal leadership plan their services
and activities on the U&O Reservation,
knowing that they can rely on the
important revenue from oil and natural
gas activity. It also helps the affected oil
and natural gas companies operating in
the U&O Reservation as they plan their
activities in the Uinta Basin and decide
where to locate or expand their
activities. The EPA believes that
extending the streamlined authorization
approach to the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area will be adequately protective of air
quality for the reasons outlined in
Section II.B. above.
B. Legal Authority To Extend
Applicability of the National O&NG FIP
to the Indian Country Portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
Comment #9: One oil and natural gas
industry commenter stated that the EPA
has the legal authority to extend the
National O&NG FIP to an area
designated as nonattainment. According
to the commenter, the EPA has legal
authority to extend the National O&NG
FIP to all parts of the U&O Reservation,
including nonattainment areas, citing
CAA section 301(d) as granting the EPA
authority to treat Indian tribes the same
as states under the CAA, when
appropriate. The commenter, quoting
language from EPA’s published proposal
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(83 FR at 20780), asserts that this
authority extends to all areas, including
nonattainment areas.
The commenter asserted that the
CAA’s nonattainment provisions are
consistent with the EPA’s proposal to
apply the existing National O&NG FIP to
address the time between designation
and implementation of the attainment
plan for the Uinta Basin. According to
the commenter, CAA sections 110, 172,
and 173 require nonattainment areas to
have permitting programs for new or
modified major stationary sources in
nonattainment areas and, for both
attainment and nonattainment areas,
regulation of all stationary sources as
necessary to assure achievement of the
NAAQS. The commenter asserted that
the CAA does not establish specific
requirements for how nonattainment
implementation plans should address
true minor sources and that states (and
the EPA) have wide discretion in
addressing true minor sources.
According to the commenter, the CAA
does not require reservation-specific or
area-specific FIPs, let alone require
them immediately after nonattainment
designations are made.
The commenter stated that the EPA’s
statements in the proposed and final
rule issuing the National O&NG FIP do
not preclude this action and the
proposed extension is not contrary to
such previous statements because the
EPA currently lacks the necessary
information and input to issue an areaspecific FIP. The commenter stated that
the proposal will protect air quality and
allow for oil and natural gas
development while the EPA undergoes
the process of determining how to bring
this area back into attainment and that
the EPA’s position stated in the National
O&NG FIP preamble concerning the
need for an area-specific FIP before
extending the National O&NG FIP to
nonattainment areas is not required by
the CAA and does not bind the EPA in
this rulemaking, citing FCC v. Fox
Television Stations, Inc.
Response #9: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees that,
consistent with the authorities and
requirements of sections 301(d)(4) and
110(a)(2)(C) of the CAA and 40 CFR
49.11, we possess the authority to take
this action amending the National
O&NG FIP to extend it to eligible true
minor oil and natural gas sources in the
Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. In
addition, we recognize that the CAA
does not specifically or expressly
prescribe detailed requirements for the
treatment of new and modified true
minor sources in nonattainment areas
and that the EPA has discretion in
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developing measures for Indian country
nonattainment areas. To the extent that
the commenter’s statements relate to the
timing or content of an area-specific FIP,
those comments are better addressed in
the context of that rulemaking, but the
EPA does not agree that it is necessary
to gather significantly more information
before proceeding to propose the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP.
C. Non-Air Quality Impacts of
Extending or Not Extending the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian
Country Portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area
Comment #10: Two oil and natural
gas industry commenters stated that
amending the National O&NG FIP will
facilitate the continued development of
tribal minerals and land and provide an
uninterrupted and valuable source of
income to the Ute Indian Tribe. One of
the commenters further stated that the
development of oil and natural gas
resources is a huge economic
opportunity and job creator for the Ute
Indian Tribe and is vitally important.
Response #10: After considering the
comments, the EPA recognizes that
revenue from oil and natural gas activity
in the U&O Reservation is important for
the Ute Indian Tribe’s prosperity. It
provides for economic development and
services for tribal members. As the EPA
crafts solutions for the U&O
Reservation’s air quality challenges, the
EPA remains cognizant of these facts.
Comment #11: Two oil and natural
gas industry commenters noted that one
benefit of these actions is the creation of
a needed streamlined mechanism for
authorizing oil and gas construction in
the Uinta Basin Indian country and the
U&O Reservation.
One oil and natural gas industry
commenter added that the proposal
conserves Agency resources because the
Ute Indian Tribe and the EPA will not
have to process and issue site-specific
permits, which allows the Agency to
instead focus time and energy on
working with the Ute Indian Tribe and
stakeholders to develop an appropriate
U&O Reservation-specific FIP. This
commenter expressed that the proposal
will achieve consistency between Uinta
Basin Indian country and basin lands
under state of Utah jurisdiction by
creating a ‘‘self-executing’’ authorization
scheme for new and modified minor
sources of emissions in the tribal air
shed that is similar to the current state
of Utah’s R–307 series of rules for oil
and natural gas production or Permit by
Rule (‘‘PBR’’) Program, for statemanaged areas.
Response #11: The EPA generally
agrees with these comments. This action
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21249
will provide a streamlined construction
authorization mechanism, allowing the
EPA to focus its efforts on issuing the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP and
helping to achieve consistency of
approach for authorizing sources to
construct on Indian country lands
within the Uinta Basin versus adjacent
Utah state-managed lands, as discussed
above. The EPA does not agree,
however, that this action will conserve
Ute Indian Tribe permitting resources,
because the Ute Indian Tribe is not
currently authorized to issue CAA
minor source permits on its Reservation.
D. Timing of Nonattainment
Designation Process for Newly
Designated Indian Country Areas as it
Relates to Timing of This Rulemaking
Action
Comment #12: Two oil and natural
gas industry commenters encouraged
the EPA to finalize this rule revision as
close to the nonattainment designation
becoming effective on August 3, 2018,
as possible to minimize any gaps
between the effective dates of both
actions. One oil and natural gas industry
commenter noted that consequences
and hardships can be avoided by
meeting that date, such as the absence
of a streamlined construction
authorization mechanism, the
significant pressure and time constraints
associated with processing individual
permits under a novel site-specific
permitting program, and redirection of
Agency focus from development of the
reservation-specific regulations.
Response #12: After considering the
comments, the EPA agrees and has
sought to minimize the lapse in
streamlined authorizations to construct
that started after August 3, 2018.
Because there is a gap, though, the EPA
has committed the staff resources as
needed to process any site-specific
permits in a timely manner. In addition,
until the nonattainment area
designation became effective, sources
could have taken advantage of the
streamlined mechanism of the existing
National O&NG FIP, provided such
sources were able to meet certain
registration form submittal deadlines.32
32 As noted, the National O&NG FIP registration
requirement consists of two parts: Part 1 is
submitted 30 days before a source begins
construction; Part 2 is submitted within 60 days
after the startup of production. In our view, Part 1
Registration Forms that were submitted before the
effective date of the nonattainment designation
(August 3, 2018) allow sources to begin
construction after the effective date of the
designation. Thus, Part 1 Registration Forms filed
prior to the nonattainment designation taking effect
(on August 3, 2018) allowed construction to begin
after that date. (It is important to note that any such
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E. Uintah and Ouray ReservationSpecific FIP
1. Timing of U&O Reservation-Specific
FIP
Comment #13: One oil and natural gas
industry commenter supported the
EPA’s intention to use the same process
for nonattainment areas on tribal lands
as the states generally use for all other
nonattainment areas. The commenter
agreed with the EPA that the proposal
is similar to how nonattainment areas in
states are treated, where there is a gap
in time between the nonattainment
designation and the deadline for the
attainment plan. The commenter
expressed the view that the process
used on tribal lands should align with
other nonattainment areas, which
allows for a period of time to develop
a plan to achieve attainment. The
commenter argued that states are not
under any obligation to immediately
have an implementation plan for
nonattainment areas and there is no
reason that the EPA should single out
the U&O Reservation for different
treatment by imposing this strict
timeline. According to the commenter,
the EPA should focus its efforts on
developing the best plan to reach
attainment and this planning process
must involve appropriate stakeholder
outreach and input.
Response #13: While the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP is an important
component of the EPA’s approach to
addressing the U&O Reservation as part
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area, this rulemaking is not the
appropriate context in which to address
comments on the specifics of the
forthcoming U&O Reservation-specific
FIP. Therefore, as a general matter, the
EPA will not be responding, here, to
comments on any such U&O
Reservation-specific FIP, including the
timing of such FIP. Concerning the
development process and stakeholder
engagement for that FIP, the EPA is
committed to working closely with the
Ute Indian Tribe, as well as the state of
Utah and other interested
stakeholders.33
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2. Consistency With Utah’s R–307 Series
of Rules for Oil and Natural Gas
Production
Comment #14: One oil and natural gas
industry commenter acknowledged the
sources may be subject to future control under a
U&O Reservation-specific FIP.) See correspondence:
Letter from Peter Tsirigotis, Director, Office of Air
Quality and Standards, EPA, to Doug Jordan,
Newfield Exploration Company, June 6, 2018, in
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0606.
33 For more discussion of stakeholder
engagement, see the response to Comment #15.
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EPA’s commitment to develop a U&O
Reservation-specific FIP and encouraged
the EPA to develop the FIP with
requirements that are equivalent to or
consistent with the Utah Division of Air
Quality Permit by Rule to mitigate
potential disparities between state and
federal air jurisdictions.
Response #14: As noted, while the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP is an
important part of the EPA’s approach to
the U&O Reservation as part of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area, this
rulemaking is not the appropriate
context in which to address comments
on the specifics of the forthcoming U&O
Reservation-specific FIP. Therefore, as a
general matter, the EPA will not be
responding, here, to comments
concerning such FIP.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
Comment #15: Four oil and natural
gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter expressed
interest in the opportunity to work with
the Agency on the development of the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP and the
identification of proper emission
controls that will result in a direct
reduction of ozone in the Uinta Basin.
One Indian tribe commenter indicated
interest in continuing consultation with
the Agency about the unique
characteristics of the reservation and to
balance the regulation with the Ute
Indian Tribe’s interests in developing its
resources without harming future
natural resource and economic
development.
Two oil and natural gas industry
commenters encouraged the EPA to
engage stakeholders, including the Ute
Indian Tribe, trade associations and
operators in advance of proposing the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP. One oil
and natural gas industry commenter
recommended a collaborative
stakeholder engagement process,
modeled after the stakeholder program
implemented by Wyoming Department
of Environmental Quality that
established the Upper Green River Basin
Air Quality Citizens Advisory Task
Force. According to the commenter, the
stakeholder outreach process should
contain highly inclusive public outreach
early in the planning process,
involvement of stakeholders in advance
of development of formal plans to seek
additional emission reductions,
continuous engagement throughout the
duration of the attainment planning
process, a process specific to the Basin’s
unique winter ozone air quality problem
that drives the nonattainment
designation, and a mechanism to allow
for transparent and collaborative dialog
with all parties.
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Response #15: The comments
concerning the process for development
of the U&O Reservation-specific FIP are
not material to this action amending the
existing National O&NG FIP and the
EPA is not responding to them here.
However, the EPA notes that, consistent
with the federal government’s trust
responsibility and established EPA
policy and to improve our
understanding of the potential
environmental implications of oil and
natural gas production operations, the
Agency has consulted (and will
continue to consult) with the Ute Indian
Tribe on issues related to this action and
to the U&O Reservation-specific FIP. We
appreciate the importance of oil and
natural gas activity for the U&O
Reservation, as expressed to us by the
Tribe during our government-togovernment consultations.
We have held numerous consultations
with the Ute Indian Tribe, and
participated in numerous triballyconvened stakeholder and other
meetings, in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and
2019. We have also reached out to the
following stakeholders: (1) Oil and
natural gas operators and
representatives; (2) environmental
groups; (3) Federal Land Managers; and
(4) local county officials. These
consultations and meetings addressed,
at least in part, the issue that has
prompted this rulemaking, i.e., the need
expressed by the Ute Indian Tribe and
others for continued streamlined
authorizations to construct to continue
to be available on the U&O Reservation
as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. For a complete list
of these consultations and meetings,
including dates, locations and
attendees, please consult the docket to
this rulemaking.34
A significant purpose of the
government-to-government
consultations was to receive tribal
comments and concerns for
consideration by the EPA as it
developed this action. The purposes of
the EPA, Tribe, and UDEQ meetings
were to discuss our intent to address
ozone issues in the Uinta Basin and to
solicit input on potential solutions to
the region’s air quality problem, while
ensuring continued resource
development. We strive to provide
greater regulatory certainty and
consistency across the Uinta Basin in
the regulation of these operations
through enhanced data collection and
analysis, improved information sharing
34 ‘‘Meetings and Consultations Held with the Ute
Indian Tribe Concerning at Least Partly the National
Oil and Natural Gas Federal Implementation Plan
for Indian Country,’’ March 26, 2019, EPA–HQ–
OAR–2014–0606.
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and partnerships, and focused
compliance assistance and enforcement.
The EPA is committed to working
closely with the Ute Indian Tribe, the
state of Utah and other stakeholders
during the U&O Reservation-specific FIP
development process.
4. Other Construction Permitting
Options for U&O Reservation
Comment #16: One Indian tribe
commenter requested that the EPA work
with the Ute Indian Tribe to mitigate air
quality impacts during the winter ozone
season. The commenter stated that the
Tribe seeks to make sure all options are
evaluated for permitting in the
development of the U&O Reservationspecific FIP so that the best permitting
solutions can be achieved. The
commenter asserted that the National
O&NG FIP on the U&O Reservation
should not be the only option available
for authorizing construction on the
Reservation once the U&O Reservationspecific FIP is developed. The
commenter requested that the EPA
remain open to other flexible, targeted
controls and permitting schemes or
mechanisms for inclusion in the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP that will be key
to bringing the Uinta Basin back into
attainment, including a streamlined
permitting system for minor
modifications at major sources and
synthetic minor sources.
Response #16: Again, the EPA is not
responding, here, to comments
concerning the development of the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP. The EPA is
committed to continuing to work with
the Ute Indian Tribe to find permitting
solutions for the U&O Reservation that
protect air quality and address the needs
of the Tribe. Specifically, the EPA is
willing to engage in discussions with
the Tribe about permitting mechanisms
and other regulatory options in Indian
country that may apply in lieu of or in
addition to the National O&NG FIP (i.e.,
general permits and synthetic minor
permits).
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F. Out-of-Scope Comments
Comment #17: Four anonymous
commenters did not address the
proposal and included general
comments on the oil and natural gas
industry, greenhouse gases and other
environmental concerns.
Response #17: Because these
comments are out of scope and do not
relate to this action, the EPA is not
providing responses to them as part of
this final rulemaking.
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VI. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and
Regulatory Review
This action is not a significant
regulatory action and was, therefore, not
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review.
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing
Regulations and Controlling Regulatory
Costs
This action is an Executive Order
13771 deregulatory action. This final
rule provides meaningful burden
reduction by extending the streamlined
authorization-to-construct method for
true minor new and modified oil and
natural gas sources. The streamlined
authorization, which was established by
the EPA in 2016, reduces the resource
burden on the permitting authority and
regulated community associated with
submitting and reviewing permit
applications for these sources in
attainment, unclassifiable and
attainment/unclassifiable areas. This
action finalizes the extension of
streamlined authorizations to the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
This action does not impose any new
information collection burden under the
PRA. OMB has previously approved the
information collection activities
contained in the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule and has assigned OMB
control number 2060–0003.35 This
action amends the National O&NG FIP,
which provides a mechanism for
authorizing construction for true minor
sources in the oil and natural gas
production and natural gas processing
segments of the oil and natural gas
sector locating or located in areas
covered by the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule to satisfy the
requirements of that rule other than by
obtaining a site-specific minor source
permit. Because it substitutes for a sitespecific permit, which would contain
information collection activities covered
by the Information Collection Request
for Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule issued in July 2011, neither the
proposed amendments, nor the National
35 Since the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule was promulgated, the Information Collection
Request has been renewed and approved by OMB
twice. The most recent approval extended the ICR
until October 31, 2020. The ICR covers the activities
of the National O&NG FIP. For more information,
go to: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201702-2060-005.
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O&NG FIP, impose any new obligations
or enforceable duties on any state, local
or tribal government or the private
sector. In fact, the final amendments
should have the effect of reducing
paperwork burden on sources wishing
to locate or expand in the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area, as the
amendments provide an alternative to
site-specific permitting for such sources.
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
I certify that this action will not have
a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
under the RFA. In making this
determination, the impact of concern is
any significant adverse economic
impact on small entities. An agency may
certify that a rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities if
the rule relieves regulatory burden, has
no net burden or otherwise has a
positive economic effect on the small
entities subject to the rule. The EPA
analyzed the impact on small entities of
streamlined permitting under the
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule 36 and determined that it would not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
(By allowing sources to avoid having to
obtain site-specific permits, this action
also will relieve regulatory burden.)
This action merely implements a
particular aspect of the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule. We have,
therefore, concluded that this action
will have no net regulatory burden for
all directly regulated small entities.
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA)
This action does not contain any
unfunded mandate, as described in
UMRA, 2 U.S.C. 1531–1538, and does
not significantly or uniquely affect small
governments. The action imposes no
enforceable duty on any state, local or
tribal governments or the private sector.
It simply modifies one option for
sources to comply with the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule. The
CAA and the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule itself, not this final
action, impose the obligation that true
minor sources in areas covered by the
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule
obtain a minor source NSR permit prior
to commencing construction. This final
action merely applies the National
36 ‘‘Review of New Sources and Modifications in
Indian Country,’’ U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 76 FR 38748, July 1, 2011, https://
www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/07/01/201114981/review-of-new-sources-and-modifications-inindian-country.
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This action does not have federalism
implications. It will not have substantial
direct effects on the states, on the
relationship between the national
government and the states, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government.
attendees, please consult the docket to
this rulemaking.39
This action reflects tribal concerns
about, and priorities for, developing a
streamlined approach for permitting
true minor sources in the oil and natural
gas sector in areas covered by the
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule
in the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. As these
amendments are implemented, we will
continue to provide regular outreach to
tribes to ensure we address issues
concerning the National O&NG FIP, if
and when they arise. The EPA is
available for consultation with any
interested tribe.
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks
This action has tribal implications.
However, it will neither impose
substantial direct compliance costs on
federally recognized tribal governments,
nor preempt tribal law. Consistent with
the EPA Policy on Consultation and
Coordination with Indian Tribes (May 4,
2011),37 the EPA offered consultation on
the concerns addressed in this final
action, which include the lack of a
streamlined permitting for the U&O
Reservation should the area be
designated nonattainment. The EPA
conducted outreach on the issues
addressed by the previous rule through
ongoing monthly meetings with tribal
environmental professionals in the
development of the proposed action.38
We have held numerous consultations
with the Ute Indian Tribe, and
participated in numerous triballyconvened stakeholder and other
meetings, in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,
and 2019. We have also reached out to
the following stakeholders: (1) Oil and
natural gas operators and
representatives; (2) environmental
groups; (3) Federal Land Managers; and
(4) local county officials. These
consultations and meetings addressed,
at least in part, the issue that has
prompted this rulemaking, i.e., the need
expressed by the Ute Indian Tribe and
others for continued streamlined
authorizations to construct to continue
to be available on the U&O Reservation
as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. For a complete list
of these consultations and meetings,
including dates, locations and
The EPA interprets Executive Order
13045 as applying only to those
regulatory actions that concern
environmental health or safety risks that
the EPA has reason to believe may
disproportionately affect children, per
the definition of ‘‘covered regulatory
action’’ in section 2–202 of the
Executive Order. This action is not
subject to Executive Order 13045
because it does not establish an
environmental standard intended to
mitigate health or safety risks. The
action merely implements a previouslypromulgated FIP for oil and natural gas
sources in Indian country.40
O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Nonattainment Area,
which includes a streamlined
mechanism for authorizing construction
for meeting the obligation of the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule.
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F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
37 For more information, go to: https://
www.epa.gov/tribal/epa-policy-consultation-andcoordination-indian-tribes.
38 These monthly meetings are general in nature,
dealing with many air-related topics, and are not
specific to this proposed action.
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I. Executive Order 13211: Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution or Use
This action is not subject to Executive
Order 13211, because it is not a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866.
Through these amendments, we are: (1)
Extending geographically the National
O&NG FIP and its mechanism for
authorizing construction that effectively
provides a streamlined method for
implementing a pre-construction
permitting program for true minor
sources in the oil and natural gas sector
in areas covered by the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule, and (2)
continuing an approach that enables a
streamlined process, which helps
promote economic development by
minimizing delays in new construction.
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
This action is subject to the CRA, and
the EPA will submit a rule report to
each House of the Congress and to the
Comptroller General of the United
States. This action is not a ‘‘major rule’’
as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 49
Environmental protection,
Administrative practices and
procedures, Air pollution control,
Indians, Indians—law, Indians—tribal
government, Intergovernmental
relations, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: May 2, 2019.
Andrew R. Wheeler,
Administrator.
For the reasons set forth in the
preamble, 40 CFR part 49 is amended as
follows:
PART 49—INDIAN COUNTRY: AIR
QUALITY PLANNING AND
MANAGEMENT
1. The authority citation for part 49
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
J. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTAA)
Subpart C—General Federal
Implementation Plan Provisions
This action does not involve technical
standards.
■
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal
Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations
The EPA believes the amendments in
this action will not have potential
disproportionately high and adverse
human health or environmental effects
on minority or low-income populations.
39 ‘‘Meetings and Consultations Held with the Ute
Indian Tribe Concerning at Least Partly the National
Oil and Natural Gas Federal Implementation Plan
for Indian Country,’’ March 26, 2019, EPA–HQ–
OAR–2014–0606.
40 See 81 FR 35943, June 3, 2016, https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/201611969.pdf.
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2. In § 49.101, revise paragraph (c) and
add paragraph (e) to read as follows:
§ 49.101
Introduction.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) When must I comply with
§§ 49.101 through 49.105? You must
comply with §§ 49.101 through 49.105
on or after October 3, 2016.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) Notwithstanding paragraph
(b)(1)(v) of this section, oil and natural
gas sources located in the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area are subject
to §§ 49.101 through 49.105 (except for
paragraph (b)(1)(v)), provided
paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (iv) of this
section are also satisfied.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 93 / Tuesday, May 14, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
3. In § 49.102, add a definition for
‘‘Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area’’ in alphabetical order to read as
follows:
§ 49.102
Definitions.
*
*
*
*
*
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment
Area means the nonattainment area for
the Uinta Basin, or such parts or areas
of the Uinta Basin, as it is or may
hereafter be defined at 40 CFR part 81,
Designations of Areas for Air Quality
Purposes.
[FR Doc. 2019–09829 Filed 5–13–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA–R05–OAR–2018–0224; FRL–9993–54–
Region 5]
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Clean
Air Act (CAA), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is
redesignating the Lake County sulfur
dioxide (SO2) nonattainment area from
nonattainment to attainment. EPA is
also approving Ohio’s maintenance
plan, which Ohio submitted on April 9,
2018. EPA has approved Ohio’s State
Implementation Plan (SIP) for Lake
County, and the air quality in the area
is meeting the SO2 standard.
DATES: This final rule is effective on
May 14, 2019.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA–R05–OAR–2018–0224. All
documents in the docket are listed on
the www.regulations.gov website.
Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available,
i.e., Confidential Business Information
(CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, is not placed on
the internet and will be publicly
available only in hard copy form.
Publicly available docket materials are
available either through
www.regulations.gov or at the
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, 77
West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago,
Illinois 60604. This facility is open from
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I. Background
II. Public Comments
III. What action is EPA taking?
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews.
I. Background
Designation of Areas for Air Quality
Planning Purposes; Ohio;
Redesignation of the Lake County
Sulfur Dioxide Nonattainment Area
SUMMARY:
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding Federal holidays. We
recommend that you telephone Mary
Portanova, Environmental Engineer, at
(312) 353–5954, before visiting the
Region 5 office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Portanova, Environmental
Engineer, Control Strategies Section, Air
Programs Branch (AR18J),
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 353–5954,
portanova.mary@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document whenever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA. This supplementary information
section is arranged as follows:
In 2010, EPA established a revised
primary SO2 national ambient air
quality standard (NAAQS) of 75 parts
per billion (ppb) (75 FR 35520, June 22,
2010). EPA designated the Lake County
area as nonattainment for the 2010 SO2
NAAQS on August 5, 2013 (78 FR
47191) based upon air quality
monitoring data for calendar years
2009–2011. The Lake County
nonattainment area is comprised of the
entirety of Lake County, Ohio.
Ohio was required to prepare a
nonattainment plan that would provide
for attainment of the NAAQS by the SO2
attainment date of October 4, 2018 and
meet the requirements of sections 172(c)
and 191–192 of the CAA. Ohio
submitted its plan on April 3, 2015, and
supplemented it on October 13, 2015,
and on March 13, 2017. EPA approved
the Lake County nonattainment plan on
February 14, 2019 (84 FR 3986).
Under CAA section 107(d)(3)(E), there
are five criteria which must be met
before a nonattainment area may be
redesignated to attainment. The relevant
NAAQS must be attained in the area;
the applicable implementation plan
must be fully approved by EPA under
section 110(k); the improvement in air
quality must be determined to be due to
permanent and enforceable reductions
in emissions; the State must meet all
applicable requirements for the area
under section 110 and part D; and EPA
must fully approve a maintenance plan
and contingency plan for the area under
section 175A of the CAA. On March 8,
2019 (84 FR 8492), EPA proposed to
find that these five criteria have been
met for the Lake County nonattainment
area, and thus, EPA proposed to
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21253
redesignate Lake County from
nonattainment to attainment of the 2010
SO2 NAAQS.
II. Public Comments
EPA received no public comments on
the March 8, 2019 proposal to
redesignate Lake County.
III. What action is EPA taking?
EPA is redesignating the Lake County
nonattainment area from nonattainment
to attainment of the SO2 NAAQS. Ohio
has demonstrated that the area is
attaining the SO2 standard, and that the
improvement in air quality is due to
permanent and enforceable SO2
emission reductions in the
nonattainment area. EPA is also
approving Ohio’s maintenance plan,
which is designed to ensure that the
area will continue to maintain the SO2
standard.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d),
EPA finds there is good cause for these
actions to become effective immediately
upon publication. This is because a
delayed effective date is unnecessary
due to the nature of a redesignation to
attainment, which relieves the area from
certain CAA requirements that would
otherwise apply to it. The immediate
effective date for this action is
authorized under both 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(1), which provides that
rulemaking actions may become
effective less than 30 days after
publication if the rule ‘‘grants or
recognizes an exemption or relieves a
restriction,’’ and section 553(d)(3),
which allows an effective date less than
30 days after publication ‘‘as otherwise
provided by the agency for good cause
found and published with the rule.’’
The purpose of the 30-day waiting
period prescribed in section 553(d) is to
give affected parties a reasonable time to
adjust their behavior and prepare before
the final rule takes effect. This rule,
however, does not create any new
regulatory requirements such that
affected parties would need time to
prepare before the rule takes effect.
Rather, this rule relieves the State of
planning requirements for this PM2.5
nonattainment area. For these reasons,
EPA finds good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) for these actions to become
effective on the date of publication of
these actions.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under the CAA, redesignation of an
area to attainment and the
accompanying approval of the
maintenance plan under CAA section
107(d)(3)(E) are actions that affect the
status of the geographical area and do
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 93 (Tuesday, May 14, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21240-21253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09829]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 49
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0606; FRL-9993-43-OAR]
RIN 2060-AT96
Amendments to Federal Implementation Plan for Managing Air
Emissions From True Minor Sources in Indian Country in the Oil and
Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas Processing Segments of the Oil
and Natural Gas Sector
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing three
amendments to the existing National Oil and Natural Gas Federal
Implementation Plan (National O&NG FIP). This final rule applies to new
true minor sources and minor modifications at existing true minor
sources in the oil and natural gas production and natural gas
processing segments of the oil and natural gas sector that are locating
or expanding in Indian reservations or in other areas of Indian country
over which an Indian tribe, or the EPA, has demonstrated a tribe's
jurisdiction. The National O&NG FIP, which includes a mechanism for
authorizing construction of true minor new and modified oil and natural
gas sources, satisfies the minor source permitting requirement under
the Federal Minor New Source Review (NSR) Program in Indian Country
(Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule). We are finalizing two
amendments to apply the National O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The purpose of these two
amendments is make available the streamlined authorization to construct
process provided by the National O&NG FIP to the Uintah and Ouray
Reservation (U&O Reservation) as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. We are also finalizing a minor technical correction
to fix a typographical error in a provision of the National O&NG FIP.
DATES: The final rule is effective on May 14, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0606, at https://www.regulations.gov. All
documents in the docket are listed on the https://www.regulations.gov
website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly
available, e.g., Confidential Business
[[Page 21241]]
Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by
statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not
placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket materials are available electronically
through https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Christopher Stoneman, Outreach and
Information Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (C-
304-01), Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina 27711, telephone number (919) 541-0823, facsimile number (919)
541-0072, email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information presented in this preamble
is organized as follows:
I. General Information
A. What entities are potentially affected by this action?
B. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related
information?
C. Effective Date of This Rulemaking
II. Purpose of This Final Action
A. Overview
B. Rationale for Final Action
III. Background
IV. Amendments to Regulations
V. Summary of Comments and Responses
A. Comments Pertaining To Extending the Applicability of the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area
B. Legal Authority To Extend Applicability of the National O&NG
FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area
C. Non-Air Quality Impacts of Extending or Not Extending the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area
D. Timing of Nonattainment Designation Process for Newly
Designated Indian Country Areas as it Relates to Timing of This
Rulemaking Action
E. Uintah and Ouray Reservation-Specific FIP
F. Out-of-Scope Comments
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and
Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing Regulations and Controlling
Regulatory Costs
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With
Indian Tribal Governments
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks
I. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution or Use
J. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
I. General Information
A. What entities are potentially affected by this action?
Entities potentially affected by this final action include the Ute
Indian Tribe,\1\ as well as new and modified true minor sources that
are in the oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing
segments of the oil and natural gas sector and that are in the Indian
country \2\ portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. All
the Indian country lands located within the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area, of which the EPA is aware, are Ute Indian Tribe
Indian country lands. Further, all of the Ute Indian Tribe Indian
country lands of which the EPA is aware are located within the exterior
boundaries of the U&O Reservation, and these amendments will apply to
such lands. To the extent that there are Ute Indian Tribe dependent
Indian communities under 18 U.S.C. 1151(b) or allotted lands under 18
U.S.C. 1151(c) that are located outside the exterior boundaries of the
Reservation, those lands will not be covered by these amendments.\3\
This action amends the National O&NG FIP, which only applies in Indian
country, and it does not broaden its application to areas outside of
Indian country. This final rule will not apply to any sources not in
Indian country lands, including any areas within the exterior
boundaries of the Reservation that are not Indian country lands.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Ute Indian Tribe is a federally recognized tribe
organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, with a
Constitution and By-Laws adopted by the Ute Indian Tribe on December
19, 1936, and approved by the Secretary of the Interior on January
19, 1937. See Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive
Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, 83 FR
34863, 34866 (July 23, 2018); 48 Stat. 984, 25 U.S.C. 5123 (IRA);
Constitution and By-Laws of the Ute Indian Tribe of the U&O
Reservation, available at: https://www.loc.gov/law/help/american-indian-consts/PDF/37026342.pdf.
\2\ Indian country is defined in the National O&NG FIP at 40 CFR
49.102, which adopts the definition at section 49.152 of the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule. 40 CFR 49.152 references 18 U.S.C.
1151, which defines Indian country as: (a) All land within the
limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the
United States Government, notwithstanding the issuance of any
patent, and, including rights-of-way running through the
reservation, (b) all dependent Indian communities within the borders
of the United States whether within the original or subsequently
acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits
of a state, and (c) all Indian allotments, the Indian titles to
which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way running
through the same. In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C.
Circuit addressed the EPA's authority to promulgate the FIP
establishing the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR program (as well
as another NSR permitting program) in Indian country. Oklahoma Dept.
of Environmental Quality v. EPA, 740 F. 3d 185 (D.C. Cir. 2014). In
that case, the court recognized the EPA's authority to promulgate a
FIP to directly administer CAA programs on Indian reservations, but
invalidated the FIP at issue as applied to non-reservation areas of
Indian country in the absence of a demonstration of an Indian
tribe's jurisdiction over such non-reservation area. To address this
court decision, section 49.152 notes that the geographic scope of
the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule is addressed at 40 CFR
49.151(c)(1). As described below, because the current revisions to
the National O&NG FIP would apply only on Indian country lands that
are within the exterior boundaries of the U&O Reservation, i.e., on
Reservation lands, they are unaffected by the Oklahoma court
decision.
\3\ Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), lands held in trust for the
use of an Indian tribe are reservation lands within the definition
at 18 U.S.C. 1151(a), regardless of whether the land is formally
designated as a reservation. See Indian Tribes: Air Quality Planning
and Management, 63 FR 7254, 7258 (1998) (``Tribal Authority Rule'');
Arizona Pub. Serv. Co. v. EPA, 211 F.3d 1280, 1285-86 (D.C. Cir.
2000). The EPA's references in this FIP to Indian country lands
within the exterior boundaries of the U&O Reservation include any
such tribal trust lands that may be acquired by the Ute Indian
Tribe.
\4\ Because of a series of federal court decisions, there are
some areas within the exterior boundaries of the U&O Reservation
that are not Indian country lands. See Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 521
F. Supp. 1072 (D. Utah 1981); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 716 F.2d
1298 (10th Cir. 1983); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 773 F.2d 1087 (10th
Cir. 1985) (en banc), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 994 (1986); Hagen v.
Utah, 510 U.S. 399 (1994); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 935 F. Supp.
1473 (D. Utah 1996); Ute Indian Tribe v. Utah, 114 F.3d 1513 (10th
Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 522 U.S. 1107 (1998); Ute Indian Tribe v.
Utah, 790 F.3d 1000 (10th Cir. 2015), cert. denied, 136 S. Ct. 1451
(2016); and Ute Indian Tribe v. Myton, 835 F.3d 1255 (10th Cir.
2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 2328 (2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The list in Table 1 is not intended to necessarily be exhaustive,
but rather to provide a guide for readers regarding entities likely to
be potentially affected by this action. To determine whether your
facility could be affected by this action, you should examine the
applicability criteria in the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule and
the National O&NG FIP (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 49.153 and
49.101, respectively). If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, contact the
appropriate person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section.
[[Page 21242]]
Table 1--Source Categories Affected by This Action
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Examples of regulated
Industry category NAICS code \a\ entities/description of
industry category
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oil and Natural Gas Production/ 21111 Exploration for crude
Operations. petroleum and natural
gas; drilling,
completing, and
equipping wells;
operation of
separators, emulsion
breakers, desilting
equipment, and field
gathering lines for
crude petroleum and
natural gas; and all
other activities in
the preparation of oil
and natural gas up to
the point of shipment
from the producing
property.
Production of crude
petroleum, the mining
and extraction of oil
from oil shale and oil
sands, the production
of natural gas, sulfur
recovery from natural
gas, and the recovery
of hydrocarbon liquids
from oil and natural
gas field gases.
Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas 211111 Exploration,
Extraction. development and/or the
production of
petroleum or natural
gas from wells in
which the hydrocarbons
will initially flow or
can be produced using
normal pumping
techniques or
production of crude
petroleum from surface
shales or tar sands or
from reservoirs in
which the hydrocarbons
are semisolids.
Natural Gas Liquid Extraction.. 211112 Recovery of liquid
hydrocarbons from oil
and natural gas field
gases; and sulfur
recovery from natural
gas.
Drilling Oil and Natural Gas 213111 Drilling oil and
Wells. natural gas wells for
others on a contract
or fee basis,
including spudding in,
drilling in,
redrilling, and
directional drilling.
Support Activities for Oil and 213112 Performing support
Natural Gas Operations. activities on a
contract or fee basis
for oil and natural
gas operations (except
site preparation and
related construction
activities) such as
exploration (except
geophysical surveying
and mapping);
excavating slush pits
and cellars, well
surveying; running,
cutting, and pulling
casings, tubes, and
rods; cementing wells,
shooting wells;
perforating well
casings; acidizing and
chemically treating
wells; and cleaning
out, bailing, and
swabbing wells.
Engines (Spark Ignition and 22111 Provision of electric
Compression Ignition) for power to support oil
Electric Power Generation. and natural gas
production where
access to the electric
grid is unavailable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a North American Industry Classification System.
B. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related
information?
In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of
this final rule will also be available on the World Wide Web. Following
signature by the EPA Administrator, a copy of this final rule will be
posted in the regulations and standards section of our NSR home page
located at https://www.epa.gov/nsr and on the tribal NSR page at
https://www.epa.gov/tribal-air/tribal-minor-new-source-review.
C. Effective Date of This Rulemaking
This final rule is effective immediately upon publication. The
Administrative Procedure Act (APA) provides that final rules shall not
become effective until 30 days after publication in the Federal
Register, except for, among other exceptions, ``a substantive rule
which grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction.'' 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(1). In the absence of this final action, the streamlined
authorization to construct process associated with the National O&NG
FIP would be unavailable to oil and natural gas sources constructing or
modifying in the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area, and such sources otherwise would have to comply
with the site-specific permitting requirements of the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule to locate or expand on the U&O Reservation. The
amendments finalized today allow such sources to comply with the O&NG
National FIP instead of having to obtain permits under the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule that would otherwise apply in
nonattainment areas because of a limitation on the applicability of the
National O&NG FIP. The purpose of the generally applicable 30-day
delayed effective date is to ``give affected parties a reasonable time
to adjust their behavior before the final rule takes effect.''
Omnipoint Corp. v. FCC, 78 F.3d 620, 630 (D.C. Cir. 1996). Here,
affected sources are not subject to additional, new requirements such
that they may need time to adjust their behavior before the rule takes
effect, but are relieved of the requirement to follow just one
specified permitting procedure and afforded the option to take
advantage of an otherwise unavailable, streamlined approach to obtain
authorization for construction. Accordingly, this action is excepted
from the generally applicable APA 30-day delayed effective date
requirement.\5\
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\5\ The APA provides another exception to the general
requirement that final rules shall not become effective until 30
days after publication in the Federal Register: Except ``as
otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found and published
with the rule.'' 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). In determining whether good
cause exists to waive the 30-day delay, an agency should ``balance
the necessity for immediate implementation against principles of
fundamental fairness which require that all affected persons be
afforded a reasonable amount of time to prepare for the effective
date of its ruling.'' U.S. v Gavrilovic, 551 F.2d 1099, 1105 (8th
Cir. 1977). Here, affected sources are not adversely affected by
making this action effective upon publication and fundamental
fairness does not require that sources be prohibited from taking
advantage of streamlined permitting of the National O&NG FIP for at
least 30 days after publication. To the contrary, sources that can
immediately pursue streamlined authorizations to construct may do so
and sources that opt not to do so may still utilize the site-
specific permitting approach of the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR
rule. Under these circumstances, the EPA also finds that there is
good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make this rule effective
immediately upon publication.
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II. Purpose of This Final Action
A. Overview
In this action, after considering the comments received, the EPA is
finalizing amendments to the National O&NG FIP \6\ consistent with the
[[Page 21243]]
authorities and requirements of sections 301(a), 301(d)(4) and
110(a)(2)(C) of the CAA and 40 CFR 49.11. The rule extends coverage of
the FIP to eligible true minor new and modified oil and natural gas
sources in the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area, making the FIP available as a mechanism for
authorizing construction in that area. (The Indian country lands within
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area to which these amendments
apply are on the U&O Reservation.) The Uinta Basin is a petroleum-
producing region that contains thousands of active oil and natural gas
wells. Oil and natural gas production activity in the area is the
primary source of anthropogenic emissions of volatile organic compounds
(VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX), ozone precursors that react
to form wintertime ozone in the presence of sunlight and widespread
snow cover.\7\
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\6\ ``Federal Implementation Plan for True Minor Sources in
Indian Country in the Oil and Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas
Processing Segments of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector; Amendments to
the Federal Minor New Source Review Program in Indian Country to
Address Requirements for True Minor Sources in the Oil and Natural
Gas Sector,'' U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 81 FR 35943,
June 3, 2016, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/2016-11969.pdf.
\7\ For more information, see: ``Ozone in the Uinta Basin,''
https://deq.utah.gov/legacy/destinations/u/uintah-basin/ozone/overview.htm, accessed August 16, 2018.
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The National O&NG FIP currently provides a mechanism for
authorizing construction for eligible true minor oil and natural gas
sources wishing to locate or expand in areas of Indian country
designated as attainment, unclassifiable and attainment/unclassifiable.
As promulgated in 2016, it does not apply in areas designated as
nonattainment.\8\ In 2012, the counties in the Uinta Basin were
designated as unclassifiable with respect to the 2008 ozone National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS),\9\ and those areas were not
designated as nonattainment with any NAAQS until 2018. Thus, when the
National O&NG FIP became effective on August 2, 2016, it was available
as a streamlined option for authorizing construction in the U&O
Reservation, and owners and operators of eligible oil and natural gas
sources were able to use that streamlined approach from that date.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ See 40 CFR 49.101(b)(1)(v).
\9\ ``Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone National
Ambient Air Quality Standards; Implementation of the 2008 National
Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone: Nonattainment Area
Classifications Approach, Attainment Deadlines and Revocation of the
1997 Ozone Standards for Transportation Conformity Purposes,'' U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 77 FR 30087, May 21, 2012, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-05-21/pdf/2012-11618.pdf.
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However, on June 4, 2018, the EPA designated portions of the Uinta
Basin as nonattainment with respect to the 2015 ozone NAAQS, and that
designation became effective on August 3, 2018.\10\ On that date, the
Indian country portion of the nonattainment area fell out of the
National O&NG FIP's coverage. Thus, the area currently lacks a
streamlined mechanism to authorize construction of true minor new and
modified oil and natural gas sources.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ ``Additional Air Quality Designations for the 2015 Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standards,'' U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-04/pdf/2018-11838.pdf.
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With this final action, the EPA is ensuring that the National O&NG
FIP's streamlined approach for authorizing construction and
requirements to comply with various emission standards and standards of
performance will re-apply on the U&O Reservation. The EPA intends to
further address air quality in the Uinta Basin through a separate U&O
Reservation-specific FIP \11\ containing requirements to reduce ozone-
forming emissions from oil and natural gas sources on Indian country
lands within the U&O Reservation. Through that rulemaking, the EPA will
further address the Uinta Basin's air quality situation in an area-
specific manner.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ The rulemaking is listed on the Office of Management and
Budget's Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. For
more information, go to: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201710&RIN=2008-AA03. In the Agenda, the
rulemaking appears as: ``Federal Implementation Plan for Oil and
Natural Gas Sources; Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Utah.''
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B. Rationale for Final Action
In the preamble to the final June 2016 National O&NG FIP, we
indicated that we could extend the geographic coverage of the FIP to
nonattainment areas, although we anticipated that we would also address
emissions from oil and natural gas sources in separate area-specific
FIPs. Specifically, we stated that the EPA could ``potentially apply
the national FIP's requirements as appropriate to nonattainment areas
where the EPA has established a separate, area-specific FIP.'' \12\ We
described the need to develop area-specific plans if and when areas of
Indian country were designated nonattainment. Further, we specifically
noted concern about the air quality problem in the Uinta Basin and
indicated our expectation to propose a separate U&O Reservation-
specific FIP to address the issue in this particular area.\13\
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\12\ See 81 FR 35943, 35946, June 3, 2016, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/2016-11969.pdf.
\13\ See 81 FR 35943, 35975, June 3, 2016, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/2016-11969.pdf.
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At the time that the National O&NG FIP was issued there were no
areas officially designated as nonattainment in Indian country with oil
and natural gas activity. In the absence of any such areas but
anticipating the possibility, the EPA initially opted to not apply the
National O&NG FIP in such areas, recognizing that whether and to what
extent it might be extended to apply to nonattainment areas could be
subsequently evaluated in the event of particular, relevant
nonattainment designations, such as in the Uinta Basin. As noted above,
the EPA previously did anticipate that, in the event of a nonattainment
designation applicable to the Uinta Basin, it likely would not extend
the National O&NG FIP until after the EPA had issued an area-specific
nonattainment FIP, but that particular anticipatory view was not
expressly set out in the relevant regulatory text. Now, faced with an
actual nonattainment designation for the Uinta Basin, the EPA is
required to address the question of whether the National O&NG FIP
should be extended to nonattainment areas in the context of an actual
tribal nonattainment area with O&NG activity.
Upon careful consideration of an actual, specific nonattainment
determination, the EPA has determined that, under the particular
circumstances presented, the National O&NG FIP may be extended narrowly
to cover the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. The EPA is not completely eliminating or changing
the applicability parameters of the National O&NG FIP, but instead
creating only a narrow exception to the limitation on its application
in nonattainment areas, such that it may apply in the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area.
In light of the actual nonattainment designation, the EPA now has
more carefully assessed the question of the applicability of the
National O&NG FIP in one specific such area--the Indian country portion
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area--and, unlike what the EPA
preliminarily had anticipated in connection with the June 2016
publication of the National O&NG FIP (but had not been required to
definitively address), the EPA is satisfied that extending the National
O&NG FIP will be adequately protective of air quality for the reasons
stated here.
[[Page 21244]]
That decision is made in consideration of comments received in response
to the EPA's proposal and various other factors, including the extent
and nature of the particular air quality concerns in the Uinta Basin,
the nature of the nonattainment designation (e.g., Marginal
nonattainment), the protections and controls associated with the
National O&NG FIP, and the recent nature and extent of oil and natural
gas development in the Uinta Basin.
Moreover, the CAA provides the EPA with significant authority to
manage air quality in Indian country.\14\ Here, the EPA is exercising
that authority judiciously, consistent with the goals and basic
requirements of the statute. The National O&NG FIP remains inapplicable
to non-attainment areas, but the EPA has used our authority in a
limited manner to extend the reach of the National O&NG FIP to only the
Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. As
discussed below, we believe that the area will have adequate air
quality protection in the near future as sources expanding or locating
in the U&O Reservation adopt emissions controls required by the
National O&NG FIP. This process is reasonable and adequately protective
of air quality, while ensuring the Ute Indian Tribe can continue to
benefit from economic development and industry can properly plan its
activities. Commenters will have an opportunity to comment on the
measures in the U&O Reservation-specific FIP that we will propose for
the area to further protect its air quality in the longer term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ CAA section 110(a)(2)(C) is part of the foundation for the
minor NSR program, and it requires states to submit plans that
include programs for the regulation of ``the modification and
construction of any stationary source.'' Further, section
110(a)(2)(C) of the CAA requires state plans to include ``a program
to provide for the . . . regulation of the modification and
construction of any stationary source within the areas covered by
the plan as necessary to assure that national ambient air quality
standards are achieved, including a permit program as required in
parts C and D of this subchapter.'' CAA section 110(c) also
authorizes the EPA to promulgate a Federal implementation plan in
the absence of a satisfactory state plan. CAA section 301(a)
generally authorizes the EPA to prescribe regulations as are
necessary to carry out its functions under the Act. Section 301(d)
of the CAA authorizes the EPA to treat Indian tribes in the same
manner as states and directs the EPA to promulgate regulations
specifying those provisions of the CAA for which such treatment is
appropriate. (CAA sections 301(d)(1) and (2)). It also authorizes
the EPA, in circumstances in which the EPA determines that the
treatment of Indian tribes as identical to states is inappropriate
or administratively infeasible, to provide by regulation other means
by which the EPA will directly administer the CAA. (CAA section
301(d)(4)). Acting principally pursuant to that authority, on
February 12, 1998, (``Indian Tribes: Air Quality Planning and
Management,'' U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 63 FR 7254,
February 12, 1998, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1998-02-12/pdf/98-3451.pdf.) the EPA promulgated what we refer to as the Tribal
Authority Rule (TAR). (40 CFR 49.1-49.11). In the TAR, we determined
that it was appropriate to treat tribes in the same manner as states
for all CAA and regulatory purposes except a list of specified CAA
provisions and implementing regulations thereunder. (40 CFR 49.4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The narrow extension of the National O&NG FIP reflected in this
rule will provide coverage under the National O&NG FIP for the Indian
country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area now that
the EPA's nonattainment designation of a portion of the Uinta Basin is
effective. The EPA's work on a separate rulemaking to establish a U&O
Reservation-specific FIP remains ongoing and may be completed before
the start of the 2019-2020 winter season in the Uinta Basin.
Nonetheless, while the EPA continues its work on the U&O Reservation-
specific FIP, we have decided to finalize this action before that work
is completed. We believe that this approach is reasonable and
appropriate for several reasons, as discussed in this notice,
including:
First, the National O&NG FIP will help ensure that emissions from
new and modified true minor sources are well-controlled.\15\ In
particular, it requires that all new and modified oil and natural gas
production facilities and natural gas processing plants comply, as
applicable, with eight federal emission standards--five New Source
Performance Standards and three National Emissions Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants.\16\ These standards control emissions of VOC,
NOX, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM,
PM10, PM2.5), hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide
and various sulfur compounds from the following units/processes in the
oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing segments of
the oil and natural gas sector: Compression ignition and spark ignition
engines; process heaters; combustion turbines; fuel storage tanks;
glycol dehydrators; completion of hydraulically fractured oil and
natural gas wells; reciprocating and centrifugal compressors (except
those located at well sites); pneumatic controllers; pneumatic pumps;
storage vessels; and fugitive emissions from well sites, compressor
stations and natural gas processing plants. We believe that these
controls are sufficiently strict that authorizing construction of new
or modified minor sources, under the relevant circumstances, will allow
only modest, incremental increases in emissions, and will be adequately
protective of air quality in the U&O Reservation during the period of
time following the finalization of this rule, while we complete the
separate rulemaking to establish a U&O Reservation-specific FIP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ The CAA does not specifically prohibit the construction of
new minor sources in designated nonattainment areas like the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. Nor does the CAA specifically
require the EPA to engage in any particular analysis before
authorizing construction of new or modified minor sources in such
areas. Here, the EPA has determined, under the particular
circumstances presented, that extending the National O&NG FIP to the
Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area,
while continuing to develop the U&O Reservation-specific FIP, is
adequately protective of air quality.
\16\ See 40 CFR 49.105.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second, we believe this is the case especially considering the
slower growth of oil and natural gas sources on the U&O Reservation
over the past two and a half years since August 2016 when the National
O&NG FIP became effective. Since that time, we have seen limited
construction of new and modified oil and natural gas sources on the U&O
Reservation. Oil and natural gas sources planning to construct on or
after October 3, 2016 have been required to either comply with the
National O&NG FIP or to seek a minor source permit under the generally
applicable (site-specific) permit provisions of the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule.\17\ Sources complying with the National O&NG
FIP are required to meet a two-part registration requirement: The Part
1 Registration Form is submitted 30 days before a source begins
construction and contains information about source location and the
Part 2 Registration Form is submitted within 60 days after the startup
of production and contains information about emissions.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ See 40 CFR 49.151(c)(1)(iii)(B).
\18\ See 40 CFR 49.160(c)(1)(iv).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since October 2016, we have received only 122 Part 1 Registration
Forms from sources planning on constructing a new or modified true
minor oil and natural gas sources on the U&O Reservation. Of these,
only 41 have submitted Part 2 Registration Forms.\19\ The 41 sources
covered by the Part 2 Forms estimate their total annual allowable (or
potential) emissions to be about 623 tons per year (tpy) of VOC
emissions,
[[Page 21245]]
the chief pollutant of concern for the winter ozone problem in the
Uinta Basin. As compared to the overall VOC emissions inventory in the
U&O Reservation (about 72,718 tpy), the increase in total allowable (or
potential) emissions represented by these 41 sources is very small (0.9
percent average increase per year). And, as a practical matter, it
could be even smaller, since the actual emissions could be less than
the allowable emissions.\20\ We believe that this low growth rate for
new and modified minor sources may continue for the short term, during
which time we plan to complete the U&O Reservation-specific FIP.\21\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ These numbers (i.e., 122 Part 1 Registration Forms and 41
Part 2 Registration Forms) cover only the period during the National
O&NG FIP applied from October 2016 until the during or Uinta Basin
nonattainment designation became effective in August 2018. Since
August 2018, the EPA has received only one permit application from
Encana Corporation/Newfield Exploration Company concerning a source
modification; other operators have approached the EPA requesting
pre-application meetings to gather information on what would be
required for a permit application (Anadarko and Andeavor, in
addition to Encana Corporation/Newfield Exploration Company).
\20\ See Microsoft Excel spreadsheet titled ``ONGFIP
Registrations_3-7-19.xlsx'' in the docket for this rule (Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0606).
\21\ There are indications, however, that some owners or
operators have taken preliminary steps indicative of longer-range
plans for greater development in the Uinta Basin, including
requesting approvals from the Bureau of Land Management and the
Bureau of Indian Affairs. See, for example: (1) https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=62904&dctmId=0b0003e880ba28f6; (2) https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/legacyProjectSite.do?methodName=renderLegacyProjectSite&projectId=72548; and (3) https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=53899&dctmId=0b0003e88092c30b.
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Third, it is generally accepted in the field of oil and natural gas
production that a production well's output (and associated emissions)
peaks during the initial period of production and generally declines
thereafter over time. That rate of decline is difficult to precisely
quantify and can vary from well to well and from basin petroleum play
to basin petroleum play. Nonetheless, it is a phenomenon that does
occur and is generally accepted.\22\ For example, the CAA permitting
authorities for several oil and natural gas-producing states allow for
the use of a decline factor in calculating potential emissions of
production sources.\23\ These emissions declines over time are relevant
here because declines in emissions from existing oil and natural gas
sources in the Uinta Basin could at least partially ``offset'' any
increases from new or modified minor sources taking advantage of the
streamlined authorization to construct process in the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area.24 25
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\22\ See ``Analysis of Decline Curves,'' J.J. Arps, British-
American Oil Producing Company, Society of Petroleum Engineers,
December 1945, https://www.pe.tamu.edu/blasingame/data/z_zCourse_Archive/P648_15A/P648_15A_Lectures_(working_lectures)/
20150402_P648_15A_Lec_15_AIME_1758_(Arps)_%5bPDF%5d.pdf.
\23\ See ``Oil and Gas Production Facilities Chapter 6, Section
2 Permitting Guidance,'' Revised May 2016, page 42, https://deq.wyoming.gov/media/attachments/Air%20Quality/New%20Source%20Review/Guidance%20Documents/5-12-2016%20Oil%20and%20Gas%20Guidance.pdf.
\24\ This is not to say that the EPA believes that any such
general decline trends are sufficient, alone, such that further
measures or steps will not be needed to further ensure that the
Uinta Basin achieves cleaner air quality and, ultimately,
attainment.
\25\ In addition, the EPA, as ``Reviewing Authority,'' retains
the discretion, even under the National O&NG FIP, to require sources
``to obtain a source-specific permit to ensure protection of the
[NAAQS].'' 40 CFR 49.101(b)(3). Accordingly, contrary to the EPA's
current expectations, in the event that the extension of coverage of
the National O&NG FIP to this nonattainment area may lead to serious
concerns about adequate protection of the NAAQS, the EPA retains the
authority, notwithstanding the potential availability of the
streamlined permitting, to require site-specific permitting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, it should be noted that, with the separate U&O
Reservation-specific FIP that the EPA intends to pursue, the approach
we expect to take goes beyond what comparable nonattainment areas
classified as Marginal are required to submit on state-managed lands
when an area under state jurisdiction is designated Marginal
nonattainment for ozone. Under section 182(a) of the CAA, for the Uinta
Basin Marginal Ozone Nonattainment Area for the 2015 ozone standard, a
revised State Implementation Plan (SIP) must be prepared for the non-
Indian country portion of the area. Under section 182(a) of the CAA,
Marginal ozone nonattainment areas are required to submit and/or
address a baseline emissions inventory, a nonattainment NSR permitting
program, and general conformity. With respect to nonattainment NSR, new
and modified major sources are required to obtain 1.1 tons of emissions
offsets for each ton of emissions increase and are subject to stringent
emissions controls (called Lowest Achievable Emission Rate). Under
section 182(a) of the CAA, a State with a marginal nonattainment area
is not required to submit a SIP demonstrating attainment of the ozone
NAAQS. The U&O Reservation-specific FIP the EPA plans to propose to do
so in an expeditious manner is expected to include emissions reductions
measures which will represent more than what comparable areas
classified as Marginal are required to submit on state-managed lands.
And the nonattainment designation for the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area (which includes the U&O Reservation) was only
effective in August of last year.
In conclusion, for the multiple reasons stated, the EPA believes
that this action--along with the EPA's related, forthcoming action to
issue a separate, area-specific FIP--will be protective of air quality
on the U&O Reservation, while maintaining a mechanism for authorizing
construction that helps ensure continued responsible oil and natural
gas production on the U&O Reservation. Even if this action may be
regarded as reflecting some difference from how the EPA previously
anticipated it would proceed, an agency may change its course and must
have ample latitude to adapt their rules and policies to changing
circumstances. When an agency changes course, its action ordinarily is
not subject to a more searching review, and the agency need only
provide a reasoned explanation for its action. To the extent that the
EPA's decision to make a limited extension of the application of the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area is viewed as a change of course, the EPA's
action is permissible under the CAA and the reasons articulated provide
a sound basis for this action. The EPA has decided that this approach
is a reasonable course, in light of the particular facts and
circumstances associated with this specific nonattainment designation,
the area in question, the recent nature and extent of oil and natural
gas development in the area, the protections afforded by the National
O&NG FIP, and the Agency's on-going development of the area-specific
FIP. We believe that the action is protective of air quality, meets the
requirements of the CAA and provides a much-needed method for
streamlining construction authorizations that the Ute Indian Tribe and
industry are seeking. Finally, based on feedback from the Ute Indian
Tribe leadership, continued oil and natural gas production is important
for the maintenance of the local tribal economy, as the Ute Indian
Tribe is dependent upon oil and natural gas revenue for its economic
prosperity.
III. Background
In the proposed rule,\26\ we provided background information on
several topics relating to this rulemaking. We suggest interested
parties consult the proposed action for that background information, as
we are not repeating it here. The following topics were covered in the
background discussion: (1) Indian country FIPs, including the Federal
Indian Country Minor NSR rule and the National O&NG FIP; (2) areas for
which the EPA received comment on the National O&NG FIP relevant to
this
[[Page 21246]]
action; (3) the Uinta Basin air quality and nonattainment designation;
and (4) the authority for this action. In terms of updates on the
background information since the proposal, the nonattainment
designation for the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area has been
finalized and, as noted, became effective on August 3, 2018.\27\
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\26\ See 83 FR 20775, 20781-20784, May 8, 2018, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-05-08/pdf/2018-09652.pdf.
\27\ See 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-04/pdf/2018-11838.pdf.
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IV. Amendments to Regulations
For the reasons described above, this action executes two
amendments to the National O&NG FIP to extend its application to
eligible true minor oil and natural gas sources in the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The FIP provides a
streamlined mechanism for authorizing construction of oil and gas
sources. We also are also correcting a typographical error in Sec.
49.101(c).
First, this action makes two amendments to the regulation to extend
the scope of the FIP to include the area described above. In the first
of these two amendments, this action adds a new subparagraph to the
CFR, to be codified at Sec. 49.101(e). In the new subparagraph, we
narrowly extend the geographic scope of the National O&NG FIP to cover
eligible true minor oil and natural gas sources seeking to locate or
expand in the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. This extension of coverage to this one
nonattainment area does not otherwise alter the National O&NG FIP's
current geographic coverage of attainment, unclassifiable and
attainment/unclassifiable areas regarding the rest of Indian country
across the nation. The geographically limited extension is in addition
to the current coverage. Under this amendment, true minor oil and
natural gas sources in the oil and natural gas production and natural
gas processing segments of the oil and natural gas sector wishing to
locate or expand in the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area will also have to meet the criteria under Sec.
49.101(b)(1) to qualify, except for Sec. 49.101(b)(1)(v). Section
49.101(b)(1)(v) contains the requirement governing the primary
geographic scope of the National O&NG FIP and prevents the FIP from
applying in the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The new Sec.
49.101(e) displaces existing Sec. 49.101(b)(1)(v) for Indian country
within the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area--and only for that area
of Indian country.
To accomplish this extension, it is also necessary to execute a
second amendment to the regulation, to define the boundaries of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area to which the National O&G FIP
applies under this final rule. To accomplish this, the EPA incorporates
the boundaries for the nonattainment area for the Uinta Basin, or areas
within the Uinta Basin, as defined at 40 CFR part 81, Designations of
Areas for Air Quality Purposes. This action does not govern the
development and final decision of the boundaries for the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area. Instead, the regulatory and other processes
that have occurred within and outside the EPA and between the EPA and
state and tribal governments determined those boundaries, and this
action takes those boundaries as given.
Finally, this action makes a typographical correction to Sec.
49.101(c), which currently reads: ``When must I comply with Sec. Sec.
49.101 through 49.105? You must comply with Sec. Sec. 49.101 through
49.101 on or after October 3, 2016.'' This provision is supposed to
reference Sec. Sec. 49.101 through 49.105, as the title indicates. We
are correcting it to read: ``When must I comply with Sec. Sec. 49.101
through 49.105? You must comply with Sec. Sec. 49.101 through 49.105
on or after October 3, 2016.'' The EPA believes that this is a
correction of a self-evident scrivener's error (in that EPA plainly
intended the second ``101'' to instead read ``105'') and does not
constitute a substantive change of the existing regulatory provision.
V. Summary of Comments and Responses
A. Comments Pertaining to Extending the Applicability of the National
O&NG FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area
Four oil and natural gas industry commenters, one Indian tribe and
one state agency commenter supported extending the applicability of the
National O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area. As summarized and discussed in the following
paragraphs, these commenters cited several main arguments in their
support of the amendments.
Comment #1: Two oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the EPA that extending the National
O&NG FIP is an appropriate path forward while the agency works through
the nonattainment process for the area.
One oil and natural gas industry commenter stated that the
amendments are a reasonable exercise of the EPA's discretion in
regulating minor source emissions and that the proposed action is a
sensible solution to address emissions from minor source oil and gas
operations on tribal land. One oil and natural gas industry commenter
and one Indian tribe commenter expressed that the proposed action is a
reasonable and environmentally protective way to address emissions
during the period between designation and implementation of the
attainment plan, while preventing the development in the Basin from
coming to a standstill.
Two oil and natural gas industry commenters and one state agency
commenter agreed with the EPA's identification of several consequences
of not extending the National O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion of
the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. The commenters stated that
many producers that operate in Indian country have come to rely on the
streamlined approach that is available through the National O&NG FIP
and will now be required to seek site-specific permits for new and
modified sources. The commenters asserted that this would subject O&NG
development on the U&O Reservation to variable and uncertain timelines
and requirements. One state agency commenter added that, based on
discussions with Utah's Division of Air Quality about future permitting
requirements for companies that are operating on projects that overlap
in and out of Indian country and in and out of attainment and
nonattainment areas, it is complicated for government attorneys to
understand, and a challenging issue for industry.
Response #1: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees to
extend the coverage of the National O&NG FIP to the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. We believe that
extending coverage is reasonable and can be done in an environmentally
protective manner. We recognize that the site-specific permitting that
is available as an alternative to the National O&NG FIP poses less
certain and more variable timetables and can be more challenging and
complicated than the streamlined process. We believe that extending the
National O&NG FIP and resuming streamlined authorizations to construct
that had been available in the area before the nonattainment
designation will help alleviate these concerns.
Comment #2: Four oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the EPA's position that extending
the National O&NG FIP would provide a much-needed, streamlined
construction authorization mechanism for the U&O
[[Page 21247]]
Reservation. One oil and natural gas industry commenter and one Indian
tribe commenter noted that it is important that there be a streamlined
mechanism for obtaining construction authorization in the Uinta Basin
so there is no gap in coverage while the EPA and the Ute Indian Tribe
develop and adopt a U&O Reservation-specific FIP for the U&O
Reservation. One Indian tribe commenter noted that without the adoption
of the proposed amendments to the National O&NG FIP, the EPA would face
the administrative burden of processing hundreds of true minor source
permits within a short time frame. One oil and natural gas industry
commenter noted that the amendments allow the Agency to focus its
resources on a reservation-specific regulatory scheme.
Response #2: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees to
extend the coverage of the National O&NG FIP to the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. We believe that
extending coverage of the National O&NG FIP will provide a more
efficient and certain path for affected true minor sources. We have
sought to minimize the gap in streamlined construction authorizations
that began after the nonattainment designation became effective, and we
are also working on completing the U&O Reservation-specific FIP. We
also agree that extending the National O&NG FIP will enable the Agency
to focus on completing the U&O Reservation-specific FIP, instead of
having to process site-specific permits.
Comment #3: Three oil and natural gas industry commenters noted
that the extension of the National O&NG FIP will help to make sure that
the Ute Indian Tribe is treated fairly by avoiding a potential
disparity in the regulatory landscape in the newly designated
nonattainment area in comparison to surrounding areas and other areas
of Indian country covered by the National O&NG FIP. One oil and natural
gas industry commenter, referring to the Utah Division of Air Quality's
streamlined Permit by Rule process, stated that the extension of the
National O&NG FIP will help end the EPA's allegedly discriminatory
approach to the development of Tribal minerals.
Response #3: Finalizing this proposal and extending the streamlined
authorization process to the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin
Ozone Nonattainment Area will enhance consistency by ensuring that
there are similar authorization processes available to sources in
Indian country and other areas. In particular, in the portion of the
Uinta Basin under Utah jurisdiction, the state has a permit by rule
program available that is also streamlined, like the streamlined
authorization to construct process provided by the National O&NG FIP.
Oil and natural gas sources wishing to construct on lands in the Uinta
Basin under Utah jurisdiction are subject to the Utah Administrative
Code Chapter R307-401-10 (Permit: New and Modified Sources. Source
Category Exemptions).\28\ Under Utah's rules, such oil and natural gas
sources that are not major sources can simply register with the state
and then proceed with construction.\29\ This process is substantially
similar to what is required of eligible true minor sources that wish to
gain coverage under the National O&NG FIP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\28\ See https://rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r307/r307.htm for
a list of, and links to, all effective rules under Title R307.
Environmental Quality, Air Quality.
\29\ Oil natural gas sources that include well sites (as defined
at 40 CFR 60.5430a), including centralized tank batteries, that are
not major sources (as defined in Utah Administrative Code R307-101-
2) and that register with the UDAQ as required by Utah
Administrative Code R307-505 (Oil and Gas Industry: Registration
Requirements), are exempt from the requirement to obtain an approval
order (the UDAQ equivalent of a site-specific NSR permit). The
registration program at Utah Administrative Code R307-505 requires
the operator of a non-major well site to certify that they are in
compliance with a suite of emission unit-specific requirements in
Utah Administrative Code R307-506 through R307-510, as applicable
(i.e., Oil and Gas Industry Storage Vessels, Dehydrators, VOC
Control Devices, Leak Detection and Repair and Natural Gas Engines).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EPA does not agree with the comment that we have engaged in a
discriminatory approach relative to the development of tribal minerals.
With respect to oil and natural gas new or modified minor sources in
Indian country, since October 2016 (and up to August 2018), the
streamlined authorization process the National O&NG FIP has been
available. As noted, that process is comparable to Utah's permit by
rule approach in terms of the degree to which it streamlines the
relevant construction authorization process.
Comment #4: Three oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the EPA's position that use of the
National O&NG FIP will continue to be adequately protective of air
quality while the EPA follows the process detailed under the CAA that
allows time to develop an attainment plan. Specifically, one oil and
natural gas industry commenter noted that the National O&NG FIP
requires compliance with eight federal emission standards that are
required for all new and modified sources and, thus, will allow de
minimis incremental increases in emissions, while the EPA follows the
CAA nonattainment process. One Indian tribe commenter stated that the
proposed action correctly noted that the air quality issues in the
Uinta Basin will not manifest until winter, and, therefore, these
amendments are a reasonable step to protect development in the Uinta
Basin from coming to a standstill, while protecting public health and
the environment.
Another oil and natural gas industry commenter cited the EPA's
language in the EPA's proposal that the ozone problems in the Uinta
Basin are limited to the winter season and that preliminary monitoring
data from the 2017-2018 winter ozone season across the region shows
values well below the 2015 ozone NAAQS, and asserted that extending the
current National O&NG FIP to Uinta Basin now will not exacerbate the
Basin's wintertime ozone air quality problem in the future.
Response #4: The EPA agrees that the eight emissions standards are
sufficiently strict that authorizing construction of new or modified
minor sources, under the relevant circumstances, will allow only
modest, incremental increases in emissions, and will be adequately
protective of air quality in the U&O Reservation during the period in
which we establish the U&O Reservation-specific FIP. As noted above in
Section II.B. where we compared the process we are adopting here (and
with the U&O Reservation-specific FIP to follow) to what is required in
the CAA for Marginal ozone nonattainment areas, the approach we intend
to take is not unlike the CAA process that occurs when an area under
state jurisdiction is designated nonattainment. However, under the CAA,
as a Marginal nonattainment area, an attainment plan--or SIP
demonstrating attainment--is not required.
The EPA agrees that air quality issues in the Uinta Basin will not
manifest until winter and that these amendments are a reasonable step
to ensure development in the Uinta Basin from coming to a standstill,
while protecting public health and the environment. For the reasons
stated above, we believe that the National O&NG FIP will be protective
of air quality after this rule is finalized and until the U&O
Reservation-specific FIP is finalized (which may be before the next
winter ozone season).\30\
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\30\ Ozone air quality levels in the Uinta Basin during the
winter ``ozone season'' can be quite variable. For example, in 2017-
18, preliminary monitoring data for the winter ozone season from
across the region show values well below the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
Preliminary information from the recent 2018-19 season, on the other
hand, show values above the standards. See Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets titled: ``Uinta Basin Ozone Data, Dec. 2017-Feb.
2018,'' ``2018 Duchesne_data.csv,'' ``2019 Duchesne_data.csv,''
``2018 Uintah_data.csv,'' and ``2019 Uintah_data.csv,'' Docket No.
EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0606.
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[[Page 21248]]
Comment #5: Four oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the EPA's concerns that the U&O
Reservation would be adversely affected if the National O&NG FIP did
not apply to nonattainment areas. One oil and natural gas industry
commenter noted that, due to permitting delays in the affected area,
operators may divert operating capital to areas where there are more
predictable regulatory requirements in state jurisdiction where the
Utah Division of Air Quality ``Permit by Rule'' exists, thus denying
the economic benefits of oil and gas developments to the U&O
Reservation. One oil and natural gas industry commenter and one Indian
tribe commenter expressed that the amendments will encourage a smooth
transition (with the streamlined authorization approach) in allowing
continued oil and gas operations to occur on tribal lands within the
Uinta Basin in the wake of the nonattainment designation, as well as
prevent further regulatory burdens that have historically served as a
disincentive for the development of oil and gas resources on the U&O
Reservation.
Response #5: After considering the comments, we believe that the
approach in the final rule will both protect air quality and avoid
potential permitting delays that could accompany site-specific
permitting, which may lead operators to look outside the U&O
Reservation for oil and gas development opportunities. In addition,
through this rulemaking, the EPA is seeking to ensure a consistent set
of regulatory requirements for oil and natural gas activity between
Indian country lands within the U&O Reservation and lands under state
of Utah jurisdiction. Finally, the EPA agrees that this final rule will
help with the transition for the U&O Reservation from being in an area
designated as unclassifiable to being included in the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area.
Comment #6: Three oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter agreed with the EPA's position that use of the
National O&NG FIP, after designation of the Uinta Basin as an ozone
nonattainment area, will continue to be adequately protective of air
quality while the EPA follows the process detailed under the CAA that
allows areas time to develop an attainment plan.
Response #6: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees with
the comment in part. We believe that the National O&NG FIP will be
protective of air quality as we develop the U&O Reservation-specific
FIP, which we intend to issue by the start of the next winter ozone
season. Specifically, the terms and conditions of the construction
authorization permitted by the National O&NG FIP will help protect air
quality. To further protect air quality in the Uinta Basin, the EPA
continues to develop the U&O Reservation-specific FIP.
Comment #7: One oil and natural gas industry commenter expressed
that the industry's objective is that final regulations protect the
environment and the public and cost-effectively address VOC emissions
that as a co-benefit also reduce methane emissions, without
unnecessarily hampering manufacturing and business expansion. According
to the commenter, this objective can be met while the private sector
develops and delivers more natural gas and oil to its customers.
According to the oil and natural gas industry commenter, their efforts
are producing real results based on the EPA's latest Greenhouse Gas
Inventory which continues to show a downward trend in methane
emissions, even as U.S. oil and natural gas production rose
dramatically. The commenter reported that the inventory report
indicates that methane emissions from natural gas systems and petroleum
systems increased 14 percent between 1990 and 2016, at a time when the
natural gas output increased by more than 50 percent. This is in
addition to the U.S. continuing to lead the world in reducing carbon
emissions, which are at 25-year lows, largely due to the increased use
of natural gas.
Response #7: After considering the comments, the EPA believes that
it is possible, as the commenter suggests, to protect the environment
and public health by controlling VOC emissions from oil and natural gas
activity in a cost-effective manner, while also ensuring responsible
oil and natural gas development. The EPA also recognizes the trends
found in an EPA report on greenhouse gas emissions, but because they
are not relevant to this rulemaking we find it unnecessary to provide a
response here.\31\
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\31\ Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-
2016, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 430-R-18-003, April
2018, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-01/documents/2018_complete_report.pdf.
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Comment #8: Three oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter were opposed to a temporary implementation of
the proposed amendments. One oil and natural gas industry commenter
noted that classifying this proposal as a permanent construction
authorization mechanism for the Uinta Basin will conserve resources as
the Agency will not have to reinvent a new scheme when a temporary
extension would expire. One oil and natural gas industry commenter and
one Indian tribe commenter stated that they agree with the EPA's
concern that a temporary extension of the National O&NG FIP could have
a significant effect on oil and natural gas activity on the U&O
Reservation, with a resulting serious effect on the revenue which the
Ute Indian Tribe relies upon for its livelihood.
Response #8: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees to
finalize the extension of the National O&NG FIP to the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area, without expressly
providing that it is temporary, to provide certainty to the Ute Indian
Tribe and to the affected oil and natural gas companies that operate in
the U&O Reservation. Deciding not to make the extension temporary will
help the tribal leadership plan their services and activities on the
U&O Reservation, knowing that they can rely on the important revenue
from oil and natural gas activity. It also helps the affected oil and
natural gas companies operating in the U&O Reservation as they plan
their activities in the Uinta Basin and decide where to locate or
expand their activities. The EPA believes that extending the
streamlined authorization approach to the Indian country portion of the
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area will be adequately protective of
air quality for the reasons outlined in Section II.B. above.
B. Legal Authority To Extend Applicability of the National O&NG FIP to
the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area
Comment #9: One oil and natural gas industry commenter stated that
the EPA has the legal authority to extend the National O&NG FIP to an
area designated as nonattainment. According to the commenter, the EPA
has legal authority to extend the National O&NG FIP to all parts of the
U&O Reservation, including nonattainment areas, citing CAA section
301(d) as granting the EPA authority to treat Indian tribes the same as
states under the CAA, when appropriate. The commenter, quoting language
from EPA's published proposal
[[Page 21249]]
(83 FR at 20780), asserts that this authority extends to all areas,
including nonattainment areas.
The commenter asserted that the CAA's nonattainment provisions are
consistent with the EPA's proposal to apply the existing National O&NG
FIP to address the time between designation and implementation of the
attainment plan for the Uinta Basin. According to the commenter, CAA
sections 110, 172, and 173 require nonattainment areas to have
permitting programs for new or modified major stationary sources in
nonattainment areas and, for both attainment and nonattainment areas,
regulation of all stationary sources as necessary to assure achievement
of the NAAQS. The commenter asserted that the CAA does not establish
specific requirements for how nonattainment implementation plans should
address true minor sources and that states (and the EPA) have wide
discretion in addressing true minor sources. According to the
commenter, the CAA does not require reservation-specific or area-
specific FIPs, let alone require them immediately after nonattainment
designations are made.
The commenter stated that the EPA's statements in the proposed and
final rule issuing the National O&NG FIP do not preclude this action
and the proposed extension is not contrary to such previous statements
because the EPA currently lacks the necessary information and input to
issue an area-specific FIP. The commenter stated that the proposal will
protect air quality and allow for oil and natural gas development while
the EPA undergoes the process of determining how to bring this area
back into attainment and that the EPA's position stated in the National
O&NG FIP preamble concerning the need for an area-specific FIP before
extending the National O&NG FIP to nonattainment areas is not required
by the CAA and does not bind the EPA in this rulemaking, citing FCC v.
Fox Television Stations, Inc.
Response #9: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees that,
consistent with the authorities and requirements of sections 301(d)(4)
and 110(a)(2)(C) of the CAA and 40 CFR 49.11, we possess the authority
to take this action amending the National O&NG FIP to extend it to
eligible true minor oil and natural gas sources in the Indian country
portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. In addition, we
recognize that the CAA does not specifically or expressly prescribe
detailed requirements for the treatment of new and modified true minor
sources in nonattainment areas and that the EPA has discretion in
developing measures for Indian country nonattainment areas. To the
extent that the commenter's statements relate to the timing or content
of an area-specific FIP, those comments are better addressed in the
context of that rulemaking, but the EPA does not agree that it is
necessary to gather significantly more information before proceeding to
propose the U&O Reservation-specific FIP.
C. Non-Air Quality Impacts of Extending or Not Extending the National
O&NG FIP to the Indian Country Portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area
Comment #10: Two oil and natural gas industry commenters stated
that amending the National O&NG FIP will facilitate the continued
development of tribal minerals and land and provide an uninterrupted
and valuable source of income to the Ute Indian Tribe. One of the
commenters further stated that the development of oil and natural gas
resources is a huge economic opportunity and job creator for the Ute
Indian Tribe and is vitally important.
Response #10: After considering the comments, the EPA recognizes
that revenue from oil and natural gas activity in the U&O Reservation
is important for the Ute Indian Tribe's prosperity. It provides for
economic development and services for tribal members. As the EPA crafts
solutions for the U&O Reservation's air quality challenges, the EPA
remains cognizant of these facts.
Comment #11: Two oil and natural gas industry commenters noted that
one benefit of these actions is the creation of a needed streamlined
mechanism for authorizing oil and gas construction in the Uinta Basin
Indian country and the U&O Reservation.
One oil and natural gas industry commenter added that the proposal
conserves Agency resources because the Ute Indian Tribe and the EPA
will not have to process and issue site-specific permits, which allows
the Agency to instead focus time and energy on working with the Ute
Indian Tribe and stakeholders to develop an appropriate U&O
Reservation-specific FIP. This commenter expressed that the proposal
will achieve consistency between Uinta Basin Indian country and basin
lands under state of Utah jurisdiction by creating a ``self-executing''
authorization scheme for new and modified minor sources of emissions in
the tribal air shed that is similar to the current state of Utah's R-
307 series of rules for oil and natural gas production or Permit by
Rule (``PBR'') Program, for state-managed areas.
Response #11: The EPA generally agrees with these comments. This
action will provide a streamlined construction authorization mechanism,
allowing the EPA to focus its efforts on issuing the U&O Reservation-
specific FIP and helping to achieve consistency of approach for
authorizing sources to construct on Indian country lands within the
Uinta Basin versus adjacent Utah state-managed lands, as discussed
above. The EPA does not agree, however, that this action will conserve
Ute Indian Tribe permitting resources, because the Ute Indian Tribe is
not currently authorized to issue CAA minor source permits on its
Reservation.
D. Timing of Nonattainment Designation Process for Newly Designated
Indian Country Areas as it Relates to Timing of This Rulemaking Action
Comment #12: Two oil and natural gas industry commenters encouraged
the EPA to finalize this rule revision as close to the nonattainment
designation becoming effective on August 3, 2018, as possible to
minimize any gaps between the effective dates of both actions. One oil
and natural gas industry commenter noted that consequences and
hardships can be avoided by meeting that date, such as the absence of a
streamlined construction authorization mechanism, the significant
pressure and time constraints associated with processing individual
permits under a novel site-specific permitting program, and redirection
of Agency focus from development of the reservation-specific
regulations.
Response #12: After considering the comments, the EPA agrees and
has sought to minimize the lapse in streamlined authorizations to
construct that started after August 3, 2018. Because there is a gap,
though, the EPA has committed the staff resources as needed to process
any site-specific permits in a timely manner. In addition, until the
nonattainment area designation became effective, sources could have
taken advantage of the streamlined mechanism of the existing National
O&NG FIP, provided such sources were able to meet certain registration
form submittal deadlines.\32\
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\32\ As noted, the National O&NG FIP registration requirement
consists of two parts: Part 1 is submitted 30 days before a source
begins construction; Part 2 is submitted within 60 days after the
startup of production. In our view, Part 1 Registration Forms that
were submitted before the effective date of the nonattainment
designation (August 3, 2018) allow sources to begin construction
after the effective date of the designation. Thus, Part 1
Registration Forms filed prior to the nonattainment designation
taking effect (on August 3, 2018) allowed construction to begin
after that date. (It is important to note that any such sources may
be subject to future control under a U&O Reservation-specific FIP.)
See correspondence: Letter from Peter Tsirigotis, Director, Office
of Air Quality and Standards, EPA, to Doug Jordan, Newfield
Exploration Company, June 6, 2018, in Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-
0606.
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[[Page 21250]]
E. Uintah and Ouray Reservation-Specific FIP
1. Timing of U&O Reservation-Specific FIP
Comment #13: One oil and natural gas industry commenter supported
the EPA's intention to use the same process for nonattainment areas on
tribal lands as the states generally use for all other nonattainment
areas. The commenter agreed with the EPA that the proposal is similar
to how nonattainment areas in states are treated, where there is a gap
in time between the nonattainment designation and the deadline for the
attainment plan. The commenter expressed the view that the process used
on tribal lands should align with other nonattainment areas, which
allows for a period of time to develop a plan to achieve attainment.
The commenter argued that states are not under any obligation to
immediately have an implementation plan for nonattainment areas and
there is no reason that the EPA should single out the U&O Reservation
for different treatment by imposing this strict timeline. According to
the commenter, the EPA should focus its efforts on developing the best
plan to reach attainment and this planning process must involve
appropriate stakeholder outreach and input.
Response #13: While the U&O Reservation-specific FIP is an
important component of the EPA's approach to addressing the U&O
Reservation as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area, this
rulemaking is not the appropriate context in which to address comments
on the specifics of the forthcoming U&O Reservation-specific FIP.
Therefore, as a general matter, the EPA will not be responding, here,
to comments on any such U&O Reservation-specific FIP, including the
timing of such FIP. Concerning the development process and stakeholder
engagement for that FIP, the EPA is committed to working closely with
the Ute Indian Tribe, as well as the state of Utah and other interested
stakeholders.\33\
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\33\ For more discussion of stakeholder engagement, see the
response to Comment #15.
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2. Consistency With Utah's R-307 Series of Rules for Oil and Natural
Gas Production
Comment #14: One oil and natural gas industry commenter
acknowledged the EPA's commitment to develop a U&O Reservation-specific
FIP and encouraged the EPA to develop the FIP with requirements that
are equivalent to or consistent with the Utah Division of Air Quality
Permit by Rule to mitigate potential disparities between state and
federal air jurisdictions.
Response #14: As noted, while the U&O Reservation-specific FIP is
an important part of the EPA's approach to the U&O Reservation as part
of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area, this rulemaking is not the
appropriate context in which to address comments on the specifics of
the forthcoming U&O Reservation-specific FIP. Therefore, as a general
matter, the EPA will not be responding, here, to comments concerning
such FIP.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
Comment #15: Four oil and natural gas industry commenters and one
Indian tribe commenter expressed interest in the opportunity to work
with the Agency on the development of the U&O Reservation-specific FIP
and the identification of proper emission controls that will result in
a direct reduction of ozone in the Uinta Basin. One Indian tribe
commenter indicated interest in continuing consultation with the Agency
about the unique characteristics of the reservation and to balance the
regulation with the Ute Indian Tribe's interests in developing its
resources without harming future natural resource and economic
development.
Two oil and natural gas industry commenters encouraged the EPA to
engage stakeholders, including the Ute Indian Tribe, trade associations
and operators in advance of proposing the U&O Reservation-specific FIP.
One oil and natural gas industry commenter recommended a collaborative
stakeholder engagement process, modeled after the stakeholder program
implemented by Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality that
established the Upper Green River Basin Air Quality Citizens Advisory
Task Force. According to the commenter, the stakeholder outreach
process should contain highly inclusive public outreach early in the
planning process, involvement of stakeholders in advance of development
of formal plans to seek additional emission reductions, continuous
engagement throughout the duration of the attainment planning process,
a process specific to the Basin's unique winter ozone air quality
problem that drives the nonattainment designation, and a mechanism to
allow for transparent and collaborative dialog with all parties.
Response #15: The comments concerning the process for development
of the U&O Reservation-specific FIP are not material to this action
amending the existing National O&NG FIP and the EPA is not responding
to them here. However, the EPA notes that, consistent with the federal
government's trust responsibility and established EPA policy and to
improve our understanding of the potential environmental implications
of oil and natural gas production operations, the Agency has consulted
(and will continue to consult) with the Ute Indian Tribe on issues
related to this action and to the U&O Reservation-specific FIP. We
appreciate the importance of oil and natural gas activity for the U&O
Reservation, as expressed to us by the Tribe during our government-to-
government consultations.
We have held numerous consultations with the Ute Indian Tribe, and
participated in numerous tribally-convened stakeholder and other
meetings, in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. We have also reached out
to the following stakeholders: (1) Oil and natural gas operators and
representatives; (2) environmental groups; (3) Federal Land Managers;
and (4) local county officials. These consultations and meetings
addressed, at least in part, the issue that has prompted this
rulemaking, i.e., the need expressed by the Ute Indian Tribe and others
for continued streamlined authorizations to construct to continue to be
available on the U&O Reservation as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area. For a complete list of these consultations and
meetings, including dates, locations and attendees, please consult the
docket to this rulemaking.\34\
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\34\ ``Meetings and Consultations Held with the Ute Indian Tribe
Concerning at Least Partly the National Oil and Natural Gas Federal
Implementation Plan for Indian Country,'' March 26, 2019, EPA-HQ-
OAR-2014-0606.
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A significant purpose of the government-to-government consultations
was to receive tribal comments and concerns for consideration by the
EPA as it developed this action. The purposes of the EPA, Tribe, and
UDEQ meetings were to discuss our intent to address ozone issues in the
Uinta Basin and to solicit input on potential solutions to the region's
air quality problem, while ensuring continued resource development. We
strive to provide greater regulatory certainty and consistency across
the Uinta Basin in the regulation of these operations through enhanced
data collection and analysis, improved information sharing
[[Page 21251]]
and partnerships, and focused compliance assistance and enforcement.
The EPA is committed to working closely with the Ute Indian Tribe, the
state of Utah and other stakeholders during the U&O Reservation-
specific FIP development process.
4. Other Construction Permitting Options for U&O Reservation
Comment #16: One Indian tribe commenter requested that the EPA work
with the Ute Indian Tribe to mitigate air quality impacts during the
winter ozone season. The commenter stated that the Tribe seeks to make
sure all options are evaluated for permitting in the development of the
U&O Reservation-specific FIP so that the best permitting solutions can
be achieved. The commenter asserted that the National O&NG FIP on the
U&O Reservation should not be the only option available for authorizing
construction on the Reservation once the U&O Reservation-specific FIP
is developed. The commenter requested that the EPA remain open to other
flexible, targeted controls and permitting schemes or mechanisms for
inclusion in the U&O Reservation-specific FIP that will be key to
bringing the Uinta Basin back into attainment, including a streamlined
permitting system for minor modifications at major sources and
synthetic minor sources.
Response #16: Again, the EPA is not responding, here, to comments
concerning the development of the U&O Reservation-specific FIP. The EPA
is committed to continuing to work with the Ute Indian Tribe to find
permitting solutions for the U&O Reservation that protect air quality
and address the needs of the Tribe. Specifically, the EPA is willing to
engage in discussions with the Tribe about permitting mechanisms and
other regulatory options in Indian country that may apply in lieu of or
in addition to the National O&NG FIP (i.e., general permits and
synthetic minor permits).
F. Out-of-Scope Comments
Comment #17: Four anonymous commenters did not address the proposal
and included general comments on the oil and natural gas industry,
greenhouse gases and other environmental concerns.
Response #17: Because these comments are out of scope and do not
relate to this action, the EPA is not providing responses to them as
part of this final rulemaking.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
This action is not a significant regulatory action and was,
therefore, not submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review.
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing Regulations and Controlling
Regulatory Costs
This action is an Executive Order 13771 deregulatory action. This
final rule provides meaningful burden reduction by extending the
streamlined authorization-to-construct method for true minor new and
modified oil and natural gas sources. The streamlined authorization,
which was established by the EPA in 2016, reduces the resource burden
on the permitting authority and regulated community associated with
submitting and reviewing permit applications for these sources in
attainment, unclassifiable and attainment/unclassifiable areas. This
action finalizes the extension of streamlined authorizations to the
Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
This action does not impose any new information collection burden
under the PRA. OMB has previously approved the information collection
activities contained in the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule and
has assigned OMB control number 2060-0003.\35\ This action amends the
National O&NG FIP, which provides a mechanism for authorizing
construction for true minor sources in the oil and natural gas
production and natural gas processing segments of the oil and natural
gas sector locating or located in areas covered by the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule to satisfy the requirements of that rule other
than by obtaining a site-specific minor source permit. Because it
substitutes for a site-specific permit, which would contain information
collection activities covered by the Information Collection Request for
Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule issued in July 2011, neither the
proposed amendments, nor the National O&NG FIP, impose any new
obligations or enforceable duties on any state, local or tribal
government or the private sector. In fact, the final amendments should
have the effect of reducing paperwork burden on sources wishing to
locate or expand in the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area, as the amendments provide an alternative to site-
specific permitting for such sources.
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\35\ Since the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule was
promulgated, the Information Collection Request has been renewed and
approved by OMB twice. The most recent approval extended the ICR
until October 31, 2020. The ICR covers the activities of the
National O&NG FIP. For more information, go to: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201702-2060-005.
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D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
I certify that this action will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities under the RFA. In
making this determination, the impact of concern is any significant
adverse economic impact on small entities. An agency may certify that a
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities if the rule relieves regulatory burden, has no
net burden or otherwise has a positive economic effect on the small
entities subject to the rule. The EPA analyzed the impact on small
entities of streamlined permitting under the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule \36\ and determined that it would not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. (By allowing
sources to avoid having to obtain site-specific permits, this action
also will relieve regulatory burden.) This action merely implements a
particular aspect of the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule. We
have, therefore, concluded that this action will have no net regulatory
burden for all directly regulated small entities.
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\36\ ``Review of New Sources and Modifications in Indian
Country,'' U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 76 FR 38748, July
1, 2011, https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/07/01/2011-14981/review-of-new-sources-and-modifications-in-indian-country.
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E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
This action does not contain any unfunded mandate, as described in
UMRA, 2 U.S.C. 1531-1538, and does not significantly or uniquely affect
small governments. The action imposes no enforceable duty on any state,
local or tribal governments or the private sector. It simply modifies
one option for sources to comply with the Federal Indian Country Minor
NSR rule. The CAA and the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule itself,
not this final action, impose the obligation that true minor sources in
areas covered by the Federal Indian Country Minor NSR rule obtain a
minor source NSR permit prior to commencing construction. This final
action merely applies the National
[[Page 21252]]
O&NG FIP to the Indian country portion of the Uinta Basin Nonattainment
Area, which includes a streamlined mechanism for authorizing
construction for meeting the obligation of the Federal Indian Country
Minor NSR rule.
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism implications. It will not have
substantial direct effects on the states, on the relationship between
the national government and the states, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian
Tribal Governments
This action has tribal implications. However, it will neither
impose substantial direct compliance costs on federally recognized
tribal governments, nor preempt tribal law. Consistent with the EPA
Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes (May 4,
2011),\37\ the EPA offered consultation on the concerns addressed in
this final action, which include the lack of a streamlined permitting
for the U&O Reservation should the area be designated nonattainment.
The EPA conducted outreach on the issues addressed by the previous rule
through ongoing monthly meetings with tribal environmental
professionals in the development of the proposed action.\38\ We have
held numerous consultations with the Ute Indian Tribe, and participated
in numerous tribally-convened stakeholder and other meetings, in 2015,
2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. We have also reached out to the following
stakeholders: (1) Oil and natural gas operators and representatives;
(2) environmental groups; (3) Federal Land Managers; and (4) local
county officials. These consultations and meetings addressed, at least
in part, the issue that has prompted this rulemaking, i.e., the need
expressed by the Ute Indian Tribe and others for continued streamlined
authorizations to construct to continue to be available on the U&O
Reservation as part of the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. For a
complete list of these consultations and meetings, including dates,
locations and attendees, please consult the docket to this
rulemaking.\39\
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\37\ For more information, go to: https://www.epa.gov/tribal/epa-policy-consultation-and-coordination-indian-tribes.
\38\ These monthly meetings are general in nature, dealing with
many air-related topics, and are not specific to this proposed
action.
\39\ ``Meetings and Consultations Held with the Ute Indian Tribe
Concerning at Least Partly the National Oil and Natural Gas Federal
Implementation Plan for Indian Country,'' March 26, 2019, EPA-HQ-
OAR-2014-0606.
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This action reflects tribal concerns about, and priorities for,
developing a streamlined approach for permitting true minor sources in
the oil and natural gas sector in areas covered by the Federal Indian
Country Minor NSR rule in the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. As
these amendments are implemented, we will continue to provide regular
outreach to tribes to ensure we address issues concerning the National
O&NG FIP, if and when they arise. The EPA is available for consultation
with any interested tribe.
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks
The EPA interprets Executive Order 13045 as applying only to those
regulatory actions that concern environmental health or safety risks
that the EPA has reason to believe may disproportionately affect
children, per the definition of ``covered regulatory action'' in
section 2-202 of the Executive Order. This action is not subject to
Executive Order 13045 because it does not establish an environmental
standard intended to mitigate health or safety risks. The action merely
implements a previously-promulgated FIP for oil and natural gas sources
in Indian country.\40\
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\40\ See 81 FR 35943, June 3, 2016, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-06-03/pdf/2016-11969.pdf.
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I. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution or Use
This action is not subject to Executive Order 13211, because it is
not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
J. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)
This action does not involve technical standards.
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
The EPA believes the amendments in this action will not have
potential disproportionately high and adverse human health or
environmental effects on minority or low-income populations. Through
these amendments, we are: (1) Extending geographically the National
O&NG FIP and its mechanism for authorizing construction that
effectively provides a streamlined method for implementing a pre-
construction permitting program for true minor sources in the oil and
natural gas sector in areas covered by the Federal Indian Country Minor
NSR rule, and (2) continuing an approach that enables a streamlined
process, which helps promote economic development by minimizing delays
in new construction.
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
This action is subject to the CRA, and the EPA will submit a rule
report to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of
the United States. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5
U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 49
Environmental protection, Administrative practices and procedures,
Air pollution control, Indians, Indians--law, Indians--tribal
government, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: May 2, 2019.
Andrew R. Wheeler,
Administrator.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 40 CFR part 49 is
amended as follows:
PART 49--INDIAN COUNTRY: AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
0
1. The authority citation for part 49 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
Subpart C--General Federal Implementation Plan Provisions
0
2. In Sec. 49.101, revise paragraph (c) and add paragraph (e) to read
as follows:
Sec. 49.101 Introduction.
* * * * *
(c) When must I comply with Sec. Sec. 49.101 through 49.105? You
must comply with Sec. Sec. 49.101 through 49.105 on or after October
3, 2016.
* * * * *
(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1)(v) of this section, oil and
natural gas sources located in the Indian country portion of the Uinta
Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area are subject to Sec. Sec. 49.101 through
49.105 (except for paragraph (b)(1)(v)), provided paragraphs (b)(1)(i)
through (iv) of this section are also satisfied.
[[Page 21253]]
3. In Sec. 49.102, add a definition for ``Uinta Basin Ozone
Nonattainment Area'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:
Sec. 49.102 Definitions.
* * * * *
Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area means the nonattainment area
for the Uinta Basin, or such parts or areas of the Uinta Basin, as it
is or may hereafter be defined at 40 CFR part 81, Designations of Areas
for Air Quality Purposes.
[FR Doc. 2019-09829 Filed 5-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P