Notice2021-14125
Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR Programs (Renewal)
Primary source
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Published
July 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR Programs (EPA ICR Number 2547.02, OMB Control Number 2060-0722) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed revision of the ICR for the Methane Challenge Program, which is currently approved through August 31, 2021. This revision incorporates the data collection for the Natural Gas STAR Program (currently approved under OMB Control Number 2060-0328). Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 19, 2021 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 124 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 124 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35085-35086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14125]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731; FRL-10025-85-OMS]
Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR
Programs (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an
information collection request (ICR), EPA's Methane Challenge and
Natural Gas STAR Programs (EPA ICR Number 2547.02, OMB Control Number
2060-0722) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a
proposed revision of the ICR for the Methane Challenge Program, which
is currently approved through August 31, 2021. This revision
incorporates the data collection for the Natural Gas STAR Program
(currently approved under OMB Control Number 2060-0328). Public
comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January
19, 2021 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 2,
2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2016-0731, online using <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (our preferred method),
or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. EPA's
policy is that all comments received will be included in the public
docket without change including any personal information provided,
unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to
be Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular information
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Meluch, Office of Atmospheric
Programs, Climate Change Division, (6207A), Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 564-4762; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#49242c253c2a216728272d3b2c3e092c3928672e263f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4528202930262d6b242b21372032052035246b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in
detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available
in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/dockets">http://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
Abstract: The Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge programs
(``Gas STAR Programs'') are voluntary programs sponsored by the EPA
that encourage oil and natural gas companies to adopt cost effective
technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and
reduce methane emissions. Methane is the primary component of natural
gas and a potent greenhouse gas. The Programs work with oil and natural
gas companies in the production, gathering & boosting, processing,
transmission & storage, and distribution segments to remove barriers
that inhibit the implementation of technologies and practices that
reduce methane emissions. The Programs effectively promote the adoption
of emission reduction technologies and practices by helping partners
evaluate Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the context of their
current operations and implement them where cost-effective.
Implementation of the Programs' BMPs saves participants money, improves
operational efficiency, and enhances the protection of the environment.
This action will combine the ICRs for the Methane Challenge and the
Natural Gas STAR programs, which is expected to streamline partners'
engagement with the programs and simplify communications about
reporting.
Form Numbers:
<bullet> Natural Gas STAR Program--Partnership Agreement: EPA Form No.
5900-105
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for Best
Management Practice Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-412
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for ONE
Future Emissions Intensity Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-411
<bullet> Natural Gas STAR Program--Production Reporting Form: EPA Form
No. 5900-104
<bullet> Natural Gas STAR Program--Transmission Reporting Form: EPA
Form No. 5900-95
<bullet> Natural Gas STAR Program--Distribution Reporting Form: EPA
Form No. 5900-99
<bullet> Natural Gas STAR Program--Gathering and Processing Reporting
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-102
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--BMP Commitment Option Reporting
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-434
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--ONE Future Commitment Option
Reporting Form: EPA Form No. 5900-435
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--Historical Actions Fact Sheet
Template: EPA Form No. 5900-413
<bullet> Methane Challenge Program--Implementation Plan Template: EPA
Form No. 5900-410
Respondents/affected entities: The Natural Gas STAR and Methane
Challenge Programs are open to companies in the production segment of
the oil industry, and to companies in the production, gathering &
boosting, processing, transmission & storage, and distribution segments
of the natural gas industry.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
Estimated number of respondents: 140 (54 Natural Gas STAR partners,
76 Methane Challenge partners and 10 vendors).
Frequency of response: Annual for partners and one time for
vendors.
Total estimated burden: 1,126 hours (per year) for the Natural Gas
STAR
[[Page 35086]]
Program, plus 3,733 hours (per year) for the Methane Challenge Program.
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $130,865.00 (per year) for the Natural Gas
STAR Program plus $357,862.00 (per year) for the Methane Challenge
Program. There are no capital/start-up costs or O&M costs associated
with this information collection.
Changes in the estimates: There is an increase of 1,675 hours (per
year) in the estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR
currently approved by OMB. This increase is due to modifying this ICR
to include the addition of respondents from the Natural Gas STAR
Program. However, the final total burden for the total of the two
programs in this ICR renewal is less than the sum of the burdens for
Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs in their most recent
ICRs.
Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-14125 Filed 6-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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