Notice2024-12260
Proposed Information Collection Request; Revision; Changes to EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 5, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit a revision information collection request (ICR), "Changes to EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program" (EPA ICR No. 2547.01, OMB Control No. 2060-0722) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. Specifically, EPA is proposing to remove all program partner reporting elements from the ICR, leaving the "Oil and Gas Equipment and Service Providers Directory" as the only component covered under this ICR. This revision is a proposed extension of the ICR titled "EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR Programs," which is currently approved through December 31, 2024. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48164-48165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12260]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731; FRL-11980-01-OAR]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Revision; Changes to
EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit a revision information collection request (ICR), ``Changes to
EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program'' (EPA ICR No. 2547.01, OMB Control No.
2060-0722) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing
so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the
proposed information collection as described below. Specifically, EPA
is proposing to remove all program partner reporting elements from the
ICR, leaving the ``Oil and Gas Equipment and Service Providers
Directory'' as the only component covered under this ICR. This revision
is a proposed extension of the ICR titled ``EPA's Methane Challenge and
Natural Gas STAR Programs,'' which is currently approved through
December 31, 2024. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 5, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2016-0731 online using <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (our preferred method), by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f5e125e515b124d127b505c545a4b7f5a4f5e11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f293df939c96df80dfb69d91999786b2978293dc959d84">[email protected]</span></a>, 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.
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#a5c8c0c9d0c6cd8bc4cbc1d7c0d2e5c0d5c48bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="79141c150c1a115718171d0b1c0e391c0918571e160f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This revision is a proposed extension of the
ICR titled ``EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR Programs,''
which is currently approved through December 31, 2024. 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.
This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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>.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
comments and information to enable it to: (i) evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those
[[Page 48165]]
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate forms of
information technology. EPA will consider the comments received and
amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be
submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that time, EPA will issue
another Federal Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR
to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: The Natural Gas STAR Program and Methane Challenge
Partnership (``Gas STAR Programs'') are voluntary programs sponsored by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that have encouraged 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 have worked 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. EPA has recently taken historic steps to
tackle wasteful methane emissions from the oil and gas sector beyond
voluntary action. The Inflation Reduction Act directed EPA to implement
a suite of actions to swiftly reduce methane emissions through the
creation of the Methane Emissions Reductions Program (MERP). On
December 2, 2023, EPA announced final New Source Performance Standards
and Emissions Guidelines (NSPS/EG) to regulate the oil and gas industry
under the Clean Air Act, resulting in ambitious requirements to reduce
methane from both new and existing sources. The Department of
Transportation has also imposed requirements on the transmission
segment including implementation of the PIPES Act of 2020. Based on the
limited remaining potential for voluntary actions to reduce methane
emissions, EPA will be sunsetting the Methane Challenge Partnership,
and transitioning its outreach efforts to advance ambitious, sector-
wide methane reductions through technical assistance and outreach under
the Methane Emissions Reduction Program. This follows EPA's sunsetting
of the partnership agreements, implementation plans, and the reporting
component of the Natural Gas STAR Program in 2022. Updating the ICR for
the Methane Challenge Partnership and the Natural Gas STAR Program to
reflect these programmatic changes is expected to significantly
decrease burden by removing all partner reporting and partnership
related data sharing aspects. The sole programmatic element involving
voluntary collection of information the EPA plans to retain is the Oil
and Gas Equipment and Service Providers Directory. This directory's
purpose is to share information about service and technology providers
that can facilitate methane emission reduction activities in the oil
and gas sector.
Form Numbers: The Natural Gas STAR Program's Oil and Gas Equipment
and Service Providers Directory collects information via a webform,
Service Providers Directory: EPA Form No. 5900-502; located at the
following URL: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/forms/join-oil-and-gas-equipment-and-service-providers-directory">https://www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/forms/join-oil-and-gas-equipment-and-service-providers-directory</a>.
Respondents/affected entities: The Natural Gas STAR Program's Oil
and Gas Equipment and Service Providers Directory is open to companies
that offer services, technologies, and/or equipment that can help oil
and gas operators reduce their methane emissions. EPA does not
specifically endorse any product, technology, equipment, or service
listed in the Program's Directory.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
Estimated number of respondents: 50 vendors (total).
Frequency of response: Semi-annual.
Total estimated burden: 13 hours (per year) for the Natural Gas
STAR Program. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $3,549 (per year) for the Natural Gas STAR
Program. There are no capital/start-up costs or O&M costs associated
with this information collection.
Changes in Estimates: EPA expects that the burden associated with
the final ICR submission for the Natural Gas STAR Program will decrease
significantly compared to its previous estimated burden due to
modifying this ICR to remove all Methane Challenge partnership
agreement forms, implementation plans, reporting forms, and fact
sheets.
Sharyn Lie,
Director, Climate Change Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-12260 Filed 6-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 5, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.