Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule: Leak Detection Methodology Revisions and Confidentiality Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (Proposed Rule)
Greenhouse Gas Reporting
Rule: Leak Detection Methodology Revisions and Confidentiality
Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (Proposed
Rule)
New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. Prior to
publication of the final rule, the agency must submit to OMB a
summary of all comments related to the information collection
contained in the proposed rule and the agency response. The agency
should clearly indicate any changes made to the information
collection as a result of these comments.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
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In response to the FY2008 Consolidated
Appropriations Act (H.R. 2764; Public Law 110-161) and under
authority of the Clean Air Act (CAA), the EPA finalized the
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule (74 FR 56260; October 30, 2009). The
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule is referred to as 40 CFR Part 98
(hereafter referred to as “Part 98”) and implementation of Part 98
is referred to as the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP).
This supporting statement addresses information collection
activities that would be imposed by “Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule:
Leak Detection Methodology Revisions and Confidentiality
Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems; Proposed
Rule.” Part 98, which became effective on December 29, 2009,
requires that certain facilities and suppliers emitting above
certain threshold levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (CO2e)
monitor and report emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Subsequent
rules were published on November 30, 2010 (75 FR 74458), November
25, 2014 (79 FR 70352), and October 22, 2015 (80 FR 64262)
finalizing the requirements for the petroleum and natural gas
systems source category (hereafter referred to as “subpart W”) at
40 CFR part 98, subpart W. For this rulemaking, which affects
subpart W reporters, the EPA is proposing to add new monitoring
methods for detecting leaks from oil and gas equipment in the
petroleum and natural gas systems source category consistent with
the leak detection methods in the recently proposed new source
performance standards (NSPS) for the oil and gas industry (80 FR
56593; September 18, 2015), also known as 40 CFR part 60, subpart
OOOOa (also referred to as the “NSPS subpart OOOOa”). In addition,
the EPA is proposing to add emission factors for leaking equipment
to be used in conjunction with these monitoring methods to
calculate and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from
equipment leaks. These amendments are expected to impact industry
segments that conduct leak detection surveys. These revisions are
expected to increase respondent burden for subpart W reporters that
become subject to the NSPS subpart OOOOa. To accommodate the new
methods and emission factors added by these proposed amendments,
the EPA expects that each affected subpart W facility would update
their facility-specific calculation mechanism (i.e., calculation
spreadsheet, recordkeeping database, etc.) when and if the facility
becomes subject to the NSPS subpart OOOOa. All respondents subject
to subpart W are required to report data elements according to
§98.236, and maintain records according to §98.237. All respondents
must report and maintain records as specified in Part 98.
Approximately 2,200 respondents are subject to subpart W and this
rulemaking is expected to increase labor costs for some subpart W
industry segments over the 3-year period of this ICR. Compared with
the estimated respondent burden identified in the information
collection for the GHGRP currently approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), this information collection would
result in an overall increase in annual burden of 502 hours and
$50,000, as shown in Section 6.
This rule would result in an
overall increase in annual burden of 502 hours and approximately
$50,000. These proposed amendments would impose an increase in
burden and costs due to the EPA’s revisions to subpart W of Part 98
to add methods and emission factors related to emission leaks.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.