On April 18, 2017, U.S. EPA issued a letter in response to petitions submitted by the American Petroleum Institute and other oil and gas industry groups requesting reconsideration of EPA’s rule regulating methane emissions from sources in the oil and natural gas sector (81 FR 35824). EPA determined that the petitions “raised at least one objection to the fugitive emissions monitoring requirements (40 CFR 60.5397a) that arose after . . . or was impracticable to raise during the comment period.” Accordingly, pursuant to Clean Air Act section 307(d)(7)(B), the EPA is convening a proceeding for reconsideration of the fugitive emissions monitoring requirement.
The rule under reconsideration would require companies to identify, monitor and repair sources of fugitive emissions at wells sites and compressor stations. During the reconsideration proceeding, EPA plans to issue a 90-day stay of the June 3, 2017 compliance date for the fugitive emissions monitoring requirements.