EPA Proposal on Oil & Gas Coming Soon, Administrator Says

Washington, D.C. – While at the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association’s annual meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the EPA will be proposing the next part of the agency’s comprehensive reconsideration of the Biden Administration’s 2024 oil and natural gas rules, also known as OOOOb/c. The EPA proposal, which is part of a series of actions the EPA is taking on Biden-era oil and natural gas regulations, is estimated to save $45 billion.

During his speech, Zeldin highlighted the reconsideration effort the agency has undergone to address concerns from American energy producers and operators about the 2024 rule.

“The Trump EPA is days not weeks away from announcing our proposal for the second part of the oil and gas reconsideration. This proposal takes on many of the problems American producers and operators have raised with us. That includes the burden on marginal wells and oil and gas operators in general, the Super Emitter Program, associated gas, and control device requirements,” said Zeldin.

What Americans Can Expect to See in the Upcoming EPA Proposal:

• Certain Well Sites: EPA will propose to change the approach to marginal wells by co-proposing two options that would create separate categories of well sites, each with its own standards that make sense for the circumstances of the particular type of well.
• Super Emitter Program: EPA will propose to rescind it. The agency does not think it is necessary to meet Clean Air Act requirements and is not effective.
• Covers and Closed Vent Systems: EPA will propose to split this standard into two parts: design requirements and operational requirements.
• Associated Gas: To make compliance possible all over the country and ensure a reasonable approach, EPA will propose to revisit the overall approach to regulating associated gas from oil wells.
• Control Devices: EPA will propose technical changes to give flexibility for flame monitoring data deviations, control device alerts and visible emissions test conditions where appropriate. 

See EPA’s Actions and Notices about Oil and Natural Gas Air Pollution Standards for a full timeline of EPA’s oil and gas reconsideration.