EPA proposes extending stay of portions of oil, gas standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a two-year stay this week of certain standards
for the oil and natural gas industry, while the agency reconsiders the requirements.
The stay would affect the fugitive emissions, pneumatic pump and professional engineer certification requirements that are part of the agency’s 2016 New Source Performance Standards for the oil and natural
gas industry.
The standards would not take effect and sources would not be required to comply with them while the stay
is in effect.
Since issuing the final rule on the requirements, the EPA has received several petitions to reexamine some features of the rule.
The EPA used its Clean Air Act authority earlier this month to issue a 90-day administrative stay of the standards. To ensure there is no gap between the 90-day stay and the two-year stay, the agency is proposing an additional three-month stay.
The EPA will take comments on the proposed stays for 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register.
