§ 60.5371b What GHG and VOC standards apply to super-emitter events?

This section applies to super-emitter events. For purposes of this section, a super-emitter event is defined as any emissions event that is located at or near an oil and natural gas facility (e.g., individual well site, centralized production facility, natural gas processing plant, or compressor station) and that is detected using remote detection methods and has quantified emission rate of 100 kg/hr of methane or greater. Paragraph (a) of this section describes the qualifications one must meet to apply to be a third-party notifier of super-emitter events. Paragraph (b) of this section describes the procedures for certifying third-party notifiers, as well as the procedures for petitioning the Agency for removal of a third-party notifier from the list of certified notifiers. Paragraph (c) of this section contains the required information that must be included in any notification submitted to the EPA from a certified third-party notifier and a timetable for notifications. The EPA shall review these notifications and if the EPA determines the notification is complete and does not contain information that the EPA finds to be erroneous or inaccurate to a reasonable degree of certainty, the EPA shall assign the notification a unique notification identification number, provide the notification to the owner or operator of the oil and natural gas facility identified in the notification, and post the notification, except for the owner/operator attribution, at www.epa.gov/super-emitter. Upon receiving such notification, owners or operators must take the actions listed in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section. The EPA shall post the reports submitted under paragraph (e) of this section, § 60.5371(b) and § 60.5371a(b) of subparts OOOO and OOOOa of this part, and applicable State or Federal plan implementing § 60.5388c(b) of subpart OOOOc of this part, including owner/operator attributions that have been confirmed by the reports; where the reporting deadlines have passed but no reports have been received, the EPA intends to post owner/operator attributions that the EPA reasonably believes to be accurate. The reports will be publicly available at www.epa.gov/super-emitter.

(a) Qualifications for third-party notifiers. An entity may apply to the Administrator under paragraph (b) of this section for approval as a third-party notifier if it meets the qualifications in this paragraph (a). The entity must be a person, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 7602(e), excluding the owner or operator of the site where the super-emitter event is detected, the Administrator, or the delegated authority. The entity must use a method that has been approved under § 60.5398b(d) for one of the technologies specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section.

(1) Satellite detection of methane emissions.

(2) Remote-sensing equipment on aircraft.

(3) Mobile monitoring platforms.

(b) Third-party notifier certification. An entity meeting the qualifications in paragraph (a) of this section may apply to be certified as a third-party notifier. Only entities certified as third-party notifiers may submit information on super-emitter events to the EPA under paragraph (c) of this section. An entity seeking certification as a third-party notifier must submit a request to the Administrator as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Certified third-party notifiers must follow the recordkeeping requirements in paragraph (b)(2) of this section; failure to maintain the required records may result in loss of certification status. The Administrator will determine whether the request for certification is adequate and issue an approval or disapproval of the request as described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. A certified third-party notifier must re-apply when material changes are made, as described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section. A third-party notifier may be removed from the list of certified notifiers as detailed in paragraph (b)(5) of this section.

(1) A request to be certified as a third-party notifier must be submitted to: U.S. EPA, Attn: Leader, Measurement Technology Group, Mail Drop: E143-02, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055, RTP, NC 27711. The request must include the supporting information in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (vi) of this section. If your submittal includes information claimed to be CBI, submit the portion of the information claimed as CBI to the OAQPS CBI office. The preferred method to receive CBI is for it to be transmitted electronically using email attachments, File Transfer Protocol, or other online file sharing services. Electronic submissions must be transmitted directly to the OAQPS CBI Office at the email address oaqpscbi@epa.gov and should include clear CBI markings and be flagged to the attention of the Leader, Measurement Technology Group. If assistance is needed with submitting large electronic files that exceed the file size limit for email attachments, and if you do not have your own file sharing service, please email oaqpscbi@epa.gov to request a file transfer link. If you cannot transmit the file electronically, you may send CBI information through the postal service to the following address: U.S. EPA, Attn: OAQPS Document Control Officer and Measurement Technology Group Leader, Mail Drop: C404-02, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055, RTP, NC 27711. The mailed CBI material should be double wrapped and clearly marked. Any CBI markings should not show through the outer envelope.