[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90355-90356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30062]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731; FRL-9956-64-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's Natural Gas STAR 
Methane Challenge Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements Under EPA's Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program'' 
(EPA ICR No. 2547.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, 
EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a request for 
approval of a new collection. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and 
a person is not required to respond to a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2016-0731, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Pryor, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, Climate Change Division, (6207A), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-343-9258; fax number: 202-343-2342; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program is a 
voluntary program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) that provides an innovative voluntary mechanism through which oil 
and natural gas companies can make specific, ambitious commitments to 
reduce methane emissions. This Program is an integral part of the 
EPA's--and the Administration's--ongoing commitment to address methane 
emissions and global climate change. Methane is the primary component 
of natural gas and a potent

[[Page 90356]]

greenhouse gas. The Program works to encourage oil and natural gas 
companies to go above and beyond existing regulatory action and make 
meaningful and transparent commitments to yield significant methane 
emissions reductions in a quick, flexible, cost-effective way. 
Transparency in comprehensively tracking company commitments through 
the non-confidential data reported by Methane Challenge partners is a 
key feature of the Program, and enables partners to highlight emissions 
reductions achieved through voluntary action taken. Implementation of 
the Methane Challenge Program's two commitment options, the Best 
Management Practice Commitment Option and the ONE Future Emissions 
Intensity Commitment Option, improves operational efficiency, saves 
partner companies money, and enhances the protection of the 
environment.
    Form Numbers: Methane Challenge Program partners are required to 
sign and submit to EPA a Partnership Agreement (PA) that describes the 
terms of participation in the Program. The PA forms covered under this 
ICR include:
     Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program--Partnership 
Agreement for Best Management Practice Commitment: EPA Form No. XXXX-
XXX; and,
     Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program--Partnership 
Agreement for ONE Future Commitment: EPA Form No. XXXX-XXX.
    Partners must complete and submit a Methane Challenge 
Implementation Plan within six months of signing the MOU. The 
Implementation Plan forms covered under this ICR include:
     Methane Challenge Program Implementation Plan Guidelines: 
EPA Form No. XXXX-XXX; and
     Methane Challenge Program Implementation Plan Template--
BMP Commitment: EPA Form No. XXXX-XXX.
    After one full calendar year of participation in the Program, EPA 
requires partners to submit a specific set of data documenting the 
previous year's methane emissions, activity data, and reduction 
activities. The annual reporting forms covered under this ICR include:

BMP Commitment

     Distribution Reporting Forms: EPA Form No. XXXX-XXX;
     Transmission and Storage Reporting Forms: EPA Form No. 
XXXX-XXX; and
     Gathering and Boosting Reporting Forms: EPA Form No. XXXX-
XXX.

ONE Future Commitment

    The annual reporting forms for the ONE Future Commitment Option are 
to be developed but will follow the requirements set forth in the 
following document:
     Supplemental Technical Information for ONE Future 
Commitment Option: EPA Form No. XXXX-XXX.
    Upon becoming a partner in the Methane Challenge Program, companies 
are given an opportunity to draft and submit a Historical Actions Fact 
Sheet, which provides information on historical methane reduction 
actions taken prior to joining Methane Challenge. A two-page fact sheet 
template is made available to partner companies and allows entry of up 
to five key methane mitigation activities, including text, photos, and 
graphics. Submitting this document is not a requirement of the Methane 
Challenge Program partnership. The fact sheet covered under this ICR 
is:
     Historical Actions Fact Sheet Template--EPA Form No.: 
XXXX-XXX
    Respondents/affected entities: The Natural Gas STAR Methane 
Challenge Program is open to companies in the oil production, and 
production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission and 
storage, and distribution segments of the natural gas industry.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 58 (total projected partners over 
the three-year ICR period).
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Total estimated burden: 2,978 hours (per year, averaged over the 
three-year ICR period). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $268,952 (per year, averaged over the three-
year ICR period), includes $0 annualized capital or operation & 
maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: This is a new program. Therefore, this is an 
initial burden estimate.

    Dated: November 14, 2016.
Paul Gunning,
Director, Climate Change Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-30062 Filed 12-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P