[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5186-5188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01070]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731; FRL-10017-49-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Renewal; EPA's Methane 
Challenge Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit a 
renewal information collection request (ICR), ``EPA's Natural Gas STAR 
and Methane Challenge Programs'' (EPA ICR No. 2547.01, OMB Control No. 
2060-0722) 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. Specifically, EPA is proposing to merge the ICR with ``EPA's 
Natural Gas STAR Program'' (EPA ICR

[[Page 5187]]

No. 2004-0082, OMB Control No. 2060-0328). This is a renewal with 
modification of the existing ICR, which is currently approved through 
August 31, 2021. 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 March 22, 2021.

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: Patrick Lau, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, Climate Change Division, (6207A), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-7312; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents for the two existing 
ICR, which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be 
collecting, are available in the public docket for this ICR and the 
Natural Gas STAR ICR (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-2004-0082). 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 and Methane Challenge programs 
(``Gas STAR Programs'') are voluntary programs sponsored by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that encourage oil and natural 
gas companies to adopt cost effective technologies and practice that 
improve operational efficiency and reduce methane emissions. Methane is 
the primary component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas. The 
Programs work with oil and natural gas companies in the production, 
gathering & boosting, processing, transmission & storage, and 
distribution segments to remove barriers that inhibit the 
implementation of technologies and practices that reduce methane 
emissions. The Programs effectively promote the adoption of emission 
reduction technologies and practices by helping partners evaluate Best 
Management Practices (BMPs) in the context of their current operations 
and implement them where cost-effective. Implementation of the 
Programs' BMPs saves participants money, improves operational 
efficiency, and enhances the protection of the environment. Combining 
the ICR's for the Methane Challenge and the Natural Gas STAR programs 
is expected to streamline partners' engagement with the programs and 
simplify communications about reporting.
    Form Numbers: The Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs 
each have Partnership Agreements (``PA'') that describe the terms of 
participation in the Program. A company that wishes to become a Natural 
Gas STAR or Methane Challenge partner signs and submits the applicable 
PA to EPA. The PA forms covered under this ICR include:
     Natural Gas STAR Program--Partnership Agreement: EPA Form 
No. 5900-105
     Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for Best 
Management Practice Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-412
     Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for ONE 
Future Emissions Intensity Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-411
    Partners agree to complete and submit a Natural Gas STAR or Methane 
Challenge Implementation Plan (as applicable) within six to twelve 
months of signing the PA. The Implementation Plan forms covered under 
this ICR include:
     Natural Gas STAR Program--Production Implementation Plan: 
EPA Form No. 5900-103
     Natural Gas STAR Program--Transmission Implementation 
Plan: EPA Form No. 5900-109
     Natural Gas STAR Program--Distribution Implementation 
Plan: EPA Form No. 5900-97
     Natural Gas STAR Program--Gathering and Processing 
Implementation Plan: EPA Form No. 5900-100
     Methane Challenge Program--Implementation Plan Template: 
EPA Form No. 5900-410
    After one full year of participation in either Program, partners 
submit an annual report documenting the previous year's methane 
emission reduction activities. Partners only need to submit the 
applicable form(s) for the Program/commitment option/segments they have 
joined. The annual reporting forms covered under this ICR include:

 Natural Gas STAR Program--Production Reporting Form: EPA Form 
No. 5900-104
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Transmission Reporting Form: EPA 
Form No. 5900-95
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Distribution Reporting Form: EPA 
Form No. 5900-99
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Gathering and Processing Reporting 
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-102
 Methane Challenge Program--BMP Commitment Option Reporting 
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-434
 Methane Challenge Program--ONE Future Commitment Option 
Reporting Form: EPA Form No. 5900-435

    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.

[[Page 5188]]

Submitting this document is not a requirement of the Methane Challenge 
Program partnership. The fact sheet template covered under this ICR is:
 Methane Challenge Program--Historical Actions Fact Sheet 
Template: EPA Form No. 5900-413

    Respondents/affected entities: The Natural Gas STAR Programs are 
open to companies in the production segment of the oil industry, and to 
companies in the production, gathering & boosting, processing, 
transmission & storage, and distribution segments of the natural gas 
industry.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 97 (Natural Gas STAR) and 58 
(Methane Challenge) partners, and 50 vendors (total).
    Frequency of response: Annual for partners and semi-annual for 
vendors.
    Total estimated burden: 2,846 hours (per year) for the Natural Gas 
STAR Program plus 2,978 hours (per year) for the Methane Challenge 
Program. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $268,577.00 (per year) for the Natural Gas 
STAR Program plus $268,952 hours (per year) for the Methane Challenge 
Program. There are no capital/start-up costs or O&M costs associated 
with this information collection.
    Changes in Estimates: EPA expects that the burden associated with 
the final ICR submission for the Methane Challenge Program will 
increase compared to its previous estimated burden due to modifying 
this ICR to include the addition of respondents from the Natural Gas 
STAR Program. However, the final total burden for the total of the two 
programs is not expected to exceed the sum of the burdens for Natural 
Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs.

Hans Christopher Grundler,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs.
[FR Doc. 2021-01070 Filed 1-15-21; 8:45 am]
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