2020 Final Policy and Technical Amendments to New Source Performance Standards for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry and Related Congressional Review Act Resolution 

Congressional Review Act Resolution to Disapprove EPA's 2020 Oil and Gas Policy Rule: Questions and Answers

June 30, 2021 -- President Biden signed into law a joint Congressional resolution disapproving the 2020 final policy amendments to EPA's 2012 and 2016 New Source Performance Standards (known as the "policy rule"). EPA is providing initial guidance to stakeholders, in the form of questions and answers, about the effect of the Congressional Review Act resolution.  Read the questions and answers.

Final Policy and Technical Amendments to the New Source Performance Standards for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

NOTE: President Biden signed a joint Congressional resolution disapproving the 2020 Policy Amendments that are referenced below. As of June 30, 2021, the 2020 Policy Amendments are no longer in effect.

August 13, 2020 -- EPA issued two final rules that will make it simpler and less burdensome for the oil and natural gas industry to comply with the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. Combined, the two rules combined are expected to save the industry millions of dollars in compliance costs each year. The rules are:

• Final policy amendments to the 2012 and 2016 NSPS, which remove the transmission and storage segment from the rule, rescind VOC and methane emissions standards for that segment, and rescind methane emissions standards for the production and processing segments. Note:  as of June 30, 2021, the 2020 Policy Amendments are no longer in effect as a result of a joint Congressional resolution (see note above). 
• Final technical amendments to the 2016 NSPS, which make a number of changes to the rule to simplify compliance, including changes to the leaks monitoring and repair schedules for gathering and boosting compressor stations and low-production wells, changes to recordkeeping and reporting requirements (leaks are called “fugitive emissions” in the rule), and changes to incorporate several states’ requirements, among others. 
• Final policy amendments
• Final technical amendments 
• Regulatory Impact Analysis (175 pp, 2 MB, 08-2020)
• Fact sheet
  • Final technical amendments (7 pp, 257 K)