G/TBT/N/USA/1527  
27 September 2019  
(19-6242) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1554]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated i f different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Emissions; 
Environmental protection (ICS 13.020), Air quality (ICS 13.040), Compressors and 
pneumatic machines (ICS 23.140), Extraction an d processing of petroleum and natural gas 
(ICS 75.020), Equipment for petroleum and natural gas industries (ICS 75.180)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Oil and Natural 
Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstruct ed, and Modified Sources Review 
(43 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Proposed rule - This action proposes reconsideration 
amendments to the new source performance standards (NSPS). These amendments, if 
finalized, would remove sources in the  transmission and storage segment from the source 
category, rescind the NSPS (including both the volatile organic compounds (VOC) and 
methane requirements) applicable to those sources, and rescind the methane -specific 
requirements (the "methane requirement s") of the NSPS applicable to sources in the 
production and processing segments. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 
also proposing, as an alternative, to rescind the methane requirements of the NSPS 
applicable to all oil and natural gas sour ces, without removing any sources from the source 
category. Furthermore, the EPA is taking comment on alternative interpretations of its 
statutory authority to regulate pollutants under the Clean Air Act (CAA), and associated 
record and policy questions.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of the environment; Cost saving and productivity enhancement  
8. Relevant documents:   
• 84 Federal Register (FR) 50244, 24 September 2019; Title 40 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Part 60:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/F R-2019-09-24/html/2019 -19876.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-09-24/pdf/2019 -19876.pdf  G/TBT/N/USA/1527  
 
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  • Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and 
Modified Sources Review, Proposed rule; notice of public hearing published 20 
September 2019:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-09-20/html/20 19-20242.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-09-20/pdf/2019 -20242.pdf  
• Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National 
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews; Final Rule published 
16 August 2012:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2012-08-16/html/2012 -16806.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2012-08-16/pdf/2012 -16806.pdf  
• Oil and Natural Gas Sector : New Source Performance Standards and National 
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews; Proposed Rule published 
23 August 2011:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/c ontent/pkg/FR -2011-08-23/html/2011 -19899.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/conte nt/pkg/FR -2011-08-23/pdf/2011 -19899.pdf  
• G/TBT/N/USA/1030 and subsequent addenda  
• G/TBT/N/USA/1322 and USA/1322/Add.1  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  25 November 2019  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-09-24/html/2019 -19876.htm  
https://www.govin fo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-09-24/pdf/2019 -19876.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/USA/19_5281_00_e.pdf