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* * * PUBLIC NOTICE * * * 

MCELMO CREEK UNIT OIL PRODUCTION FACILITY 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROPOSED PERMIT AMENDMENT, PUBLIC HEARING, AND 

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED CLEAN AIR ACT PREVENTION 

OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION PERMIT 

PERMIT APPLICATION NO. NU 05-01 

Proposed Action: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 

provides notice of, and requests public comment on, EPA’s proposed action relating to 

amendments to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit for the McElmo Creek 

Unit Oil Production Facility (MCU Facility), an existing oil and gas production operation. The 

MCU Facility is owned and operated by the Resolute Natural Resources Company. The mailing 

address for the facility is P.O. Box 100130, Aneth, UT 84510. The facility is located in Section 

31, Township 40 South, Range 25 East within the Four Corners Area on the Navajo Nation 

Indian Reservation near the town of Aneth, San Juan County, Utah. 

EPA is amending the PSD permit, in accordance with PSD regulations (40 CFR 52.21), to 

incorporate pollution limits, terms, and conditions for the already existing Main Flare at the 

MCU Facility pursuant to a federal Consent Decree (United States v. Mobil Exploration and 

Producing U.S. Inc., Case No. 2:05–CV–319, filed June 8, 2005). These pollution limits, terms, 

and conditions include Best Available Control Technology (BACT) emission limitations for 

nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds. 

Additionally, EPA is amending the PSD permit to remove and update other applicable 

requirements in the MCU Facility’s PSD permit due to equipment that has been shut down and 

removed from the site. Air pollution emissions as a result of this permit action would not cause 

or contribute to violations of any National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or any 

applicable PSD increments. Other than the replacement of a fixed speed fan with a variable 

speed fan to provide better pollution control at the Main Flare, this permit action does not 

authorize any new construction or modification of existing equipment at the MCU Facility. 

Request for Public Comment: Any interested person may submit written comments regarding 

today’s proposed PSD permit amendment. All written comments must be received or 

postmarked by November 20, 2014. Comments must be sent or delivered in writing to 

Shaheerah Kelly at one of the following addresses: 

E-mail: R9airpermits@epa.gov 

U.S. Mail: Shaheerah Kelly 

 U.S. EPA Region 9 (AIR-3) 

 75 Hawthorne Street 

 San Francisco, CA 94105-3901 
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Alternatively, written comments may be submitted at the Public Hearing for this matter that 

will be held on November 20, 2014 as described below. 

Comments should address the proposed PSD permit amendment including, but not limited to, 

such matters as: 

1. BACT determinations for the Main Flare; 

2. The effects, if any, on Class I areas; 

3. The effect of the proposed PSD permit amendment on ambient air quality; and 

4. The attainment and maintenance of the NAAQS. 

Public Information Meeting & Public Hearing: EPA will hold a Public Information Meeting 

for the purpose of providing interested parties with additional information and an opportunity for 

informal discussion of the proposed PSD permit amendment. 

Immediately following the Public Information Meeting, EPA will hold a Public Hearing, 

pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, to provide the public with further opportunity to comment on the 

proposed PSD permit amendment. At the Public Hearing, any interested person may provide 

written comments or oral comments, in English or Diné, and relevant data pertaining to the 

proposed PSD permit amendment. The date, time, and location of the Public Information 

Meeting and Public Hearing are as follows: 

Date: November 20, 2014 

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING)

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (PUBLIC HEARING)

Location: Aneth Chapter House 

East Highway 162, Mile Post 30 

Aneth, Utah 84510 

(435) 651-3525 

English-Diné translation services will be provided at each Public Information Meeting and 

Public Hearing. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact Philip Kum, EPA 

Region 9 Reasonable Accommodations Coordinator, by October 31, 2014 at (415) 947-3566, or 

kum.philip@epa.gov. 

Additional Information: All information submitted by the applicant is available as part of the 

administrative record. The proposed amended PSD permit, Ambient Air Quality Impact 

Report/Fact Sheet (AAQIR/Fact Sheet), PSD application, and other supporting information are 

available through the EPA Region 9 website at http://www.epa.gov/region09/air/permit/r9-

permits-issued.html#pubcomment. The administrative record may also be viewed in person, 

Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the EPA 

Region 9 address above. Due to building security procedures, please call Shaheerah Kelly at 

(415) 947-4156, or through EPA Region 9’s toll-free general information line at (866) 372-9378, 
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at least 72 hours in advance to arrange a visit. Hard copies of the administrative record can be 

mailed to individuals upon request in accordance with Freedom of Information Act requirements 

as described on the EPA Region 9 website at http://www.epa.gov/region9/foia/. 

The proposed PSD permit amendment and the accompanying AAQIR/Fact Sheet are available 

for review and inspection at the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, Fort Defiance, 

AZ, (928) 871-7692 and the following Navajo Nation chapter house locations: 

 Aneth Chapter House, Aneth, UT, (435) 651-3525 

 Red Mesa Chapter House near Montezuma Creek, UT, (928) 656-3679 

 Teec Nos Pos Chapter House, Teec Nos Pos, AZ, (928) 656-3662 

 Mexican Water Chapter House, Bluff, AZ, (928) 429-0986 

 Sweetwater Chapter House, Sweetwater, AZ, (928) 429-0977 

 Dennehotso Chapter, Dennehotso, AZ, (928) 658-3300 

The proposed PSD permit amendment and AAQIR/Fact Sheet are also available for review and 

inspection at Receptionist Desk of the following libraries: 

 Monticello Library, Monticello, UT, (435) 587-2281 

 Blanding Library, Blanding, UT, (435) 678-2335 

 Montezuma Creek Library, Montezuma Creek, UT, (435) 651-3309 

 Bluff Library, Bluff, UT, (435) 672-9996 

 La Sal Library, La Sal, UT, (435) 686-9936 

All comments that are received will be included in the public docket without change and will be 

available to the public, including any personal information provided, unless the comment 

includes Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Information that is considered to be CBI or otherwise protected should be 

clearly identified as such and should not be submitted through e-mail. If a commenter sends email directly to the EPA, the e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part 

of the public comment. Please note that an e-mail or postal address must be provided with 

comments if the commenter wishes to receive direct notification of EPA’s final decision 

regarding the PSD application and proposed PSD permit amendment. 

EPA’s Final Permit Decision: Before taking final action, EPA Region 9 will consider all 

written and oral comments submitted during the public comment period, including those 

provided at the public hearing, before taking final action on the PSD permit amendment. 

EPA will send notice of the final decision to each person who provides contact information and 

who: (i) submits comments during the public comment period, including oral comments 

provided at the public hearing; or (ii) requests notice of the final permit decision. EPA will 

summarize the contents of all substantive comments and provide written responses in a 

document accompanying EPA’s final permit decision. EPA will also make a transcript of the 

Public Hearing proceedings available to the public. 
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EPA’s final permit decision will become effective 30 days after the service of notice of the 

decision unless: 

1. A later effective date is specified in the decision; or 

2. The decision is appealed to EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board pursuant to 40 CFR 

124.19; or 

3. There are no comments requesting a change to the proposed permit decision, in which case 

the final decision shall become effective immediately upon issuance. 

For More Information: If you have questions, please contact Shaheerah Kelly at 

(415) 947-4156 or e-mail at R9airpermits@epa.gov. If you would like to be added to our 

mailing list to receive future information about this proposed permit decision or other PSD 

permit decisions issued by EPA Region 9, please Shaheerah Kelly at (415) 947-4156 or send an 

e-mail at R9airpermits@epa.gov, or visit EPA Region 9’s website at 

http://www.epa.gov/region09/air/permit/psd-public-guidelines.html. Shaheerah Kelly can also 

be reached through EPA Region 9’s toll-free general information line at (866) 372-9378. 

Please bring the foregoing notice to the attention of all persons who would be interested in this 

matter.