*** PUBLIC NOTICE ***

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit OCS-EPA-R4012-M1

for Statoil Gulf Services, LLC

Public Comment Period: July 9, 2014 – August 8, 2014

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a Clean Air 

Act (CAA) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air permit modification for Statoil Gulf Services, LLC

(Statoil), 2103 CityWest Boulevard, Suite 800, Houston, Texas 77042. EPA previously issued Statoil an 

OCS air quality permit on October 28, 2013, to regulate air emissions from an exploratory drilling 

operation in the Gulf of Mexico and provided an opportunity for public comment on this permitting 

action between August 9, 2013 and September 9, 2013. 

The permitted project, which has not yet begun drilling, will include operation of one of two 

deep water drilling vessels, the Maersk Developer drill rig or the Transocean Discoverer Americas drill

ship, and associated crew and support vessels. Statoil proposes to conduct exploratory drilling at 

multiple sites within lease blocks located on the OCS waters in the Gulf of Mexico east of longitude 

87.5o and approximately 160 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 200 miles 

southwest of Panama City, Florida. Drilling operations may occur for up to180 days per year for a 

period of five to ten years. The project is for exploratory drilling only and does not include the 

establishment of any permanent production platforms. 

Statoil has requested a permit modification to include best available control technology (BACT) 

limits for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microns (PM2.5), 

particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 microns (PM10), and volatile 

organic compounds (VOC) as well as revised BACT limits for nitrogen oxides (NOX) for engines on the 

Developer based on recent source test data for these pollutants that was not available at the time of 

permitting. Statoil has also requested that the modification decrease the total fuel consumption limit for 

the Developer and change the possible drilling locations for the Developer to include additional lease 

blocks in the same general area. The permit revision does not constitute a modification to the emission 

units or operation of the facility. Permit conditions unrelated to the Developer’s updated BACT limits 

for PM10, PM2.5, VOCs, and NOX and operating location have not been modified in this draft permit 

except where necessary for clarification or to correct typographic errors.

EPA Region 4 is the agency responsible for implementing and enforcing CAA requirements for 

OCS sources in the Gulf of Mexico east of longitude 87.5o. Pursuant to section 328 of the CAA, (42 

U.S.C.§7627), and the air quality regulations applicable to OCS sources set forth in Title 40, Code of 

Federal Regulations, part 55, this project is required to obtain an OCS air quality permit and is subject to 

Prevention of Significant Deterioration and title V operating permit requirements that apply to major 

sources. Certain changes to such permits require public notice. EPA has prepared draft modifications to 

the permit for public comment, as well as a preliminary determination and statement of basis document 

that explains our review of the application and changes to the permit conditions. The maximum potential 

annual emissions in tons per year for the project are detailed in the application materials and preliminary 

determination/statement of basis and are also summarized in the project fact sheet. 

Permit Documents: EPA has prepared a draft permit modification for public comment, as well 

as a preliminary determination/statement of basis document that explains the revised permit conditions. 

These documents are available on EPA Region 4’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/ 

permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html. To request a copy of these documents or to be added to our Statoil

permit mailing list, please contact: Ms. Rosa Yarbrough, Permit Support Specialist, at (404) 562-9643 or 

yarbrough.rosa@epa.gov. For questions on the draft permit conditions, please contact: Ms. Lori

Shepherd at (404) 562-8435 or shepherd.lorinda@epa.gov, or by US mail to the EPA address below. 

EPA’s draft permit modification and preliminary determination/statement of basis, Statoil’s 

application and supporting documentation/data, and comments received from the public, other 
government agencies, and the applicant during the public comment period will become part of the 

administrative record for the permit. All data submitted by the applicant is available as part of the 

administrative record. The administrative record is available at www.regulations.gov (docket # EPAR04-OAR-2014-0510), which can also be accessed through EPA’s website given above, and at the EPA 

Region 4 office (please call in advance for available viewing times) at: 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, 

GA 30303; Phone: (404) 562-9643. The web sites can be accessed through free internet services 

available at local public libraries. 

Public Comments: All comments on the draft permit modification must be received by email at 

R4OCSpermits@epa.gov, submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov (docket # EPA-R04-OAR2014-0510) or postmarked by August 8, 2014. Comments sent by mail should be addressed to: USEPA 

Region 4, Air Permits Section APTMD, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 Attn: Rosa 

Yarbrough. An extension of the 30-day comment period may be granted if the request is submitted 

during the 30-day public comment period and it adequately demonstrates why additional time is required 

to prepare comments. 

Any interested person may submit written comments on the draft permit modification during the 

public comment period. If you believe that any of the modified conditions in the permit are

inappropriate, you must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available 

arguments supporting your position by the end of the comment period. Any documents supporting your 

comments must be included in full and may not be incorporated by reference unless they are already part 

of the record for this permit or consist of state or federal statutes or regulations, EPA documents of 

general applicability, or other generally available reference materials. Comments should focus on the 

draft revisions to the air quality permit. If you have comments regarding offshore leasing, non-air 

quality impacts, drilling safety, or other similar issues not subject to this public comment period, you

should submit them during the leasing and approval proceedings of the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, which is the lead agency for offshore drilling. 

All timely comments will be included in the administrative record without change and will be 

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

Confidential Business Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

Information that you consider Confidential Business Information or otherwise protected should be 

clearly identified as such and should not be submitted through email. If you send email directly to EPA, 

your email address will be captured automatically and included as part of the public comment. An email 

or postal address must be provided with your comments if you wish to receive direct notification of 

EPA’s final decision regarding the permit and response to comments submitted during the public 

comment period. All timely comments on the draft permit modification will be considered in making the 

final decision. EPA will respond to all significant comments on the proposed permit and may summarize 

and group similar comments in our response. EPA will not respond to individual commenters directly. 

Public Hearing: Public Hearing requests must be in writing and received by EPA by July 

31, 2014. Requests should be sent by email to R4OCSpermits@epa.gov or by mail addressed to: 

USEPA Region 4, Air Permits Section, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, Attn: Rosa 

Yarbrough. EPA will hold a public hearing on the draft permit modification, pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12,

if EPA determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the draft permit modification.

Requests for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. If a 

public hearing is held, you may submit oral and/or written comments on the permit modification at the 

hearing. You do not need to attend the public hearing to submit written comments. If EPA determines 

that there is a significant degree of public interest, EPA will hold a public hearing from 

5:30 to7:00 pm on August 14, 2014, at: Bay County Public Library, Northwest Regional Library 

System, 898 W 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32412-0625; (850) 522-2119. 

If a public hearing is held, the public comment period will automatically be extended to the close 

of the public hearing. If no timely request for a public hearing is received, or if EPA determines that 
there is not a significant degree of public interest, a hearing will not be held. Such an announcement will 

be emailed to our OCS public notice list and posted on EPA’s website given above, or you may call 

EPA at (404) 562-9643 to determine if the hearing will not be held. 

If a public hearing is held, EPA staff will be available prior to the hearing from 4:00-5:30 pm to 

answer questions and provide information on this proposed action during an informal public information 

session. You are not required to attend the information session to comment at the public hearing, and 

you may also obtain additional information about the project at EPA’s website listed above. 

Final Determination: A final decision to modify the permit or to deny the application for the 

permit modification shall be made after all timely and relevant comments have been considered. Notice 

of the final decision shall be sent to each person who has submitted written comments or requested 

notice of the final permit decision, provided EPA has adequate contact information.