Notice

– FD

- OCS

- EPA

- R4012

- M1 UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4

Notice of Final D etermination of Permit Issuance for Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit OCS

- EPA

- R4012

- M1

Statoil Gulf Services, LLC

On July 9 , 201 4 , the Region 4 office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency requested public comment on a draft Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air permit modification for Statoil Gulf Services, LLC ( Statoil ). This permit modification revises OCS air quality permit OCS

- EPA

- R4012 that the EPA previously issued to Statoil on October 28, 2013 for the DeSoto Canyon area project. The permit will regulate air pollutant emissions from either the Transocean Discoverer Americas drillship or the Maersk Developer drill rig and support vessels, which Statoil intends to operate within its DeSoto Canyon area lease locations on the OCS in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 160 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and greater than 200 miles southwest of Panama City, Florida. The exploratory drilling operation will last up to 18 0 days per year at multiple locations within the lease blocks for approximately 5 to 10 years.

The permit incorporates the applicable requirements from the federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration preconstruction and title V operating permit programs, New Sou rce Performance Standards , and National Emission Standards for H azardous Air Pollutants , as required by the OCS Air Quality Regulations at 40 Code of Federal Regulation s (CFR) part 55.

The EPA prepared a preliminary determination and statement of basis document

, as well as a summary fact sheet that explain s the permit modifications. These documents, the public notice, the application, and all supporting documentation are available on the EPA Region 4’s website at: http://www.ep a.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html

.
During the public comment period, which commenced on July 9, 201 4 , and ended on August 8 , 201 4

, the EPA received no comments. Since no requests for a public hearing were received, the hearing was canceled due to insufficient interest.

The Final Determination document summarizes the minor changes made to the revisions offered for public comment

. These changes are included in the administrative record for the Statoil permit and available at t he website listed above. The administrative record is available at www.regulations.gov (docket # EPA

- R04

- OAR

- 201 4

- 0510 ).

After consideration of the expressed view of all interested persons, the pertinent federal statutes and regulations, the application and supplemental information submitted by the applicant, and additional material relevant to the application and contained in the administrative record, the EPA has made a final determination in accordance with tit le 40 CFR part 55 to issue an air permit to construct and operate to Statoil for the proposed exploratory drilling operation in the DeSoto Canyon OCS area lease blocks. The final permit does not differ significantly from the draft permit offered for public comment.

The final permit and additional supporting information are available at http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ ocsp ermits/ ocs permits.html

. Copies of the final permit are available for inspection during normal business hours (p lease call in advance for available viewingNotice

– FD

- OCS

- EPA

- R4012

- M1

times) at the EPA Region 4 Office and are also av ailable upon request to Ms

. Rosa Yarbrough at : yarbrough.rosa@epa.gov ; (404) 562

- 9643 ; or in writing to: EPA Region 4, APTMD ; ATTN: Ms. Rosa Yarbrough ; 61 Forsyth Street, SW ; Atlanta, GA 30303

.

P etition s to the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) to review any condition on this final action must be filed by Sept ember 15

, 201 4

. P etition s for review may only be made with respect to any changes from the draft to the final permit decision or other grounds that were not reasonably foreseeable during the public comment period on the draft permit revisions

. The petition must include a statement of the reason for requesting review by the EAB including demonstration that any issues being raised could not be raised during the public comment period to the extent required by 40 CFR part 124 and, when appropriate, a showing that the conditions in question are based on 1) a finding of fact or conclusion of law which is clearly erroneous, or 2) an exercise of discretion or an important policy consideration which the EAB sho uld, in its discretion, review. The address for the EAB depends on the method of delivery, as follows:

All documents that are sent through the U.S. Postal S ervice (except by Express mail) address to:

U.S. Environmental P rotection Agency Clerk of the Board, Environmental Appeals Board (MC 1103B) Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20460

- 0001

All documents that are hand

- carried in person, delivered via courier, mailed by U.S. Postal Express mail, or delivered by a non

- U.S. Postal Service carrier (e.g., Federal Express or UPS) deliver or address to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clerk of the Board, Environmental Appeals Board Ronald Reagan Building, EPA Mail Room 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004

Documents that are hand

- carried may be delivered to the Clerk of the Board from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Documents that are sent to the EAB’s ha n d

- delivery address through the U.S. Postal Service (except by Express Mail) will be returned to the sender and shall not be considered as filed.

Please see 40 CFR § 124.19 , 40 CFR § 71.11 and visit http://www.epa.go v/eab/ for more information regarding the procedure for appeals to the EAB, including instructions for electronic filing.

Please bring this announcement to the attention of all persons who you know would be interested in the

matter.