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– OCS

- EPA

- R4008

- M2 07/11. 2013 BHPB UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4
Final Determination Outer Continenta l Shelf Air Permit Revision OCS
- EPA
- R400 8
- M2 BHP Billiton Petroleum, Inc. , Sake Drilling Project

July 11, 2013
On May 24 , 201 3 , the Region 4 o ffice of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested public comment on a draft Outer Con tinental Shelf (OCS) air permit revision for BHP Billiton Petroleum, Inc. ( BHPB ). This permit revision modifies OCS air quality permit OCS

- EPA

- R4008

- M1 that the EPA previously issued to BHPB on May 30, 2012, and was subsequently modified on M arch 13, 2013 , for the Sake Drilling Project

. The Sake Drilling Project is an oil and natural g as exploration drilling operation for a period of up to two years us ing a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) and associated support vessels in the OCS waters of the Gulf of Mexico, DeSoto Canyon area, within lease blocks 499, 543

- 545, 586

- 592, 631

- 640, 676

- 685, 721

- 729, 768

- 773, and 815

- 817. Neither the original permit, nor the revision, authorizes the establishment of any permanent facilities.
The EPA prepared a preliminary determination , fact sheet, and statement of basis document that explains the permit revision s. These documents, as well as the application, supporting materials, public notice and response to public comments are available in the Administrative Record for this project. The Administrative Record is available at the EPA Region 4 office and can be access ed through EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html and www.regulations.gov (docket EPA

- R04

- OAR

- 201

- 0416). The EPA announced the public comment period and opportunity for public hearing via a public notice published in the Florida Weekly Register , Mobile Press Register , Panama City News , and Pensacola News Journal , in emails to the OCS public notice list, and on www.regulations.gov and the EPA Region 4’s website. A public hearing was held on June 27, 2013, at the West Florida Public Library located at 239 N. Spring Street in Pensacola, Florida. A total of 88 comments, including 32 requests for a public hearing were received (via email, letter, and orally at the public hearing) during the public comment period , which closed on June 27, 2013

. T he EPA reviewed each of the comment s received and prepared a Response to Comments document , which briefly summarizes the comments and provides the EPA’s response s
. Complete copies of all comments are included in the Administrative R ecord for the BHPB permit revision , which can be accessed at the website s listed above

. A fter consideration of the expressed view of all interested persons, the pertinent federal statutes and regulations, the application and supplemental information submitted by the applic ant, and additional material relevant to the ap plication and contained in the Administrative R ecord, the EPA has made a final determination in accordance with t itle 40 , C ode of F ederal R egulations (CFR) , p art 55 , to issue OCS air permit OCS

- EPA

- R4008

- M2 to BHPB

. The final permit revision does not differ from the draft permit revision offered for public comment. The final permit, EPA’s response to the public comments, and additional supporting information are available at http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html , as well as, the EPA Region 4 Office and are also available upon request to Ms. Rosa Yarbrough at: R4OCSpermits@epa.gov ; (404) 562

- 9643 ; or in writing to: EPA Region 4, APTMD; ATTN: Ms . Rosa Yarbrough ; 61 Forsyth Street, SW; Atlanta, GA 30303. Any person who filed comments on the draft permit may petition the Envir onmental Appeals Board to review any of the revised condition s of the final permit , including a showing that the conditions in question are based on a finding of fact or law which is clearly erroneous, as well as, a demonstration that these same issues were raised during the comment period

. Please see 40 CFR § 124.19 and visit http://www.epa.gov/eab/ for more information regarding the procedure for appeals to the EAB

.