Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731-0038
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR Programs (Renewal)
Posted Date: 2021-07-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 124 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35085-35086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14125]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2016-0731; FRL-10025-85-OMS]

Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Methane Challenge and Natural Gas STAR 
Programs (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), EPA's Methane Challenge and 
Natural Gas STAR Programs (EPA ICR Number 2547.02, OMB Control Number 
2060-0722) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a 
proposed revision of the ICR for the Methane Challenge Program, which 
is currently approved through August 31, 2021. This revision 
incorporates the data collection for the Natural Gas STAR Program 
(currently approved under OMB Control Number 2060-0328). Public 
comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 
19, 2021 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an 
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR 
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 2, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2016-0731, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), 
or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. EPA's 
policy is that all comments received will be included in the public 
docket without change including any personal information provided, 
unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to 
be Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Meluch, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, Climate Change Division, (6207A), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-4762; email address: meluch.andrew@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in 
detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available 
in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: The Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge programs 
(``Gas STAR Programs'') are voluntary programs sponsored by the EPA 
that encourage oil and natural gas companies to adopt cost effective 
technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and 
reduce methane emissions. Methane is the primary component of natural 
gas and a potent greenhouse gas. The Programs work with oil and natural 
gas companies in the production, gathering & boosting, processing, 
transmission & storage, and distribution segments to remove barriers 
that inhibit the implementation of technologies and practices that 
reduce methane emissions. The Programs effectively promote the adoption 
of emission reduction technologies and practices by helping partners 
evaluate Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the context of their 
current operations and implement them where cost-effective. 
Implementation of the Programs' BMPs saves participants money, improves 
operational efficiency, and enhances the protection of the environment. 
This action will combine the ICRs for the Methane Challenge and the 
Natural Gas STAR programs, which is expected to streamline partners' 
engagement with the programs and simplify communications about 
reporting.
    Form Numbers:

 Natural Gas STAR Program--Partnership Agreement: EPA Form No. 
5900-105
 Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for Best 
Management Practice Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-412
 Methane Challenge Program--Partnership Agreement for ONE 
Future Emissions Intensity Commitment Option: EPA Form No. 5900-411
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Production Reporting Form: EPA Form 
No. 5900-104
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Transmission Reporting Form: EPA 
Form No. 5900-95
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Distribution Reporting Form: EPA 
Form No. 5900-99
 Natural Gas STAR Program--Gathering and Processing Reporting 
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-102
 Methane Challenge Program--BMP Commitment Option Reporting 
Form: EPA Form No. 5900-434
 Methane Challenge Program--ONE Future Commitment Option 
Reporting Form: EPA Form No. 5900-435
 Methane Challenge Program--Historical Actions Fact Sheet 
Template: EPA Form No. 5900-413
 Methane Challenge Program--Implementation Plan Template: EPA 
Form No. 5900-410

    Respondents/affected entities: The Natural Gas STAR and Methane 
Challenge Programs are open to companies in the production segment of 
the oil industry, and to companies in the production, gathering & 
boosting, processing, transmission & storage, and distribution segments 
of the natural gas industry.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 140 (54 Natural Gas STAR partners, 
76 Methane Challenge partners and 10 vendors).
    Frequency of response: Annual for partners and one time for 
vendors.
    Total estimated burden: 1,126 hours (per year) for the Natural Gas 
STAR

[[Page 35086]]

Program, plus 3,733 hours (per year) for the Methane Challenge Program. 
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $130,865.00 (per year) for the Natural Gas 
STAR Program plus $357,862.00 (per year) for the Methane Challenge 
Program. There are no capital/start-up costs or O&M costs associated 
with this information collection.
    Changes in the estimates: There is an increase of 1,675 hours (per 
year) in the estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This increase is due to modifying this ICR 
to include the addition of respondents from the Natural Gas STAR 
Program. However, the final total burden for the total of the two 
programs in this ICR renewal is less than the sum of the burdens for 
Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs in their most recent 
ICRs.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-14125 Filed 6-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P