EPA’s Final Rule for Oil and Natural Gas Operations Will Sharply Reduce Methane and Other Harmful Pollution.

ENB Pub Note: We will review these regulations and report on the first-, second-, and third-order magnitude impacts. 

EPA has issued a final rule that will sharply reduce emissions of methane and other harmful air pollution from oil and natural gas operations — including, for the first time, from existing sources nationwide. The final action includes New Source Performance Standards to reduce methane and smog-forming volatile organic compounds from new, modified and reconstructed sources. It also includes Emissions Guidelines, which set procedures for states to follow as they develop plans to limit methane from existing sources. Oil and natural gas operations are the largest industrial source of methane pollution in the U.S.

Methane is a climate “super pollutant” that is more potent than carbon dioxide and is responsible for approximately one third of current warming resulting from human activities. Rapid, sharp cuts in methane can generate near-immediate climate benefits and are a crucial addition to cutting carbon dioxide in slowing the rate of warming of Earth’s atmosphere.

Regulatory Documents

Final Rule and Regulatory Text (pdf) (5.85 MB)
Regulatory Impact Analysis (pdf) (3.31 MB)

Supplementary Material for the Regulatory Impact Analysis: Report on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (pdf) (8.94 MB)

Fact Sheets

Key Things to Know About EPA’s Final Rule for Oil and Natural Gas Operations (pdf) (184.1 KB)
EPA’s Final Rule for Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Overview   (pdf) (183.74 KB)
Technical Fact Sheet: Appendix K: Requirements for Using Optical Gas Imaging, Applied to Natural Gas Processing Plants  (pdf) (180.93 KB)

Tables

Table of Covered Sources by Site: EPA’s 2012, 2016 and 2023 Rules (pdf) (226.53 KB)
Summary of Requirements: Final New Source Performance Standards and Emissions Guidelines (pdf) (248.17 KB)

Upcoming Trainings

EPA will hold trainings in early 2024 to provide an overview of the final rule for  communities, Tribes, tribal environmental professionals and small businesses. The Agency also will hold trainings on how to apply to use alternate test methods for detecting methane and on how to apply to be EPA-certified for the Super Emitter Program. We will post information on the trainings on this web page as they are scheduled.

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