Other Agencies and Organizations, Environmental Protection Agency

 

OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Environmental Protection Agency

OCS-EPA-R4012-M1, for Statoil Gulf Services

*** 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 [phone] or [e-mail]. For questions on the draft permit conditions, please contact: Ms. Lori Shepherd at [phone] or [e-mail], 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 # EPA-R04-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: [phone]. 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 [e-mail], submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov (docket # EPA-R04-OAR-2014-0510) 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 [e-mail] 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; [phone].

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 [phone] 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 p.m. 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.