DEQ releases update to Ozone Strategy
by Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
April 22, 2014
Today (Tuesday, April 22, 2014), the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Air Quality Division (AQD) released the update to the Ozone Strategy for the Upper Green River Basin (UGRB).
The AQD developed this Ozone Strategy in response to the nonattainment designation in the UGRB in March 2013. The strategy is intended to be a living and ever evolving document.
According to Todd Parfitt, DEQ Director, there is a logical sequence of events within the strategy starting with shorter term elements, to be able to establish a foundation and move forward to take on more substantial, longer-term elements. Since its first release, the completion of elements from the Ozone Strategy are all important in continuing to build the foundation to help bring the UGRB back into ozone attainment.
Since finalizing the initial version of the Ozone Strategy 13 months ago, the DEQ has accomplished a great deal, 19 elements of the Ozone Strategy have been completed, including the following:
1. The Oil & Gas Best Available Control technology (BACT) Guidance was updated and leak detection and repair (LDAR) for new and modified sources was incorporated.
2. The rulemaking for an Ozone Emissions Inventory Rule has been completed.
3. Rulemaking has been completed to incorporate New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) related to the oil and gas industry.
4. A consultant was hired to test closed top water tanks for emissions.
5. A plan was developed to assess the control effectiveness of combustors and quantify emissions from fugitive sources in the UGRB, with hiring a consultant underway.
A few of the highlights of this newly updated Ozone Strategy are focusing on rulemaking, better access to emissions information, and field studies through:
1. A technology based rule, which is a Phase I control strategy and regulatory option to reduce emissions from existing upstream and midstream oil and gas sources, while preserving the current New Source Review permitting process.
2. The development of an Emissions Inventory Query Wizard to allow public users to obtain quality assured emissions inventory data.
3. Implementation of a produced water tank study and an oil gas production site emissions inventory study, both aimed at improving emissions data.
The UGRB Ozone Strategy is available on DEQ’s website at http://deq.state.wy.us/aqd/Technical%20Documents.asp.
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