§49.103. Delegation of authority of administration to Indian tribes. — Inbound Citations

(a) ? Sections 49.101 through 49.105 adopt legally and practicably enforceable requirements to control and reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM, PM10, PM2.5), hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and various sulfur compounds from new and modified true minor sources in the oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing segments of the oil and natural gas sector.

As used in §§ 49.101 through 49.105, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Clean Air Act, in subparts A and OOOOa of 40 CFR part 60, in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration regulations at 40 CFR 52.21, or in the Federal Minor New Source Review Program in Indian Country at § 49.152. The following terms shall have the specific meanings given them:

(a) ? The purpose of this section is to establish the process by which a Regional Administrator may delegate to a federally-recognized tribe the authority to assist the EPA with administration of this FIP (§§ 49.101 through 49.105). This section provides for administrative delegation and does not affect the eligibility criteria under § 49.6 for treatment in the same manner as a state or a tribe's ability to obtain approval of a tribal implementation plan under § 49.7.

(a) An owner/operator subject to the requirements contained in §§ 49.101 through 49.105 to satisfy its obligation under § 49.151(c)(1)(iii)(B) to obtain a minor NSR permit shall meet either paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section, as appropriate.

(1) The owner/operator shall submit to the EPA Regional Office (and to the relevant tribe for the area where the source is located/locating) valid documentation demonstrating that prior Endangered Species Act (ESA) and/or National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance has been completed by another federal agency in connection with the specific oil and natural gas activity operated under this FIP (we would consider a document no longer valid if the issuing agency has reopened consultation for the prior approval). The appropriate documents shall clearly show that the other federal agency had met its obligations under both the ESA and NHPA. A simple reference to a Record of Decision or other final decision document will not be acceptable. For listed species, acceptable documentation can include a copy of a letter or biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service addressing the effects of the project on listed species and critical habitat and demonstrating compliance by the federal action agency with ESA requirements. Where the federal action agency prepares a biological assessment of the action as part of its ESA compliance, that document shall also be provided to the EPA Regional Office. For historic properties, acceptable documentation can include: a letter from the appropriate historic preservation office, or a memorandum of agreement with that office, addressing the effects of the project on historic properties and demonstrating compliance by the federal action agency with NHPA requirements. All documentation shall be attached to the Part 1 Registration Form submitted in accordance with § 49.160(c)(1)(iv).

(2) The owner/operator shall submit to the EPA Regional Office (and to the relevant tribe for the area where the source is located/locating) documentation demonstrating that it has completed the required screening procedures specified for consideration of threatened or endangered species and historic properties and receive written confirmation from the EPA stating that the owner/operator has satisfactorily completed these procedures. The completed screening procedures documentation may be submitted together with the source's required § 49.160(c)(1)(iv)Part 1 Registration Form. (The procedures are contained in the following document: “Procedures to Address Threatened and Endangered Species and Historic Properties for the Federal Implementation Plan for Managing Air Emissions from True Minor Sources in Indian Country in the Oil and Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas Processing Segments of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector,” https://www.epa.gov/tribal-air/tribal-minor-new-source-review). Review of your submittal will be conducted by the EPA Regional Office in accordance with the procedure in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section:

(i) Within 30 days of receipt of your documentation, by written notification to you, the EPA Regional Office must provide one of the following determinations:

(A) The documentation satisfactorily demonstrates completion of the screening procedures; or

(B) If the initial submittal is deficient, the EPA Regional Office will note any such deficiencies and may offer further direction on completing the screening procedures. Once you have addressed the noted deficiencies, you must resubmit your revised screening procedure documentation for review. An additional 15-day review notification period will be used for the EPA Regional Office to determine whether the listed species and/or historic property screening procedures have been satisfied. If the EPA Regional Office makes such a determination, it will send you written notification stating that conclusion.

(ii) You must obtain written notification from the EPA Regional Office indicating that the source has adequately completed the screening procedures. The EPA Regional Office may send written notification by mail, email, or any other written means of notification. You may not begin construction under this FIP until the following two conditions are met:

(A) At least 30 days has passed from the date the Part 1 Registration Form was submitted; and

(1) It satisfies the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(C) of the Act by establishing a pre-construction permitting program for all new and modified minor sources (minor sources) and minor modifications at major sources located in Indian country and by establishing a Federal Implementation Plan (§§ 49.101 through 49.105) for true minor sources in the oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing segments that are located in Indian country.

(B) Determine whether your proposed source's potential to emit for the pollutant that you are evaluating, (including fugitive emissions, to the extent they are quantifiable, only if the source belongs to one of the source categories listed pursuant to section 302(j) of the Act), is equal to or greater than the corresponding minor NSR threshold in Table 1 of this section. If it is, then you are subject to the pre-construction requirements of this program for that pollutant, except that sources in the oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing segments of the oil and natural gas sector shall instead comply with the requirements of the Federal Implementation Plan at §§ 49.101 through 49.105, unless you opt-out of the Federal Implementation Plan pursuant to § 49.101(b)(2) in which case you are subject to the pre-construction requirements of this program for that pollutant or are required by the EPA to obtain a minor source permit pursuant to § 49.101(b)(3). If it is not, then proceed to Step 3 (paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(C) of this section).

(iii) If your true minor source is not engaged in an oil and natural gas activity, and you commence construction or modification of your source on or after September 2, 2014, and your source is subject to this rule, then you must report your source's actual emissions (if available) as part of your permit application and your permit application information will be used to fulfill the registration requirements described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section. If your true minor source is engaged in an oil and natural gas activity, and you commence construction or modification of your source on or after October 3, 2016, then you must report your source's actual emissions (if available) as part of your permit application (source-specific permits), unless you are subject to the Federal Implementation Plan under §§ 49.101 through 49.105 (where the requirements under paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section shall be met). Your permit application for oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing sources seeking a source-specific permit will be used to fulfill the registration requirements described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.