WASHINGTON – Today, the American Exploration and Production Council released the following statement on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would retain a national limit of 70 parts per billion (ppb) ozone standard under the Clean Air Act, the standard set by the Obama administration:
“In addition to complying with numerous federal and state emissions standards, U.S. independent oil and natural gas producers take additional voluntary steps to continuously improve the industry’s environmental performance,” said AXPC CEO Anne Bradbury. “EPA’s proposed ozone standard protects public health, without imposing unnecessary costs on American jobs or the economy.”
U.S. independent oil and gas producers are committed to continuously improving the industry’s environmental performance, improving efficiency, and reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs are a precursor to ozone). All AXPC member companies are members of The Environmental Partnership, which implements programs that target emissions using proven, cost-effective controls targeting three of the most significant sources of emissions. Selected based on EPA emissions data, these programs consist of: detecting and repairing leaks; focusing on high-bleed pneumatic controllers; and improving the manual liquids unloading process.
Based on a careful review of the most current, best available scientific evidence, EPA’s Ozone NAAQS NPRM proposes to retain the existing ozone requirements of 70 ppb, which protects public health with adequate margin of safety, including at-risk populations. Lowering the Ozone NAAQS standard below 70 ppb would not provide any meaningful benefit to the public, and would create significant economic impacts on the economy as we are recovering from COVID-19.
To view comments joined by AXPC on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone, please click here.
About the American Exploration and Production Council:
The American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) is a national trade association representing the largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States. We lead the world in the cleanest and safest onshore production of oil and gas, while supporting millions of Americans in high-paying jobs and investing a wealth of resources in our communities. Learn more at https://axpc.org/
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