From staff reports OKLAHOMA CITY – The state Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public information session to discuss development of the state’s plans to address emissions from existing crude oil and natural gas facilities and fossil fuel electricity generating units.
The Air Quality Division (AQD) of the DEQ will host a public information session on Dec. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the DEQ headquarters, 707 N Robinson in Oklahoma City.
The meeting will kick off a 60-day information-gathering period, agency officials said. In addition to the in-person session, members of the public may participate via Zoom. If you wish to attend via Zoom, please register at https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/ register/vJIsdu6rrjgoGeWTOnrZN5Uy-4O4N-_7Qc_0?utm_content=&utm_ medium=email&utm_name=&utm_ source=govdelivery&utm_term=#/ registration.
The purpose of the public information session is to outline upcoming work the AQD will perform to develop state plans that incorporate federal requirements issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. These federal requirements cover two industries:
• The oil and natural gas sector.
• The electric utility sector (fossil-fuel fired power plants).
The AQD will request public feedback on program elements that eventually will be incorporated into state rules and later into state plans submitted to EPA. These submittals are referred to as state 111(d) plans, referencing the section (111) and paragraph (d) of the federal Clean Air Act which establishes these requirements.
Members of the public (including industry stakeholders, government entities, tribal partners, civic organizations, and the public at large) are encouraged to participate at every step of the process, beginning with development of the broad programmatic outline through the promulgation of state rules and, eventually, the development and submission of the state 111(d) plans.
The Dec. 3 information session will provide additional details regarding the input requested and the opportunities for public participation. At the conclusion of the 60-day information gathering period, DEQ will draft policies for eventual rule development and will hold another public information meeting to share the broad outlines of our program. Additional meetings will be held throughout the process that will culminate in the submission of the 111(d) plans to the EPA.