DEP also said it will incorporate recent changes to the federal oil and gas methane reduction requirements into the plan and regulation for implementing 0000c.
In April, DEP told the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee the agency received over 10,000 comments on its initial 0000c plan.
Comments from industry and many from environmental groups said DEP should adopt its own regulations, but for different reasons. Read more here.
Aug. 6 Air Quality Committee Meeting
The new approach to implementing the federal 0000c regulation will be discussed at the August 6 meeting of DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee.
DEP’s presentation to the Air Quality Committee says two factors led to the change in direction from DEP’s initial approach of using general permits to implement the requirements--
-- A change in state law requiring all Air Quality Permits to be reviewed in 30 days (Act 45 of 2025): “Considering the volume of applications and staff limitations, the Department determined that the General Permit approach would be untenable.”
-- Several key changes in the federal requirements extending compliance deadlines, revised flaring standards and other monitoring requirements.
DEP said “Based on public comments, the enactment of Act 45 of 2025, and changes at the federal level, the Department is revising the proposed General Permit enforcement mechanism.
“To enforce the requirements under 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart OOOOc, the Department will propose a state rulemaking process under the authority of the APCA.
“These revisions are reflected in the final State Plan, and the Model Rule language has been removed.
“The State Plan was also revised to reflect federal changes and incorporate requirements for meaningful engagement and public testimony.”
DEP said it expects to submit its state plan to implement the federal 0000c regulation by January 22, 2027.
DEP also said in its presentation it will be conducting an “information request for equipment inventories from conventional [oil and gas] well site[s] and centralized production facility operators.”
And will also “review collected data to determine appropriate standards of performance” for facilities.
DEP expects to conduct additional “public engagement” on the regulations it proposes for conventional and shale gas operations as well as present them to the appropriate advisory committees.
Click Here for a copy of DEP’s Presentation.
DEP 2022 Oil & Gas Methane Regulations
The Environmental Quality Board adopted regulations in December 2022 requiring methane pollution reductions from conventional oil and gas facilities in response to a federal rule then in effect.
Conventional well owners challenged the regulations in court and did not have to comply with the requirement to submit a compliance report until a settlement with DEP in April required them to submit their first report by June 1, 2025. Read more here.
DEP reported in November, 2025, more than 99% of the 4,950 conventional oil and gas well owners failed to comply with the reporting requirement. Read more here.
During the process of adopting the 2022 regulations, DEP estimated conventional oil and gas facilities would account for 80 percent of the total methane emission reductions expected under the regulations which covered both conventional and unconventional shale gas facilities. Read more here.
Shale gas facility owners submitted their first reports on June 1, 2024 to cover 2023 emissions as required.
Join The Meeting
The DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting will be held on August 6 starting at 9:15 a.m. in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg.
Click Here to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams. Click Here for other options.
Public Comments
Anyone interested in providing public comments at the AQTAC meeting is encouraged to pre-register prior to the start of the meeting by emailing the AQTAC Liaison at: RA-EPAQTAC@pa.gov.
Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to email written versions of their intended comments at least 24 hours prior to the meeting to AQTAC Liaison at: RA-EPAQTAC@pa.gov) with CC to John Tissue at: jctissue@msn.com so they may be shared with AQTAC members in advance.
Commenters should be aware the time slot for the Public Comment Opportunity is subject to change and may begin and conclude earlier than shown on this agenda.
[Posted: July 24, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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