TULSA, Okla. (March 2, 2017) - GPA Midstream Association supports the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision today to immediately withdraw its 2016 information collection request for methane emissions from existing source in the oil and gas industry.

In 2016, EPA sent information collection request letters to more than 15,000 owners and operators in the oil and gas industry. The information request was composed of two parts: an "operator survey" asking for certain basic information about equipment at oil and gas production facilities, and a detailed "facility survey" asking for more information on sources of methane emissions and emission control measures in use by a representative sampling of facilities in several segments of the oil and gas industry, including the midstream sector. EPA has withdrawn both parts of the information collection request.

"GPA Midstream Association, along with other groups, is involved in litigation on the legality of the new source rule on methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and believes that EPA should not take any action on existing sources of methane emissions until the new source rule litigation is resolved," said GPA Midstream Vice President of Government Affairs Matthew Hite. "We are thrilled and very appreciative of EPA withdrawing this costly and burdensome requirement from our members."

‍