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EPA Signs MOU with the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations - YouTube
Channel: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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>> Andrew Wheeler:
Good afternoon,
[1]
and thank you for joining us.
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Before I begin, I want to
recognize Butch Lambert,
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Gary Slagel, John
Goldstein, and
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Ryan Steadley, who will be
signing the memorandum of
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understanding on
behalf of STRONGER.
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I also want to thank Wilma
Subra, Walt Hufford, and
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the rest of the STRONGER
team for the important
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work they do in their
local communities.
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Under President Trump,
we've made it a top
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priority to work more
closely with states,
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stakeholders, and the
regulated community.
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This MOU is another
example of that.
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The purpose of this
MOU is to provide more
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opportunities for EPA and
STRONGER to work together
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to improve both
environmental protections
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and economic outcomes.
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We've already made
tremendous progress as a
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nation, and we want to
continue to build on that.
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The U.S. is now the number one energy producer in the world.
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At the same time, we are a
global leader in clean air
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progress and
CO2 reductions.
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These achievements flow
from innovation in the
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private sector and
collaboration between
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Washington and the states
to develop and enforce
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smart regulations.
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STRONGER already does
important work developing
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guidelines and reviewing
state oil and gas programs.
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We want to enhance those
efforts by creating new
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opportunities for
collaboration.
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The objectives of
this MOU are two-fold.
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One, affirm EPA's
commitment to meaningful
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participant in STRONGER's
efforts to develop and
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review guidelines for
state oil and natural gas
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regulatory programs; and
two, improve communication
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and collaboration between
EPA and STRONGER on
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responsible oil and
natural gas exploration
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and development
activities.
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In the coming months, EPA
and STRONGER will work
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together to identify specific
areas for collaboration.
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These areas may include
providing platforms for
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meaningful stakeholder
engagement, identifying
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emerging issues impacting
states and tribes, and
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developing improved
compliance assistance tools.
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Thanks to our engagement
with the states and
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regulated community, we've
already made important
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reforms to our
enforcement efforts.
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In May, we announced a
draft audit program under
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which a new owner of oil
and gas facilities can use
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a streamlined process to
disclose and voluntarily
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correct non-compliance
caused by the prior owner,
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and in August, we
announced that we are
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changing our priorities
to focus on serious
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environmental problems
like non attainment areas,
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and water quality
impairments instead of
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entire industries, like
the oil and gas industry.
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We're also prioritizing
consistent
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and timely enforcement.
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When our enforcement
actions linger for years,
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it not only hurts the
competitiveness of U.S.
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businesses, but it also
delays actions that may be
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necessary to prevent
harm to the environment.
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By working closely with
STRONGER, we can ensure
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that our regulations
encourage compliance and
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deter bad actors.
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This MOU is another
example of our commitment
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to protecting human health
and the environment
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through the strategic
partnerships at the state
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and local level.
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It is my privilege to sign
this MOU, but before we
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do, please join me in
welcoming Ryan Steadley,
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the executive director of
STRONGER, to share some remarks.
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Ryan?
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>> Ryan Steadley:
Thank you.
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As you know, EPA has
been a vital partner and
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supporter of STRONGER
since its inception, and
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we're very pleased to
enter this MOU that
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recognizes the work
that we've done and the
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accomplishments
that we've made.
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I would especially like to
thank Bonnie Robinson for
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all the time and effort
that she's put into being an
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EPA liaison for the STRONGER
board over many years.
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Thank you so much, Bonnie.
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STRONGER's values of
multi-stakeholder
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collaboration and
consensus-building inform
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all of the work
that we do.
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Every guideline we've
developed and every state
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review report we've
published, there's
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evidence of the strength
of those values.
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This MOU represents
a gateway to new
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opportunities to apply
STRONGER's values in new
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ways for the benefit of
all of our stakeholders.
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In fact, we're already
seeing some of those new
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opportunities take shape
with our role as a project
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partner on the upcoming
compliance assistance web
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portal for oil and gas.
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So again, thank
you very much.
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I'm very excited to see
what the future holds, and
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I look forward to making
the most of these new
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opportunities together.
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>> Andrew Wheeler:
Thank you, Ryan.
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And now I'll sign the MOU.
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Thank you, everyone.
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[applause]
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