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Coal Bed Methane Study comment period extended by EPA

EPA is conducting a study of produced water treatment and disposal options used in coalbed methane (CBM) extraction operations. EPA is conducting this study under section 304(b) of the Clean Water Act to determine if it would be appropriate to revise the effluent guidelines for the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category (40 CFR 435) to control pollutants discharged in CBM produced water. As part of this study EPA identified that it would develop an information collection request ("survey") for CBM operators and would seek approval of this survey from the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). EPA published a draft version of the survey on January 25, 2008, and initiated a 60 day public comment period (see http://www.epa.gov/guide/304m/index.html).

The original close of the public comment period was March 25, 2008. Several stakeholders have requested an extension to the comment period in order to adequately understand this new information collection and provide comments (see EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0771-1074, 1075, www.regulations.gov). In response to these requests we have extended the public comment period for this survey by 30 days. The close of the comment period is now April 24, 2008.

You can submit your comments, data and information for the Coalbed Methane Extraction Sector Questionnaire, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0771, by one of the following methods: (1) http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. (2) E-mail: OW-Docket@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0771. You can also submit comments by mail and by hand delivery. See the Federal Register notice for additional instructions on submitting comments.

You can also contact me if you have any questions about the survey or the study. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Carey A. Johnston, P.E. U.S. EPA, Office of Water ph: (202) 566 1014 fx: (202) 566 1053 johnston.carey@epa.gov