Form 5900-412 Methane Challenge Program Partnership Agreement - Best M

OMB Control No. 2060-XXX
Approval expires XX/XX/XXXX

Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program: Partnership Agreement for
Best Management Practice (BMP) Commitment
The Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program is a flexible, voluntary partnership between the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and oil and natural gas companies. This voluntary Program allows the
EPA to collaborate with Partners to promote and track ambitious, transparent commitments to voluntarily reduce
methane emissions beyond regulatory requirements and to recognize Partners for their progress. By signing this
agreement,
(company name) agrees to join the U.S. EPA to reduce
methane emissions through a Best Management Practice (BMP) Commitment. The BMP Commitment entails a
Partner commitment to company-wide implementation of BMPs to reduce methane emissions from key sources
by a future target date. Partners commit to at least one emission source and specify a target year of completion
(maximum of five [5] years from commitment start date).
Partner’s Best Management Practice Commitment: Please specify participating sources, start date, and target
achievement year in the table below; check all that apply. For companies joining at the corporate level that wish to
make separate commitments for each of their subsidiaries/LDCs, please use “Appendix A: Commitment Table”
found on the Methane Challenge Program website and submit in conjunction with this Partnership Agreement.
Source

Start Date

Achievement
Year

Onshore Production
Pneumatic Controllers
Equipment Leaks/Fugitive Emissions
Liquids Unloading
Pneumatic Pumps
Fixed Roof, Atmospheric Pressure Hydrocarbon Liquid Storage Tanks
Gathering and Boosting
Pneumatic Controllers
Equipment Leaks/Fugitive Emissions
Pneumatic Pumps
Fixed Roof, Atmospheric Pressure Hydrocarbon Liquid Storage Tanks
Reciprocating Compressors - Rod Packing Vent
Centrifugal Compressors - Venting
Natural Gas (NG) Processing
Reciprocating Compressors - Rod Packing Vent
Centrifugal Compressors - Venting
NG Transmission & Underground Storage
Reciprocating Compressors - Rod Packing Vent
Centrifugal Compressors - Venting
Equipment Leaks/Fugitive Emissions
Transmission Pipeline Blowdowns between Compressor Stations
Pneumatic Controllers
NG Distribution
M&R Stations/City Gates
Mains – Cast Iron and Unprotected Steel (Commitment Rate:
)
Services – Cast Iron and Unprotected Steel
Distribution Pipeline Blowdowns (Commitment Rate:
)
Excavation Damages

EPA Form No. 5900-412

Updated 8/3/18

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OMB Control No. 2060-XXX
Approval expires XX/XX/XXXX

EPA’s Responsibilities
1. Assign a Methane Challenge Program Representative responsible for assisting the Partner in implementing
the Program.
2. Provide relevant Program details, which can be found in the Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program:
BMP Framework and Methane Challenge BMP Supplemental Technical Information documents.
3. Assist Partners with Program implementation by:
(i) providing relevant technical information;
(ii) developing a mechanism for reporting supplemental information;
(iii) updating Program information as needed, including updating the list of participating sources and
mitigation options covered in the Program; and
(iv) answering questions about Program participation.
4. Encourage new and innovative methane emission mitigation technologies, as well as methodologies for
monitoring and measuring progress, and incorporate them into the Program.
5. Track Partner progress through provision of a user-friendly reporting system through which Partners can
report supplementary data relevant to achieving their Methane Challenge commitments. Supplementary data
will be used in conjunction with data that are already collected by Subpart W of the Greenhouse Gas
Reporting Program (GHGRP) to track Partner progress.
6. Promote the transparency and visibility of the Methane Challenge Program and member commitments and
achievements, by publicly releasing non-confidential data that is submitted either through the Methane
Challenge Program or through the GHGRP.
7. Acknowledge Program Partners through announcement of commitments, Implementation Plans, progress, and
achievement of goals on the EPA’s Methane Challenge website.

Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Partner’s Responsibilities
1. Designate a company representative as the Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program Implementation
Manager responsible for serving as the contact point concerning implementation of this voluntary agreement.
2. Submit an Implementation Plan within six (6) months of signing this agreement outlining expected activities
and milestones for achieving commitments.
3. Specify commitment start date(s), which will be within six (6) months of joining the Program.
4. Implement BMPs for the selected participating sources across company operations to achieve mitigation
commitments by the specified commitment target year, not to exceed five (5) years from the specified
commitment start date.
5. Report on an annual basis non-CBI supplementary data relevant to achieving Methane Challenge
commitments, as outlined in Program documents. Supplementary data will be used in conjunction with data
collected by Subpart W of the GHGRP to demonstrate Partner progress within the Program.
6. Communicate participation to employees.

General Terms
1. This voluntary partnership is intended to promote and recognize voluntary actions taken by oil and gas
companies to reduce methane emissions from their operations. It is understood that Partners to this Program
may have operations covered by federal, state, and/or other regulatory requirements. It is anticipated that
Partners may achieve their Methane Challenge Program commitments through a combination of voluntarilyand regulatorily-driven actions. Participation in this Program does not in any way change legal obligations of
Partners to comply with applicable laws regulations.
2. This agreement can be terminated by either party at any time, with no notice or penalties and no further
obligation. The EPA agrees not to publicize a Partner’s withdrawal from the Program beyond removing the
Partner’s name from Methane Challenge website. By setting out a target date on this form the Company does
not intend to expose itself to regulatory liability if it cannot meet the target date.

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OMB Control No. 2060-XXX
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The Partner agrees that the activities it undertakes connected with this Partnership Agreement are not intended
to provide services to the federal government and that the Partner will not seek compensation from a federal
agency.
The Partner agrees that it will not claim or imply that its participation in the Program constitutes the EPA
approval or endorsement of anything other than the commitment to the Program. The Partner cannot use or
appropriate the EPA seal or identifier in any way.
In order to maintain status as a Partner in the Methane Challenge Program, the Partner agrees to annually
report specified supplemental data, per Program reporting specifications.
If the Partner is unable to meet a BMP commitment by the target year, and intends to remain in the Program,
the Partner company will provide relevant contextual information for the delay and set a new target year. The
EPA will note the adjustment to the implementation timeline on the Methane Challenge website.
All commitments made by the EPA in this Partnership Agreement are subject to the availability of
appropriated funds. Nothing in this Partnership Agreement, in and of itself, obligates the EPA to expend
appropriations or to enter into any contract, assistance agreement, interagency agreement, or incur other
financial obligations that would be inconsistent with Agency budget priorities. This Partnership Agreement
does not exempt the Partner from the EPA policies governing competition for assistance agreements. Any
transaction involving reimbursement or contribution of funds between the parties to this Partnership
Agreement will be handled in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and procedures under separate
written agreements.
Privacy Act Statement: Providing the requested information is voluntary. The purpose of collecting this
information is to allow the U.S. EPA to coordinate with key Partner Company representatives on their
participation in the EPA’s Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program. This information is needed in
order to identify the Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program Implementation Manager responsible
for serving as the contact point concerning implementation of this voluntary agreement. The EPA Program
Managers will use this information in order to communicate and coordinate with Partner companies on the
commitments made to achieving voluntarily methane emission activities through the Natural Gas STAR
Methane Challenge Program. The information will be used for the purpose set forth above and may be
provided to Congress or other Federal, state and local agencies for law enforcement purposes, if determined
necessary. Failure to disclose the personal information requested may prohibit the Agency from being able to
carry out the commitments and responsibilities outlined in this voluntary Partnership Agreement.

Signatures and Partner Contact Details
Authorized Company Representative:

(name)

Signature:

Date:

Authorized U.S. EPA Representative: Paul M. Gunning, Director, Climate Change Division
Signature:

Date:

Partner’s Designated Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Implementation Manager:
Name:
Title:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Telephone/Fax:

EPA Form No. 5900-412

E-mail:

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OMB Control No. 2060-XXX
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Instructions
Please send this form to: Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program
Standard Mail:

Mail Code 6207M
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC 20460

Overnight Mail:

1201 Constitution Ave NW, Room Number 4353 UU
Washington DC 20004

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting and
recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 hours per response.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden
estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Include the OMB
control number in any correspondence. Do not send the completed form to this address.

EPA Form No. 5900-412

Updated 8/3/18

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