Is coverage required for oil and gas construction?
EPA received numerous comments concerning the applicability of the construction permit requirements, which were modeled after residential and commercial construction, to oil and gas construction. The oil and gas industry noted that a residential or commercial project typically has a definite plan of development that involves a planning phase, a construction phase and termination of the construction, while an oil and gas construction project, on the other hand, is typically on a very tight schedule and moves very quickly from planning to construction because both the access to mineral rights and the availability of drilling rigs are on schedules. EPA believes sediment from oil and gas sites can be a problem, but realizes that this type of construction may require different controls than residential and commercial construction. EPA has postponed the permit application deadline for oil and gas construction activity disturbing 1 to 5 acres from March 10, 2003 until March 10, 2005. See 68 F
