In early September, OSHA issued a proposed rule that will limit permissible exposure to 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air. (See September 9, 2013 post.) This is approximately half of the current limit observed by industry. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, silica sand is used in approximately
Oil & Gas
A Tale of Two Pipelines: This Week in the News
By Mike Mills on
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…for two pipeline projects in the West.
TransCanada was successful in the Tenth Circuit on Thursday in its continuing efforts to defend against a preliminary injunction brought by the Sierra Club, Clean Energy Future of Oklahoma, and the East Texas Sub Regional Planning Commission.
OSHA Proposes Silica Rule Affecting Fracking Workers
By Robin Seifried on
Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a rule to decrease the permissible exposure limits (PELs) for crystalline silica. OSHA indicated that the inhalation of silica dust can increase workers’ risk of silicosis and other diseases. Silica is commonly used as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing.
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Train Explosion Drives Federal Railroad Administration to Issue New Regulations Impacting the Transportation of Petroleum Products
By Mike Mills on
Posted in Oil & Gas
On August 2, 2013 the Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”) released Emergency Order No. 28, Notice No. 1 and Safety Advisory 2013-06 in response to the July 2013 tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada where a cargo train derailed, exploding portions of the 72 cars of petroleum crude oil it carried. The explosion killed 47 people and…
Please Note: BLM Oregon/Washington State Office Has Relocated
By Bill Rodgers on
Readers please note that the Oregon/Washington State Office of the Bureau of Land Management has relocated, effective today. The new address is the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building at 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97204. The mailing address and telephone number remain the same: P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208 and (503) 808-6001 (press…
House Committee Advances Bill to Override BLM Fracking Regulations in Favor of State Rules
By Robin Seifried on
Last Week, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill that would require the Department of Interior (DOI) to defer to state rules regulating hydraulic fracturing on federal lands. HR 2728, the Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, would prevent DOI from imposing fracking regulations on federal land in states that already have regulations, guidance or permit requirements relating to fracking activities. The bill’s exemption from federal regulation is broad, incorporating not only state regulations specifically targeting fracking, but also any state requirements or guidance for any component of the fracking process.
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DOE Study Finds Fracking Does Not Contaminate Drinking Water Sources in Marcellus Shale
By Robin Seifried on
Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) told The Associated Press that the preliminary results of its study indicated that that fracking chemicals did not reach drinking water sources at a well site in Greene County, Pennsylvania, in the Marcellus Shale formation. The study, conducted by the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, is the first performed by government scientists using tracers in fracking fluid. Researchers injected the tracers into fracking fluid at different stages of the fracking process while monitoring existing wells at about 3,000 feet above the fractures, which were roughly 8,000 feet below the surface. DOE found no evidence of the tracers in groundwater at the monitored wells.
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BLM California State Office Cancels Statutorily-Required Oil & Gas Lease Auctions for 2013
By Mike Mills on
The third Bureau of Land Management auction of oil and gas sales scheduled for the 2013 fiscal year should have been held today for federal lands in California. However, last month the BLM California office issued a short notice stating that it would cancel remaining 2013 oil and gas lease sales planned for May, June…
Alaska Legislature Lowers Oil and Gas Production Taxes, Amends Incentives
By Jonathan Iversen on
Senate Bill 21, which was recently signed into law, significantly alters Alaska’s Oil and Gas Production Tax regime. Although discussions regarding this law have largely been focused on North Slope activity, other areas of the state are also affected.
To understand the relevance of the amendments, it is useful to have a basic understanding of…
State of Alaska Extends Certain Oil & Gas Leases
By Ramona Monroe on
The State of Alaska has amended state law to provide for extension of the primary term of oil and gas leases on state lands when such extensions are in the best interests of the state. HB 198 authorizes the Commissioners of the Department of Natural Resources (the “Commissioner”) to extend the primary term of an…