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
Legislation
Two House Bills Would Eliminate Regulatory Breaks for Oil and Gas Industry
By Robin Seifried on
On March 14, 2013, two bills were introduced in the United States House of Representatives that would amend the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act to eliminate certain exclusions for oil and gas operations. In short, these bills would remove current exemptions under federal laws for oil and gas operations, including fracking operations, and would result in further regulation of air emissions and stormwater discharges associated with these activities.
Continue Reading Two House Bills Would Eliminate Regulatory Breaks for Oil and Gas Industry
Stoel Rives Opens Office in Washington, D.C.
By Mike Mills on
Posted in Legislation
We are pleased to announce that we have opened a satellite office in Washington, D.C. Our new address, effective immediately:
Stoel Rives LLP
1020 19th Street NW, Suite 375
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 398-1795 / Fax: (202) 621-6394
The new office is headed by firm partner Greg Jenner, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary…
Featuring Hydraulic Fracturing: Highlights from our California Environmental Law Blog
By Mike Mills on
Interested in news involving hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” in California? Our sister blog, California Environmental Law Blog, actively keeps readers informed on the latest legal, business and regulatory developments on fracking.
Highlights from the past year include:
- Environmental Groups Sue Over Fracking Permits
- Fracking Study Finds No Harm to Environment
- San Benito County Moves
…
Update: One Step Closer to a Better Permitting Process
By Mike Mills on
Following a recent post (link), I wanted to provide you with an update regarding H.R. 4402, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012.
On May 16, 2012, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed the bill, offered by Rep. Amodei (R-Nev.), where it received strong support in the committee. The bill…
Sequoia ForestKeeper v. Tidwell Subjects Mineral Exploration Within National Forests to Additional Process and Delay
By Eric Martin on
Last week a federal district court in California issued a nationwide injunction that may have significant impacts on exploration activities within National Forests. For years activities that were categorically excluded from review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) were also exempt from U.S. Forest Service regulations concerning public notice, comment, and administrative appeals (36…
Administration’s Proposed Mining Tax Threatens Health of U.S. Minerals Mining
By Mike Mills on
As the stalled economy pushes Washington closer to a decision on how to manage America’s wealth of mineral resources, two paths have emerged.
One offers the possibility of increased domestic minerals production and the potential for long-term growth. Through legislation that would assess America’s mineral needs, we can maximize opportunities in mining, one of the…
Proposed California Legislation To Regulate Hydraulic Fracturing Stalls In State Senate With A New Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Poised for Introduction In 2012
By Mike Mills on
Falling victim to a Legislature pre-occupied with massive budget deficit issues and last minute wrangling over the Governor’s corporate tax package on out-of-state companies, AB 591, California’s legislative foray into the charged arena of hydraulic fracturing regulation, stalled in the State Senate’s Appropriations Committee. In its current form, the bill embodied a fairly comprehensive…
CEQA, Mining and Vested Rights. Looking Back on the California Supreme Court’s Decision in Communities for a Better Environment v. South Coast Air Quality Management District.
By Tom Henry on
One year ago the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Communities for a Better Environment v. South Coast Air Quality Management District (2010) 48 Cal. 4th 310. Since our blog wasn’t up at the time I thought it would be a good idea to look back on that decision and how it impacts mine…
Small Steps in the Right Direction – Two New Laws Aim to Start Fixing Problems with CEQA
By Mike Mills on
On September 30, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law two bills, AB 231 and SB 1456, both of which took effect immediately as urgency statutes. Both laws address two significant burdens that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) places on the mining industry: the complex CEQA review process and the abuses of CEQA through…