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
Uncertain Future? California Carbon Sequestration Bill
Senate Bill 34 (Carbon Capture and Storage Act of 2013), which would close certain key legal gaps that hinder carbon capture and storage in California, lost its sponsor late last week when Senator Rubio (D – East Bakersfield) suddenly resigned. Earlier this week the Senate Environmental Quality Committee decided to postpone its hearing on SB-34.
Stoel Rives Opens Office in Washington, D.C.
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
DOE-Commissioned Study Endorses LNG Exports, Says U.S. Economy Will Benefit
Via my colleague Erin Anderson:
Liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) exports will benefit the U.S. economy according to a NERA Economic Consulting study commissioned by the U.S. Energy Department (“DOE”). Posted on Wednesday, December 5, the two-part study concluded that the economic benefits of LNG export will outweigh the impact of potentially higher natural gas
Featuring Hydraulic Fracturing: Highlights from our California Environmental Law Blog
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 on Environmental and Regulatory Issues for Booming Midwest Frac Sand Mining Industry
Via my colleague Sarah Johnson Phillips:
Mineral Law blog readers will be interested in a summary of key discussion points that emerged at a recent frac sand mining CLE I attended with my colleagues Kevin Johnson and Thomas Braun. Organized by the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Environment, Natural Resources, & Energy Section, the CLE
Update: One Step Closer to a Better Permitting Process
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
Oil & Gas Industry Law Alert: U.S. EPA Continues Refinery Enforcement, Focuses on Flares
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the latest proposed settlement in EPA’s Clean Air Act enforcement initiative against petroleum refiners. Hess Corporation will pay an $850,000 civil penalty and spend more than $45 million on new pollution controls at its Port Reading, New Jersey refinery to resolve alleged
FEDERAL AGENCIES TAKE ACTION ON FRACKING GUIDELINES
At the end of last week, EPA and BLM each released draft requirements relating to fracking. EPA released draft Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II well permitting guidance for fracking activities that use diesel fuels. BLM released draft rules requiring public disclosure of fracking chemicals used on public and Indian lands.
The EPA guidance applies
New PricewaterhouseCoopers Study Shows Importance of Minerals Mining to Economic Growth in Numerous Key Industries
One of the few sectors that consistently added jobs in 2011 was U.S. minerals mining. Today, this industry supports 1.1 million American jobs nationwide and has enabled modern products such as aircrafts, medical equipment and state-of-the-art electronics to come to fruition. Some of the fastest growing industries in America—including high tech, automotive manufacturing and renewable