On December 5, 2012, join Stoel Rives attorneys Barbara D. Craig and Sara E. Bergan, along with several other experts, as they discuss “Sage Grouse and the Legal Landscape,” at the Northwest Mining Association conference in Spokane, Washington. Craig will moderate the panel, guiding the speakers through various topics including: Federal and State Design…

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:

…

Nine separate petitions for review were filed lask week in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging EPA’s New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for fracking well completions and revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for major sources at oil and gas production facilities. The petitioners include environmental groups, industry associations and the State of Texas.
Continue Reading Both Sides Challenge EPA’s New Fracking Air Emissions Rules

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…

On September 19, NRDC announced the launch of its new Community Defense Fracking Project in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and North Carolina. NRDC explained that the Project will offer assistance to local governments in these states “that want added control over the siting of and/or protections against the harms of fracking in their communities.” In particular, NRDC will assist in drafting local laws and land use plans relating to fracking and defend related zoning provisions and other local laws in court. NRDC indicates that the Project was established to defend a community’s “right to enact local laws to project public health, safety, morals, and general welfare.”…
Continue Reading NRDC Offers Assistance to Communities Impacted by Fracking in Five States

Last week, EPA issued a final rule imposing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) on fracking well completions.  The rule applies to new gas wells and refractured gas wells, which are considered “modifications” subject to NSPS.  Under the new rule, fracking operators must use reduced emission completions, also known as RECs or green completions, to reduce…

The American Petroleum Institute and America’s Natural Gas Alliance sponsored a report finding that EPA’s proposed hydraulic fracturing study plan could be improved in several areas.  The report finds that the proposed EPA study reaches beyond the scope of Congress’s stated purpose – studying the relationship between fracking and drinking water.  Rather than focus 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…

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…

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…

About the Mineral Law Blog

Learn More

Here Stoel Rives shares insight and analysis about key mineral law developments. Drawing on a very active natural resources practice, we aim to keep readers informed about the legal aspects of news that impacts exploration and development of all things mineral.