Today, Friday, March 20, the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), an agency within the Department of the Interior, published regulations for hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian lands. The Final Rule becomes effective in 90 days and will impact about 2,800-3,800 wells each year. In 2013, 90% of the 2,800 new wells on Federal and … Continue Reading
On Wednesday, January 28, the Senate voted against Amendment 48 which would allow the federal Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to regulate hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) on state and private lands. The measure was presented by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) as a negotiated amendment to the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. The amendment would have repealed sections of … Continue Reading
On January 20, 2015 a U.S. District Judge overturned New Mexico’s ban on hydrocarbon extraction, which included a prohibition on hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in the state. (SWEPI, LP v. Mora County et al., Case No. 1:14-cv-00035-JB-SCY, filed Jan. 19, 2015.) Mora County, a political subdivision of the State of New Mexico, enacted the ban through a … Continue Reading
On Friday, July 11, 2014 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) extended the public comment period for its advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (“ANPR”) for hydraulic fracturing chemical disclosure rules. The USEPA initially requested public comment on May 9, 2014 by issuing the ANPR. This set a 90-day public comment period, slated to end on … Continue Reading
On Wednesday, July 9, 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board (“Water Board”) announced that it will be holding a “Stakeholder Meeting to Develop Groundwater Monitoring Model Criteria for Oil & Gas Areas.” The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 7, 2014 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Kern County Supervisors Chambers in … Continue Reading
On December 11, 2013, Stoel Rives and BSK Associates will host a complimentary breakfast seminar in Bakersfield, CA to share observations and strategies for complying with SB 4. Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 8:00 a.m. The office of Jason Marshall, Deputy Director of the Department of Conservation, has confirmed … Continue Reading
