On February 14, 2012, in remarks at the City Club of Cleveland, Secretary Salazar advised that the Department of Interior would formally release its proposed rule for hydraulic fracturing in a “few weeks.”
This announcement is the culmination of multiple forums hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management since October 2010 in an effort to inform the BLM as to what was important to the industry, the states, and other Federal agencies.
“The Interior Department has a responsibility to study the potential impacts and to identify commonsense, best management practices that should be used in fracturing operations on public lands to ensure that this development is carried out in the right way and in the right places.” BLM To Hold Regional Forums on Hydraulic Fracturing in Natural Gas Production, Press Release (Apr. 1, 2011).
A draft rule was revealed in February 2012. A more detailed discussion of the draft rule can be found by clicking here.
This announcement is the culmination of multiple forums hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management since October 2010 in an effort to inform the BLM as to what was important to the industry, the states, and other Federal agencies.
“The Interior Department has a responsibility to study the potential impacts and to identify commonsense, best management practices that should be used in fracturing operations on public lands to ensure that this development is carried out in the right way and in the right places.” BLM To Hold Regional Forums on Hydraulic Fracturing in Natural Gas Production, Press Release (Apr. 1, 2011).
A draft rule was revealed in February 2012. A more detailed discussion of the draft rule can be found by clicking here.
After publishing the proposed rule in the federal register, members of the industry and the public will be able to comment on the rule.
This posting was prepared by L. Poe Leggette (pleggette@fulbright.com or 303 801 2746), and Jennifer Cadena (jcadena@fulbright.com or 303 801 2755) of the firm’s Energy Practice Group.