Judge temporarily blocks rules for fracking on federal lands
A federal judge in Wyoming has temporarily stayed new federal rules governing hydraulic fracturing on public lands.
U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl of Casper stayed the rules to allow the U.S. Bureau of Land Management time to provide more information about how it developed the standards, report Reuters, the Casper Tribune, Bloomberg Business and the Associated Press. Skavdahl also wanted information on the potential cost of the new rules.
The rules require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and measures to prevent leaks. Fracking uses water, chemicals and sand to extract fuel from rock.
Industry groups claim the BLM didn’t follow the law on rule-making, and the rules would require disclosure of trade secrets. Meanwhile, four states challenging the rules–Colorado, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming–contend the BLM didn’t have authority to regulate fracking. The two cases have been combined.
