Proposed BLM Fracking Rules Remain Controversial

The Bureau of Land Management’s revised proposal to regulate hydraulic fracturing on federal lands remains controversial, inviting more than 600,000 comments from 250 public interest groups calling for stricter regulations, as well as strong opposition from industry groups such as the American Petroleum Institute and the Western Energy Alliance.  BLM released the revised proposal in May.  The deadline for public comment, which was extended once, passed last Friday, August 23rd.  BLM will review the comments before publishing a final rule.  BLM holds 700 million acres of federal mineral estate and 56 million acres of Indian mineral estate.