BLM Extends the Comment Period on Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing 60 Days.

On June 22, 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) extended the comment period on disclosure of hydraulic fracturing by 60 days, from July 10, 2012 to September 10, 2012.

On May 11^th, the BLM proposed rules requiring companies to disclose fracking chemicals, guidelines for well casing, and handling of wastewater flowing back to the surface of well drilling operations on federal lands. According to the BLM these rules will ensure that oil and gas operations will follow a common sense industry standard.   

The BLM decided to extend the comment period to allow greater public participation in order to allow a more thorough analysis of the proposed changes. As of the decision to extend the comment period, the BLM had received 170 public comments.

Analysts say that the proposed rules are likely to add up to an additional 49-day delay in the permit application process. However they will also require drilling companies to increase groundwater protection measures, disclose more about chemicals used when fracking, and conduct additional tests before drilling and extracting gas.

Written by Joseph Negaard, Research Assistant
June 25, 2012  

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