Colorado joins two other states in lawsuit against BLM’s fracturing regs

April 27, 2015
Colorado state officials joined the states of Wyoming and North Dakota in a lawsuit questioning the US Bureau of Land Management’s new rules for hydraulic fracturing for onshore drilling on tribal and federal public lands.

Colorado state officials joined the states of Wyoming and North Dakota in a lawsuit questioning the US Bureau of Land Management’s new rules for hydraulic fracturing for onshore drilling on tribal and federal public lands (OGJ Online, Mar. 20, 2015).

Colorado Atty. Gen. Cynthia H. Coffman issued a statement Apr. 24 saying Colorado already has “robust” regulations in this area that are working. She said BLM exceeded its authority and was intruding on what has traditionally been state regulatory authority regarding fracturing.

She noted the lawsuit does not question the premise that fracturing should be regulated.

“It should be. And, Colorado is doing so,” Coffman said. “The debate over hydraulic fracturing is complicated enough without the federal government encroaching on states’ rights.”

The state of Wyoming first filed the lawsuit (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2015). The North Dakota Industrial Commission voted to join the Wyoming lawsuit, which includes requirements for publicly disclosing chemicals using in hydraulic fracturing (OGJ Online, Apr. 1, 2015).

The American Petroleum Institute had said BLM’s rules would impose additional costs and lead to delays.