Monday, November 07, 2016

Park Service updates oil and gas rules, putting 319 existing wells under its authority

The National Park Service on Friday updated its regulation for oil and gas drilling on land it owns, "bringing hundreds of wells under the agency’s authority for the first time," Timothy Cama reports for The Hill. Drilling only occurs in 12 of the 413 national parks and other sites administered by the park service.

The rule, updated for the first time in 37 years, brings 319 previously exempt wells "under NPS regulations, removes a cap on financial bonding requirements for drillers and strengthens enforcement powers," Cama writes. NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis said in a statement: “The rule clarifies the process for oil and gas development in the small group of parks where current operations exist, and for parks that may have to manage oil and gas operations in the future.” (Read more)

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