On January 22, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its much anticipated draft rule to curb flaring and venting associated with oil and gas development on federal and tribal lands. WORC and its member groups have been pushing the BLM to address flaring and venting since 2012.
Gas wasted through flaring, venting and leaks results in the loss of royalty and tax revenue that could benefit federal taxpayers as well as local communities. Proponents of the rule say this waste also impacts communities by contributing to smog, affecting public health through exposure to toxic volatile organic compounds, and contributing to climate change. Supporters also contend oil and gas companies can avoid flaring by completing sufficient gas-capture planning before drilling.
The draft rule contains many provisions demanded by the WORC network, including gas capture planning, prohibiting venting, and measures to significantly reduce methane leaks.
“Done right, this rule will not only help to ensure federal and tribal minerals are not unnecessarily wasted by the oil and gas industry and generate additional royalty and tax income, it will help to improve the health of people living near federal or tribal oil and gas operations,” said WORC Chair Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks in a statement issued by WORC.
Western Colorado Congress, Idaho Organization of Resource Councils, and Northern Plains Resource Council all released statements praising the draft rule as a step in the right direction.
In addition, the Dickinson Press published an op-ed advocating a strong BLM standard by a member of the Dakota Resource Council’s (DRC) local affiliate on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. DRC also sent letters to the ND congressional delegation asking for their support for a strong BLM rule.
The next step to ensure a strong BLM rule will be turnout to hearings and a significant number of comments supporting a strong rule. BLM scheduled two hearings scheduled in the WORC region: Lakewood, CO, March 1, and Dickinson, ND, March 3. Hearings will also be held in Farmington, NM, Feb. 16, and Oklahoma City, OK, Feb 18.
If you are interested in attending a hearing, you can RSVP by emailing the BLM, blm_wo_og_comments@blm.gov.
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For more information on flaring, check out WORC’s report, The Flaring Boom.