Earlier today, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower court’s ruling that the Bureau of Land Management did not have the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on lands owned by all Americans and managed for them by the BLM. In response, Earthworks’ Energy Program Director made this statement:
“This decision is two victories in one.
It means the BLM can start enforcing a rule to protect water, public health, and communities threatened and harmed by fracking on public lands.
The second victory, no less important than the first, is that in the eyes of the court and the eyes of the Trump administration the public’s land managers have the authority to regulate drilling on the lands the public owns.
The Court’s decision upholds the rule of law and recognizes the importance of a fair, transparent, and legal process. It's time for the Trump administration to put public health and clean water above energy industry profits and protect these common sense fracking safeguards for our public lands.”
