The Obama Administration today announced new regulations on hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands. Tribal leaders, State officials and energy job creators have already testified at numerous Natural Resources Committee hearings explaining how new federal regulations will cost jobs, slow energy production and cause economic harm.

Tribal Leaders

• “BLM’s proposed rule on Hydraulic Fracturing, if adopted, will create additional burdens to an already burdensome process that will likely delay and possibly prevent beneficial development of Blackfeet oil resources.” (T.J. Show, Chairman of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, 4/19/12)

• “The steps being proposed by BLM to regulate hydraulic fracturing on our lands have been developed with little regard for practical considerations or the adverse financial impact that such regulations will have upon Indian tribes.” (James M. Olguin, Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council, 4/19/12)

• “BLM’s actions to date have given me and other tribes the impression that tribal input is not desired or only minimally needed even though there is strong evidence that the proposed regulations will cost the MHA Nation and the surrounding community a sizable number of jobs and money.” (Tex G. Hall, Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation of the Fort Berthold Reservation, 4/19/12)

• “The additional delays that will be caused by the BLM’s fracing rule will have an astronomical economic impact on the Tribe.” (Irene Cuch, Chairwoman of the Ute Business Committee, 4/19/12)

States

• “A ‘one size fits all’ regulatory structure at the federal level will be devastating to the energy industry in Colorado. The difference in regulatory needs for Texas and places east of the Mississippi are as diverse as the differences of energy production in Colorado…These needs and concerns are best addressed by those that understand our state, our people, our land, and our industry. Those people are the ones that live and work right here in Colorado.” (Colorado State Representative Jerry Sonnenberg, 5/2/12)

• “The consequences to energy producing states and the nation will be fewer jobs, a less predictable energy supply and less state and federal revenue from mineral royalties.” (Shawn Reese, Policy Director for Wyoming Governor Matthew Mead, 5/2/12)

• “The State of Utah is very concerned about these proposed regulations, for several reasons, but primarily because they appear entirely unnecessary and duplicative of state programs, and therefore are not worth the costs of implementation.” (Kathleen Clark, Director of Public Lands Policy Coordination Office from the State of Utah, 5/2/12)

Energy Job Creators

• “The permitting on federal lands in the Rockies is already a long, cumbersome and costly process. BLM regulations have pushed much of current energy development to the private lands of the east where there is no federal regulation. New fracking regulations from BLM would sound the death knell for oil and gas development on federal lands of the Rockies.” (Christopher Rockers, CEO of Magna Energy Services, 5/2/12)

• “Upon review, it is apparent these draft regulations will add significant costs and burdens to companies operating on federal lands without any appreciable improvement in environmental protection. Over the last several years, new rules, policies and administrative actions have made it more difficult for oil and natural gas producers to operate on federal and tribal lands.” (Thomas Stewart, Executive VP of Ohio Oil and Gas Association, 2/27/12)

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