[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 249 (Friday, December 29, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61924-61949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28211]
[[Page 61923]]
Vol. 82
Friday,
No. 249
December 29, 2017
Part III
Department of the Interior
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau of Land Management
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
43 CFR Part 3160
Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands;
Rescission of a 2015 Rule; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 249 / Friday, December 29, 2017 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 61924]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
43 CFR Part 3160
[LLWO300000 L13100000 PP0000 18X]
RIN 1004-AE52
Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands;
Rescission of a 2015 Rule
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On March 26, 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
published in the Federal Register a final rule entitled, ``Oil and Gas;
Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands'' (2015 rule). With
this final rule, the BLM is rescinding the 2015 rule because we believe
it imposes administrative burdens and compliance costs that are not
justified. This final rule returns the affected sections of the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) to the language that existed immediately
before the published effective date of the 2015 rule (June 24, 2015),
except for changes to those regulations that were made by other rules
published between the date of publication of the 2015 rule and now, and
the phrase ``perform nonroutine fracturing jobs,'' which is not
restored to the list of subsequent operations requiring prior approval.
None of the changes by other rules are relevant to this rulemaking.
DATES: This final rule is effective on December 29, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorenzo Trimble, Acting Division
Chief, Fluid Minerals Division, 202-912-7342, for information regarding
the substance of this final rule or information about the BLM's Fluid
Minerals program. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339,
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the
above individuals. You will receive a reply during normal hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Summary
Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA), the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act (FLPMA), the Indian mineral leasing laws, and other
legal authorities, the BLM is charged with administering oil and gas
operations on Federal and Indian lands in a manner that allows for
responsible and appropriate resource development. This final rule is
needed to prevent the unnecessarily burdensome and unjustified
administrative requirements and compliance costs of the 2015 rule from
encumbering oil and gas development on Federal and Indian lands.
The process known as ``hydraulic fracturing'' has been used by the
oil and gas industry since the 1950s to stimulate production from oil
and gas wells. In recent years, public awareness of the use of
hydraulic fracturing practices has grown. New horizontal drilling
technology has allowed increased access to oil and gas resources in
tight shale formations across the country, sometimes in areas that have
not previously experienced significant oil and gas development. As
hydraulic fracturing has become more common, public concern increased
about whether hydraulic fracturing contributes to or causes the
contamination of groundwater sources, whether the chemicals used in
hydraulic fracturing should be disclosed to the public, and whether
there is adequate management of well integrity and of the ``flowback''
fluids that return to the surface during and after hydraulic fracturing
operations.
On March 26, 2015, the BLM published in the Federal Register a
final rule entitled, ``Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and
Indian Lands'' (80 FR 16128) (2015 rule). The 2015 rule was intended
to: Ensure that wells are properly constructed to protect water
supplies, make certain that the fluids that flow back to the surface as
a result of hydraulic fracturing operations are managed in an
environmentally responsible way, and provide public disclosure of the
chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids. To achieve its
objectives, the 2015 rule required oil and gas operators to:
Obtain the BLM's approval before conducting hydraulic
fracturing operations by submitting an application with information and
a plan for the hydraulic fracturing design (43 CFR 3162.3-3(d)(4)).
Include a hydraulic fracturing application in applications
for permits to drill (APDs), or in a subsequent ``sundry notice'' (43
CFR 3162.3-3(c)).
Include information about the proposed source of water in
each hydraulic fracturing application so that the BLM can complete
analyses required by the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) (43 CFR
3162.3-3(d)(3)).
Include available information about the location of nearby
wells to help prevent ``frack hits'' (i.e., unplanned surges of
pressurized fluids into other wells that can damage the wells and
equipment and cause surface spills) (43 CFR 3162.3-3(d)(4)(iii)(C)).
Verify that the well casing is surrounded by adequate
cement, and test the well to make sure it can withstand the pressures
of hydraulic fracturing (43 CFR 3162.3-3(e)(1) and (2) and (f)).
Isolate and protect usable water, while redefining
``usable water'' to expressly defer to classifications of groundwater
by states and tribes, and the Environmental Protection Agency, 43 CFR
3160.0-7; and require demonstrations of 200 feet of adequate cementing
between the fractured formation and the bottom of the closest usable
water aquifer, or cementing to the surface (43 CFR 3162.3-3(e)(2)(i)
and (ii)).
Monitor and record the annulus pressure during hydraulic
fracturing operations, and report significant increases of pressure (43
CFR 3162.3-3(g)).
File post-fracturing reports containing information about
how the hydraulic fracturing operation actually occurred (43 CFR
3162.3-3(i)).
Submit lists of the chemicals used (non-trade-secrets) to
the BLM by sundry notice (Form 3160-5), to FracFocus (a public website
operated by the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil
and Gas Compact Commission), or to another BLM-designated database (43
CFR 3162.3-3(i)(1)).
Withhold trade secret chemical identities only if the
operator or the owner of the trade secret submits an affidavit
verifying that the information qualifies for trade secret protection
(43 CFR 3162.3-3(j)).
Obtain and provide withheld chemical information to the
BLM, if the BLM requests the withheld information (43 CFR 3162.3-
3(j)(3)).
Store recovered fluids in above-ground rigid tanks of no
more than 500-barrel capacity, with few exceptions, until the operator
has an approved plan for permanent disposal of produced water (as
required by Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 7) (43 CFR 3162.3-3(h)).
The 2015 rule also authorized two types of variances:
Individual operation variances to account for local
conditions or new or different technology (43 CFR 3162.3-3(k)(1)).
State or tribal variances to account for regional
conditions or to align the BLM requirements with state or tribal
regulations (43 CFR 3162.3-3(k)(2)).
For either type of variance to be approved, the variance needed to
meet or exceed the purposes of the specific provision of the 2015 rule
for which the
[[Page 61925]]
variance is being granted (43 CFR 3162.3-3(k)(3)).
The 2015 rule was immediately challenged in court. The United
States District Court for the District of Wyoming stayed the 2015 rule
before it went into effect, and later issued a final order setting
aside the rule, concluding that it was outside the BLM's statutory
authority. On appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth
Circuit dismissed the appeal as prudentially unripe, and vacated the
District Court's final order with instructions for the District Court
to dismiss the case without prejudice. The plaintiffs have moved for
rehearing or reconsideration en banc. Briefing on those petitions is
complete. The Tenth Circuit has not yet issued its mandate to the
District Court, and thus the 2015 rule has not gone into effect.
Commenters and a District Court have raised doubts about BLM's
statutory authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing operations on
Federal and Indian lands. The BLM believes that it is not only better
policy to rescind the 2015 rule to relieve operators of duplicative,
unnecessary, costly and unproductive regulatory burdens, but it also
eliminates the need for further litigation about BLM's statutory
authority.
On March 28, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13783,
entitled, ``Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth'' (82 FR
16093, Mar. 31, 2017), which directed the Secretary of the Interior to
review four specific rules, including the 2015 rule, for consistency
with the policy set forth in section 1 of the Order and, if
appropriate, take action to lawfully suspend, revise, or rescind those
rules that are inconsistent with the policy set forth in Executive
Order 13783.
Section 1 of Executive Order 13783 states that it is in the
national interest to promote clean and safe development of United
States energy resources, while avoiding ``regulatory burdens that
unnecessarily encumber energy production, constrain economic growth,
and prevent job creation.'' Section 1 states that the prudent
development of these natural resources is ``essential to ensuring the
Nation's geopolitical security.'' Section 1 finds that it is in the
national interest to ensure that electricity is affordable, reliable,
safe, secure, and clean, and that coal, natural gas, nuclear material,
flowing water, and other domestic sources, including renewable sources,
can be used to produce it.
Accordingly, Section 1 of Executive Order 13783 declares that the
policy of the United States is that: (1) Executive departments and
agencies immediately review regulations that potentially burden the
development or use of domestically produced energy resources and, as
appropriate, suspend, revise, or rescind those that unduly burden
domestic energy resources development ``beyond the degree necessary to
protect the public interest or otherwise comply with the law''; and (2)
To the extent permitted by law, agencies should promote clean air and
clean water, while respecting the proper roles of the Congress and the
States concerning these matters; and (3) Necessary and appropriate
environmental regulations comply with the law, reflect greater benefit
than cost, when permissible, achieve environmental improvements, and
are developed through transparent processes using the best available
peer-reviewed science and economics.
To implement Executive Order 13783, Secretary of the Interior Ryan
K. Zinke issued Secretarial Order No. 3349 entitled, ``American Energy
Independence,'' on March 29, 2017, which, among other things, directed
the BLM to proceed expeditiously in proposing to rescind the 2015 rule.
As directed by Executive Order 13783 and Secretarial Order No.
3349, the BLM conducted a review of the 2015 rule. As a result of this
review, the BLM believes that the compliance costs associated with the
2015 rule are not justified.
In conjunction with its review of the 2015 rule, the BLM analyzed
the potential economic implications of implementing the 2015 rule and
this final rule that rescinds the 2015 rule. That analysis is
documented in the regulatory impact analysis (RIA) document that the
BLM prepared for this final rule. As described in detail in that RIA,
the BLM has estimated that this final rule will provide a reduction in
compliance costs relative to the 2015 rule of up to $9,690 per well or
approximately $14 million to $34 million per year.
When issuing the 2015 rule, the BLM acknowledged that it already
had ``an extensive process in place to ensure that operators conduct
oil and gas operations in an environmentally sound manner'' and that
``the regulations and Onshore Orders that have been in place to this
point have served to provide reasonable certainty of environmentally
responsible development of oil and gas resources'' (80 FR at 16133 and
16137). However, in the RIA for the 2015 rule, while noting that many
of the requirements of the 2015 rule were consistent with industry
practice and that some were duplicative of state requirements or were
generally addressed by existing BLM requirements, the BLM asserted that
the 2015 rule would provide additional assurance that operators are
conducting hydraulic fracturing operations in an environmentally sound
and safe manner, and increase the public's awareness and understanding
of these operations.
While the extent of the benefits that the additional assurances
might provide are questionable, it follows that the rescission of the
2015 rule could potentially reduce any such assurances. However,
considering state regulatory programs, the sovereignty of tribes to
regulate operations on their lands, and the pre-existing Federal
regulations, the proposed rescission of the 2015 rule would not leave
hydraulic fracturing operations unregulated.
The BLM's review of the 2015 rule also included a review of state
laws and regulations that found that most states are either currently
regulating hydraulic fracturing or are in the process of establishing
hydraulic fracturing regulations. When the 2015 rule was issued, 20 of
the 32 states with currently existing Federal oil and gas leases had
regulations addressing hydraulic fracturing. In the time since the
promulgation of the 2015 rule, an additional 12 states have introduced
laws or regulations addressing hydraulic fracturing. As a result, all
32 states with Federal oil and gas leases currently have laws or
regulations that address hydraulic fracturing operations.\1\ In
addition, some tribes with oil and gas resources have also taken steps
to regulate oil and gas operations, including hydraulic fracturing, on
their lands.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The reference to 32 states with existing Federal oil and gas
leases includes the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The State of Oregon
regulates hydraulic fracturing operations by way of its regulations
addressing ``Water Injection and Water Flooding of Oil and Gas
Properties'' (Oregon Administrative Rules [Or. Admin. R.] sec. 632-
010-0194). The State of Arizona regulates hydraulic fracturing
operations under regulations addressing ``Artificial Stimulation of
Oil and Gas Wells'' (Arizona Administrative Code [A.A.C.] sec. R12-
7-117). The State of Indiana issued ``emergency rules'' in 2011 and
2012 that incorporated new legislation addressing hydraulic
fracturing (Pub. L. 140-2011 and Pub. L. 16-2012) into Indiana's oil
and gas regulations at 312 Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) Article
16. For further information about the state regulatory programs, see
Sec. 2.12 of the RIA and Appendix 1 of the EA prepared for this
rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BLM also now believes that disclosure of the chemical content
of hydraulic fracturing fluids to state regulatory agencies and/or
databases
[[Page 61926]]
such as FracFocus is more prevalent than it was in 2015 and, therefore,
there is no continuing need for a Federal chemical disclosure
requirement, since companies are already making those disclosures on
most operations, either to comply with state law or voluntarily. There
are 25 states that currently use FracFocus for chemical disclosures.
These include seven states where the BLM has major oil and gas
operations, including Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
In addition to state and tribal regulation of hydraulic fracturing,
the BLM has several pre-existing regulations that it will continue to
rely on, some of which are set out at 43 CFR subpart 3162 and in
Onshore Oil and Gas Orders 1, 2, and 7. These regulations ensure that
operators conduct oil and gas operations in an environmentally sound
manner and also reduce the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing
by providing specific requirements for well permitting; construction,
casing, and cementing; and disposal of produced water.\2\ The BLM also
possesses discretionary authority allowing it to impose site-specific
protective measures reducing the risks associated with hydraulic
fracturing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Additional discussion regarding Onshore Oil and Gas Orders
1, 2, and 7, and 43 CFR subpart 3162, is provided in Sec. 2.11 of
the RIA and the EA prepared for this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prior to the 2015 rule, the regulations at 43 CFR 3162.3-2(a)
(2014) provided in pertinent part that a ``proposal for further well
operations shall be submitted by the operator on Form 3160-5 for
approval by the authorized officer prior to commencing operations to .
. . perform nonroutine fracturing jobs . . . .'' In the proposed rule
that preceded this final rule, the BLM offered to restore the
regulatory text in Sec. 3162.3-2(a) regarding ``nonroutine fracturing
jobs'' to exactly as it existed in the pre-2015 rule regulations. Those
regulations, however, did not define ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' or
provide guidance to operators or BLM authorized officers on how to
distinguish ``routine'' from ``nonroutine.'' Some of the comments that
were submitted for the proposed rule noted this and criticized the
regulations for being vague, confusing, and difficult for operators and
the BLM to apply. In light of these comments, the BLM reconsidered its
initial proposal to restore the regulation text in section 3162.3-2(a)
requiring prior approval for ``nonroutine fracturing jobs.''
As a result of considerable advances in oil and gas development
technology in the last 20 years, hydraulic fracturing practices that
would have been considered ``nonroutine'' when the BLM originally
issued the regulations requiring prior approval for ``nonroutine
fracturing jobs'' are now commonly utilized and considered ``routine.''
The combination of advances in oil and gas development technology and
the BLM's existing authority to mitigate the potential risks of
hydraulic fracturing operations through site-specific protective
measures that are applied as a part of the environmental review and
approval process at the APD stage has made post-APD approvals for
``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' at most a very rare occurrence. In fact,
while the BLM has not been tracking requests for approval of
``nonroutine fracturing jobs,'' recent inquiries to BLM state offices
have not revealed any examples of ``nonroutine fracturing'' requests or
approvals. Thus, given that the ``nonroutine fracturing'' requirement
has not, and does not seem to serve any purpose, and removing it from
the regulations could reduce the potential for unproductive confusion
or paperwork without adverse effects, the BLM has not restored the
``nonroutine fracturing'' requirement in this final rule.
The BLM's review of the 2015 rule also included a review of
incident reports from Federal and Indian wells since December 2014.
This review indicated that resource damage is unlikely to increase by
rescinding the 2015 final rule because of the rarity of adverse
environmental impacts that occurred from hydraulic fracturing
operations since promulgation of the 2015 rule. The BLM now believes
that the appropriate framework for mitigating these impacts exists
through state regulations, through tribal exercise of sovereignty, and
through BLM's own pre-existing regulations and authorities (pre-2015
rule 43 CFR subpart 3162 and Onshore Orders 1, 2, and 7).
I. Background
II. Discussion of the Final Rule and Comments on the Proposed Rule
III. Procedural Matters
I. Background
The development and production of oil and gas, including hydraulic
fracturing operations, are regulated under a framework of Federal,
state, and local laws, and, on some tribal lands, by tribal
regulations. Several Federal agencies implement Federal laws and
requirements while each state in which oil and gas is produced has one
or more regulatory agencies that administer state laws and
requirements.
State and local laws apply on Federal lands, except to the extent
that they are preempted by Federal law. Federal preemption is rare, and
is not at issue in the final rule. Accordingly, the drilling and
completion of oil and gas wells, including hydraulic fracturing
operations, are subject to Federal and state and local regulation on
Federal lands. If the requirements of a state regulation are more
stringent than those of a Federal regulation, for example, the operator
can comply with both the state and the Federal regulation by meeting
the more stringent state requirement.
Tribal and Federal laws apply to oil and gas drilling and
completion operations, including hydraulic fracturing operations, on
tribal lands. Operators on tribal lands can comply with both tribal and
Federal regulations governing drilling and completion requirements by
complying with the stricter of those rules.
Regardless of any difference in operational regulations, operators
on Federal lands must comply with all Federal, state, and local
permitting and reporting requirements. On Indian lands, they must
comply with all Federal and tribal permitting and reporting
requirements.
Existing BLM Requirements--Not Affected by This Final Rule
The BLM has an extensive process in place to ensure that operators
conduct oil and gas operations in a safe and environmentally sound
manner that protects resources. The following discussion provides a
description of some of the BLM's existing processes and requirements
that are not affected by the rescission of the 2015 rule pursuant to
this final rule that help to ensure that the risks of oil and gas
operations, including hydraulic fracturing, are appropriately
minimized.
The BLM applies a tiered decision-making approach when providing
access for the development of Federal oil and gas resources on public
lands. First, the BLM develops land use plans (the BLM refers to these
plans as Resource Management Plans, or RMPs). The RMP serves as the
basis for all land use decisions the BLM makes, including decisions to
delineate public lands that are appropriate for oil and gas leasing.
Establishment or revision of an RMP requires preparation of an
environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In areas where lands are open for oil
and gas leasing, the EIS prepared to support establishment or revision
of the RMP analyzes oil and gas development related impacts that may be
expected to
[[Page 61927]]
occur over the life of an RMP (typically 20 years). The RMP identifies
the terms and conditions under which the BLM would allow oil and gas
development to occur in order to protect other resource values. Those
terms and conditions may include mitigation measures that would be
evaluated through the EIS and are implemented as stipulations
incorporated into oil and gas leases. If necessary, certain lands are
closed to oil and gas leasing altogether when such use is incompatible
with sensitive resources or other planned uses. In addition to
compliance with NEPA, the BLM must comply with the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and other
applicable Federal laws and regulations. Once an RMP has been approved,
the BLM makes land use decisions, including oil and gas development
decisions, in accordance with the RMP, or any revisions or amendments
to that RMP.
Before oil and gas activities may occur on Federal lands,
interested parties must obtain a lease from the BLM. Oil and gas leases
are acquired through an auction-style sale process in which interested
parties typically identify tracts of land that they would like to see
leased. The BLM will conduct a preliminary evaluation to first
determine whether the lands nominated for oil and gas leasing are under
Federal jurisdiction and are open to leasing in accordance with the
applicable RMP. The BLM will then conduct a second tier of NEPA
review--typically through an EA--to address potential impacts that
could be caused by oil and gas development within the nominated lease
area. The NEPA review conducted at the leasing stage tiers to the EIS
prepared for the RMP. If the BLM's analysis determines that the
nominated tracts are suitable for leasing, the BLM would offer the
tracts for lease during a competitive oil and gas lease sale auction.
If any of the tracts are not bid upon during the lease sale auction,
those tracts become available for non-competitive leasing by the first
qualified applicant for a two year period that begins on the first
business day following the last day of the lease sale. In addition to
compliance with the NEPA, the BLM also complies with the NHPA and the
ESA at the leasing stage. Upon issuance by the BLM, the lease allows
the operator to conduct operations on the lease subject to the
requirements of existing regulations, the lease terms and stipulations,
and the requirement that the operator obtain BLM approval of a site-
specific Application for Permit to Drill (APD).
When trust or restricted Indian lands are involved, the tribe or
individual Indian mineral owner plans the uses of their own lands. They
lease their own oil and gas resources with the consent of the
Department of the Interior's (``DOI'' or ``the Department'') Bureau of
Indian Affairs (BIA). Nonetheless, the BLM often serves as a
cooperating agency during the development of the environmental review
for such actions. Moreover, pursuant to delegations from the Secretary
of the Interior (Secretary) and BIA regulations, the BLM regulates oil
and gas operations on trust and restricted Indian lands, applying the
same operating regulations that apply on Federal lands.
The procedures followed when issuing leases to develop Indian oil
and gas resources may be similar to, or different from, the leasing
process used for Federal lands, depending upon a number of different
factors. For example, when tribal oil and gas resources are leased
under the authority of the Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 1938 (IMLA),
the BIA typically conducts a competitive lease sale process that shares
many similarities with the leasing process for Federal lands. In
contrast, the Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 (IMDA), allows
Indian mineral owners to forego the competitive auction-style leasing
process and negotiate directly with potential operators for agreements
to develop their oil and gas resources.\3\ However, for both IMLA and
IMDA authorized leases and agreements, the approval of the Indian
mineral owner and the BIA or the DOI is required.\4\ Much like with oil
and gas leasing actions involving Federal lands, authorizations
pursuant to the IMLA and the IMDA to develop Indian oil and gas
resources are subject to compliance with applicable Federal statutes,
including NEPA. The procedures for issuing leases and other development
agreements for Indian oil and gas resources are outlined in the BIA's
regulations at 25 CFR parts 211 (IMLA leasing), 212 (agreements for
allotted lands), and 225 (IMDA agreements).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The IMDA authorizes Indian tribes and individual Indian
mineral owners to enter into leases, as well as other types of
agreements, to explore for and develop their oil and gas resources.
25 U.S.C. 2102(a). Indian allotted lands may also be leased for
mineral development pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 396.
\4\ In certain situations, IMDA agreements may only be approved
by the Secretary of the Interior or the Assistant Secretary for
Indian Affairs. See 25 U.S.C. 2103(d) and 25 CFR 225.3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BLM has existing regulations, including Onshore Oil and Gas
Orders, to ensure that operators conduct oil and gas exploration and
development in a safe and environmentally responsible manner that
protects other resources. Sections 3162.3-1 and Onshore Order 1 require
an operator to get approval from the BLM prior to drilling a well. The
operator must submit an APD containing all of the information required
by Onshore Order 1. This includes a completed Form 3160-3, Application
for Permit to Drill or Re-Enter, a well plat, a drilling plan, a
surface use plan, bonding information, and an operator certification.
Upon receiving a drilling proposal on Federal lands, the BLM is
required by existing section 3162.3-1(g) to post information for public
inspection for at least 30 days before the BLM can approve the APD. The
information must include: The company/operator name; the well name/
number; and the well location described to the nearest quarter-quarter
section (40 acres), or similar land description in the case of lands
described by metes and bounds, or maps showing the affected lands and
the location of all tracts to be leased and of all leases already
issued in the general area.
The public can review the posted information and provide any input
they would like the BLM to consider during the environmental analysis
the BLM prepares prior to making a decision on the APD.
The drilling plan provided by the operator must be in sufficient
detail to permit the BLM to complete an appraisal of the technical
adequacy of, and environmental effects associated with, the proposed
project. The operator must provide geological information, including
the name and estimated tops of all geologic groups, formations,
members, and zones. The operator must also provide the estimated depths
and thickness of formations, members, or zones potentially containing
usable water, oil, gas, or prospectively valuable deposits of other
minerals that the operator expects to encounter, and their plans for
protecting such resources. The BLM uses this information and the BLM's
geologists' and engineers' professional reviews to ensure that usable
water zones are protected.
The operator must provide minimum specifications for blowout
prevention equipment that they will use to keep control of well
pressures encountered while drilling. The BLM evaluates the proposed
equipment to determine that it is adequate for anticipated pressures
that the well may encounter in order to prevent loss of control of the
well and potential environmental issues. The operator must provide a
proposed casing program, including the size, grade, weight, and setting
depth of each
[[Page 61928]]
casing string. The BLM engineers evaluate the proposed casing to ensure
that it is being set at proper depths to protect other resources,
including usable water. The BLM engineers also ensure that the casing
size and strength is sufficient for the depths at which it will be set,
and the pressures that the well will encounter.
The operator must provide information regarding the proposed
cementing program. This includes the amount and types of cement the
operator will use for each casing string, and the expected top of
cement for each casing string. The cement is critical for the isolation
and protection of usable water since it is the cement that establishes
a barrier outside the casing between any hydrocarbon bearing zones and
usable water zones. The proposed cementing program is the first step
for this protection. The BLM engineers evaluate the proposed cementing
program to ensure that the volume and strength of the cement is
adequate to achieve the desired protections.
The operator must include in the drilling plan information
regarding their proposed drilling fluid. The operator must provide the
type and characteristics of the proposed circulating medium for
drilling each well bore section, including the quantities and types of
mud the operator will maintain, and the monitoring equipment the
operator will utilize on the circulating system. The BLM engineers
review this information to ensure that the drilling fluid system and
additives will be compatible and not detrimental to all usable water
and prospectively valuable mineral zones that the well bore may
encounter. The operator must also provide their proposed testing,
logging, and coring procedures. This may include resistivity, gamma
ray, spontaneous potential, caliper, and neutron logs as well as cement
evaluation logs. The BLM reviews the proposed logging suite and
determines if the operator will need to run any additional logs to
provide additional downhole information.
The operator's drilling plan must address the expected bottom-hole
pressure and any anticipated abnormal pressures, temperatures, or
potential hazards that the well may encounter. Hazards may include lost
circulation zones, hydrogen sulfide zones, or faults and fractures. The
operator must also include a plan for mitigating such hazardous. The
BLM geologists review this information to determine if any other
anticipated hazards exist. The BLM engineers review this information to
ensure the proposed mitigation to address any anticipated hazards is
adequate.
The operator must include in its drilling plan any other
information regarding the proposed operation that it would like the BLM
to consider. This might include, but is not limited to, the directional
drilling plan for deviated or horizontal wells, which would provide the
proposed wellbore path. The BLM engineers review the proposed
directional plan to ensure there will not be any potential issues with
existing wells.
The operator's APD must also include a surface use plan of
operations, or the equivalent required by another surface management
agency. The surface use plan must contain sufficient details of the
proposed surface use to provide for safe operations, adequate
protection of the surface resources, groundwater, and other
environmental components. The operator must also describe any Best
Management Practices (BMP) they plan to use. BMPs are state-of-the-art
mitigation measures applied to oil and natural gas drilling and
production to help ensure that operators conduct energy development in
an environmentally responsible manner. BMPs can protect water,
wildlife, air quality, or landscapes. The BLM encourages operators to
incorporate BMPs into their plans.
The operator's surface use plan should follow the BLM's Surface
Operating Standards and Guidelines for Oil and Gas Exploration and
Development, which is commonly referred to as The Gold Book.\5\ The BLM
developed The Gold Book to assist operators by providing information on
the requirements for obtaining permit approval and conducting
environmentally responsible oil and gas operations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The Gold Book is available on the BLM's website, at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/operations-and-production/the-gold-book.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The operator's surface use plan must include information regarding
existing roads they plan to use to access the proposed well location
and must explain how they will improve or maintain existing roads. The
surface use plan must also include the operator's plan for any new
access roads they plan to build. The operator must design roads based
upon the type of road, the safety requirements, traffic
characteristics, environmental conditions, and the type of vehicles
that will use the road. The proposed road description must include:
Road width, maximum grade, crown design, turnouts, drainage and ditch
design, on-site and off-site erosion control, revegetation of disturbed
areas, location and size of culverts and/or bridges, fence cuts and/or
cattleguards, major cuts and fills, source and storage of topsoil, and
the type of surface materials that the operator will use.
The operator must include a map showing all known wells, regardless
of well status (producing, abandoned, etc.) within a one-mile radius of
the proposed location. The BLM uses this information to ensure the
proposal does not conflict with any current surface use. The BLM uses
this well information to identify any potential downhole conflicts or
issues between the existing wells and the proposed well. If the BLM
does identify conflicts, the BLM will require the operator to modify
their proposal or to submit plans to mitigate the issue.
The operator must include a map or diagram that shows the location
of all production facilities and lines they will install if the well is
successful (i.e., a producing well), as well as any existing
facilities. This would include all buried oil, water, or gas pipelines
and all overhead and buried power lines. The BLM reviews this
information to identify any potential conflicts with the proposed
facilities.
The operator must include in their surface use plan information
concerning the water supply, such as rivers, creeks, springs, lakes,
ponds, and wells that the operator plans to use for drilling the well.
This may or may not be the same source of water the operator plans to
use for their hydraulic fracturing operations. The BLM does not
regulate water usage, but the BLM does use the information about water
supply in conducting the environmental analysis of the APD. The BLM
uses the information to determine if the operator must obtain any
additional approvals such as a right-of-way across Federal lands that
may be necessary for the transport of water.
The operator must include a written description of the methods and
locations it proposes for safe containment and disposal of each type of
waste material (e.g., cuttings, garbage, salts, chemicals, sewage,
etc.) that results from drilling the proposed well. The narrative must
include plans for the eventual disposal of drilling fluids and any
produced oil or water recovered during testing operations. The operator
must describe plans for the construction and lining, if necessary, of
the reserve pit.
The surface use plan must include the character, intended use, and
source of all construction materials, such as sand, gravel, stone, and
soil material. The operator must identify the location and construction
method and materials from
[[Page 61929]]
all anticipated ancillary facilities such as camps, airstrips, and
staging areas. This information will be used to assess the
environmental impacts of the proposed operations.
The operator must include a diagram of the proposed well site
layout. The layout must show the location and orientation of the
following: The proposed drill pad, the reserve pit/blooie line/flare
pit location, access road entry points, and the reserve pit showing all
cuts and fills, the drilling rig, any dikes and ditches to be
constructed, and topsoil and/or spoil material stockpiles.
The operator must submit a plan for the surface reclamation or
stabilization of all disturbed areas. The plan must address interim
(during production) post-drilling reclamation for the area of the well
pad not needed for production, as well as final abandonment of the
location. The plan must include, as appropriate, the following:
Configuration of the reshaped topography, drainage systems, segregation
of stockpiles, surface disturbances, backfill requirements, proposals
for pit closures, redistribution of topsoil, soil treatments, seeding
or other steps to reestablish vegetation, weed control, and practices
necessary to reclaim all disturbed areas, including any access roads
and pipelines.
If the BLM does not manage the surface, the surface management
agency must approve the surface use plan according to their respective
regulations and guidance documents.
The APD must provide proof of adequate bond coverage as required by
existing 43 CFR 3104.1 for Federal lands and by 25 CFR 211.24, 212.24,
and 225.30, for Indian lands. These regulations require the operator or
the lessee to have an adequate bond in place prior to the BLM's
approval of the APD. If the BLM determines that the current bond amount
is not sufficient, the BLM can require additional bond coverage. The
BLM determines the need for bond increases by considering the
operator's history of previous violations, the location and depth of
wells, the total number of wells involved, the age and production
capability of the field, and any unique or unusual conditions in the
planned drilling operations or in the surrounding environment.
Upon receipt of a complete APD, the BLM will schedule an onsite
inspection with the operator. The purpose of the onsite inspection is
for the BLM and operator to further identify site-specific resource
concerns and requirements not originally identified during the
application stage. Prior to, or in conjunction with, the onsite
inspection, the BLM or other surface management agency will advise the
operator if any special inventories or studies are required, such as
for cultural resources or threatened and endangered species.
The onsite inspection team will include the BLM, a representative
of any other surface management agency, the operator or permitting
agent, and other parties associated with planning work on the project,
such as the operator's principal dirtwork contractor, agency resource
specialists, surveyors, and pipeline or utility company
representatives. When the onsite inspection is on private surface, the
BLM will invite the surface owner to attend. The purpose of the onsite
inspection is to discuss the proposal; determine the best location for
the well, road, and facilities; identify site-specific concerns and
potential environmental impacts associated with the proposal; and
discuss the conditions of approval (COA) or possible environmental
BMPs. If the BLM identifies resource conflicts, the BLM has the
authority to require the operator to move surface facilities to
locations that would reduce resource impacts while still allowing
development of the leased minerals.
After the BLM has reviewed the operator's proposed plans and
conducted the onsite inspection, the BLM will prepare an environmental
impacts analysis document in conformance with the requirements of NEPA,
and the Department of the Interior's regulations. The extent of the
environmental analysis process and the time period for issuance of a
decision on the APD will depend upon the complexity of the proposed
action and resulting analysis, the significance of the environmental
effects disclosed, and the completion of appropriate consultation
processes. In each case, the environmental analysis considers
environmental concerns and resource issues in the area, including those
the BLM or operator identified during the onsite inspection, such as
potentially impacted cultural resources, endangered species, surface
water, ground water, and other natural resources. A group of resource
specialists conduct the analysis. The composition of the team depends
on the resource issues in that area and any resource issues that the
BLM or operator identified during the onsite inspection. The resource
specialists may include petroleum engineers, geologists, natural
resources specialists, wildlife biologists, archeologists,
hydrologists, soil scientists, botanists, recreation specialists, range
management specialists, and realty specialists.
The environmental analysis may be conducted for a single well, a
group of wells, or for an entire field. The public is welcome to
provide input to the BLM for inclusion in the analysis. The BLM posts
notices of all Federal APDs for public inspection in the authorizing
office and on the internet. For large projects, such as field
development environmental assessments or environmental impact
statements, the BLM will go through public scoping and will issue a
draft analysis for public comment prior to completing the final
analysis and issuing a decision.
The environmental analysis will identify potential impacts from the
proposed action. The BLM will develop any necessary COAs to mitigate
those potential impacts. If the BLM identifies unacceptable impacts,
the BLM will ask the operator to modify its proposal, or the BLM may
deny the application. The BLM will attach the COAs to the approved APD.
The operator must follow the approved plan and all COAs.
Upon BLM's approval of an APD, the operator may commence drilling
of the well. In addition to the approved plan and the COAs attached to
the APD, the operator must also comply with the requirements of Onshore
Order 2. Onshore Order 2 details the BLM's uniform national minimum
standards of performance expected from operators when conducting
drilling operations on Federal and Indian lands. Many of the
requirements of Onshore Order 2 ensure the protection of usable water.
Onshore Order 2 defines ``isolating'' as ``using cement to protect,
separate, or segregate usable water and mineral resources'' and
``usable water'' as ``generally those waters containing up to 10,000
ppm of total dissolved solids.''
Onshore Order 2 requires that the operator conduct the proposed
casing and cementing programs as approved to protect and/or isolate all
usable water zones, lost circulation zones, abnormally pressured zones,
and any prospectively valuable deposits of minerals. It requires that
the operator determine the casing setting depths based on all relevant
factors, including: Presence/absence of hydrocarbons; fracture
gradients; usable water zones; formation pressures; lost circulation
zones; other minerals; or other unusual characteristics. It also
requires the operator to report all indications of usable water.
Onshore Order 2 requires the operator to run centralizers on the
bottom 3 joints of surface casing to help ensure the casing is centered
in the drilled hole prior to cementing. This helps to ensure wellbore
integrity. It also requires the operator to cement the surface casing
[[Page 61930]]
back to the surface either during the primary cement job or by remedial
cementing. Cementing the surface casing back to the surface ensures
that all usable water zones behind the surface casing are isolated and
protected. Onshore Order 2 requires the operator to wait until the
cement for all casing strings achieves a minimum of 500 psi compressive
strength at the casing shoe prior to drilling out the casing shoe. It
requires the operator to use top plugs during cementing operations to
reduce contamination of the cement by displacement fluid. It requires
the operator to use a bottom plug or other acceptable technique, such
as a preflush fluid, inner string cement method, etc., to help isolate
the cement from contamination by the mud fluid being displaced ahead of
the cement slurry. By using proper cementing techniques such as these,
the operator can complete the cement job as planned and thus protect
usable water.
Onshore Order 2 requires the operator to pressure test the casing
prior to drilling out the casing shoe. This test ensures the integrity
of the casing. Onshore Order 2 requires the operator to conduct a
pressure integrity test of each casing shoe on all exploratory wells,
and on that portion of any well approved for a 5000 psi blowout
preventer. The operator must conduct this test before drilling 20 feet
of new hole. The pressure test ensures the integrity of the cement
around the casing shoe.
Onshore Order 2 identifies the minimum requirements for blowout
prevention equipment and the minimum standards for testing the
equipment. Proper sizing, installation, and testing of the blowout
prevention equipment ensures that the operator maintains control of the
well during the drilling process, which is necessary for protection of
usable water zones.
The BLM conducts inspections of drilling operations to ensure that
operators comply with the Onshore Order 2 drilling regulations, the
approved APD, and the associated COAs. The BLM drilling inspections
consist of two general types of inspections: Technical and
environmental. The BLM petroleum engineering technicians conduct
technical inspections of the drilling operations, such as witnessing
the running and cementing of the casing, witnessing the testing of the
blowout prevention equipment, and detailed drilling rig inspections
that include review of documentation such as the third party cementing
job ticket, which describes the cementing operation including the type
and amount of cement used, the cement pump pressures, and the
observation of cement returns to the surface, if applicable. Through
witnessing the operation or the review of the documentation, the BLM
inspectors verify that the drilling operations are conducted in
accordance with the approved plan and that no wellbore issues exist.
The BLM natural resource specialists conduct environmental inspections
of drilling operations. The environmental inspections focus primarily
on the surface use portion of the approved APD. This includes
inspection of the access road, the well pad, and any pits. While the
BLM does not have the budget or personnel available to inspect every
drilling operation as it is occurring on Federal and Indian minerals,
the BLM conducts inspections in accordance with an annual strategy to
ensure compliance with the regulations, lease stipulations, COAs for
the plan, and permits.
As described above, the BLM has numerous processes and requirements
to ensure that operators conduct oil and gas exploration and
development in an environmentally responsible manner that protects
mineral and other resources.
Within 30 days after the operator completes a well, the operator is
required by Section IV(e) of Onshore Order 1 to submit to the BLM a
Well Completion or Recompletion Report and Log (Form 3160-4), which
provides drilling and completion information. This includes the actual
casing setting depths and the amount of cement the operator used in the
well along with information regarding the completion interval, such as
the top and bottom of the formation, the perforated interval, and the
number and size of perforation holes. The operator is required to
submit copies of all electric and mechanical logs, including any cement
evaluation logs, which the operator ran on the well prior to conducting
completion operations. The BLM reviews this information to ensure that
the operator set the casing and pumped the cement according to the
approved permit.
Once a well goes into production, water is often produced with the
oil and gas. The produced water tends to be of poor quality and is not
generally suitable for drinking, livestock, or other uses without
treatment and, therefore, must be disposed of properly. Onshore Oil and
Gas Order 7 (Order 7) regulates the disposal of produced water. Under
Onshore Order 7, operators must apply to the BLM for authorization to
dispose of produced water by injecting the water into a suitable
formation, by storing it in pits, or by other methods approved by the
BLM. If the disposal is into injection wells, the operator must obtain
approval under the Safe Drinking Water Act's Underground Injection
Control (UIC) program that is administered by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). In many states, the EPA has granted primary
enforcement authority for the UIC program to the state agency
responsible for oil and gas development. If the water will be stored in
pits, the BLM requires specific design standards to ensure the water
does not contaminate the environment or pose a threat to public health
and safety.
After a well has been drilled and completed, the BLM continues to
inspect the well until it has been plugged and abandoned and the
surface has been rehabilitated. During the production phase of the
well, the BLM inspections focus on two primary issues: Production and
the environment. The Federal Government (for Federal leases) or an
Indian tribe or individual Indian allottee (for Indian leases) receives
a royalty on the oil and gas removed or sold from the lease based on
the volume, quality, and value of the oil and gas. Royalties from
Federal leases are shared with the state as provided by statute.
Production inspections are done to ensure the volume and quality of the
oil and gas is accurately measured and properly reported. Environmental
inspections are done to ensure that well pads and facilities are in
compliance with regulations, Onshore Orders, and approved permits.
Environmental inspections include ensuring that pits are properly
constructed, maintained, and protected from wildlife; identifying
leaking wells or pipelines; ensuring that the wellsite and facilities
are properly maintained; and ensuring that proper erosion controls and
rehabilitation measures are in place.
When a well has reached the end of its economic life, Federal
regulations require it to be plugged and abandoned to prevent oil and
gas from leaking to the surface or contaminating water bearing zones or
other mineral zones. 43 CFR 3162.3-4. Well abandonment can be requested
by the operator or required by the BLM. In either case, the operator
must submit a proposal for well plugging, including the length,
location, type of cement, and placement method to be used for each
plug. Onshore Order 2 contains minimum requirements for well plugging.
The operator must also submit a plan to rehabilitate the surface once
the well has been plugged. The goal of surface rehabilitation is to
remove obvious visual evidence of the pad and to promote the long-term
stability of the site and vegetation.
[[Page 61931]]
The BLM inspects both well plugging and surface restoration. Well
plugging inspections are done to ensure the plugs are set into the
wellbore as approved by the BLM. The inspector will witness the depth
and volume of cement used in each plug as well as the physical
verification of the top of each plug. When an operator has complete
surface restoration, it will notify the BLM. The BLM will send surface
protection specialists to ensure the restoration is adequate. Once the
BLM is satisfied with the restoration efforts, the BLM will approve the
operator's Final Abandonment Notice.
II. Discussion of the Final Rule and Comments on the Proposed Rule
On July 25, 2017, the BLM proposed to rescind the 2015 final rule
because we believed that rule was unnecessarily duplicative of state
and some tribal regulations and imposed burdensome reporting
requirements and other unjustified costs on the oil and gas industry.
The 60-day comment period for that proposed rule (the 2017 proposed
rule) ended on September 25, 2017 (82 FR 34464).
Discussion of Comments by Topic
Water Quality
Many commenters state that the 2017 proposal, if finalized, will
have negative impacts on water quality and public health. Commenters
state that science has shown that hydraulic fracturing can be injurious
to the natural landscape as well as to human health and safety.
Commenters state that one danger from hydraulic fracturing is
contamination of surface water by toxic chemicals that leach off site.
Another is that the fluids may leak from the well into underground
aquifers. Commenters assert that contamination on Federal and tribal
land runs off Federal lands into the water systems that we use and
seeps into the groundwater we drink.
The BLM has reviewed incident reports from Federal and Indian wells
since December 2014. This review indicated that resource damage is
unlikely to increase by rescinding the 2015 rule because of the rarity
of adverse environmental impacts that occurred from hydraulic
fracturing operations before the 2015 rule, and after its promulgation
while the 2015 rule was not in effect. The BLM believes that the
appropriate framework for mitigating these impacts is through the state
regulations, through tribal exercise of sovereignty, and through BLM's
own pre-existing regulations and authorities (pre-2015 final rule 43
CFR subpart 3162 and Onshore Orders 1, 2, and 7). The review and
approval of the APDs requires compliance with those existing
authorities and regulations to ensure protection of the water
resources, and the local environment.
Multiple commenters claim that hydraulic fracturing is a dangerous
practice that can contaminate our air and water, while contributing to
the release of greenhouse gases. One commenter states that, as the base
of scientific knowledge regarding risks from hydraulic fracturing
continues to develop, the evidence continues to build that hydraulic
fracturing and shale and tight gas development processes pose a wide
range of risks to human health and the environment. Another commenter
asserts that no amount of regulation can make hydraulic fracturing
safe, but that rescinding or weakening the recently updated rules only
puts our shared resources at greater risk. Further, the commenter
states that the updated rules are long overdue and simply lay out basic
standards to follow. Commenters state that the 2015 rule was enacted
after years of review and should not be weakened or repealed.
Commenters state that rescinding the 2015 rule would put our Federal
lands at risk by repealing our first line of defense against
groundwater contamination.
The BLM initiated the development of the hydraulic fracturing rule
in 2010 in response to public concerns. Relatively few states had any
regulations on hydraulic fracturing at that time. In light of this, a
BLM regulation covering wellbore integrity and usable water protection
seemed appropriate at that time. Since promulgation of the 2015 rule,
however, many states have updated their regulations to address
hydraulic fracturing operations. The BLM now believes that the 2015
rule is duplicative of the states' and some tribal regulations, as well
as some of the BLM's own pre-existing regulations and authorities (pre-
2015 rule 43 CFR subpart 3162 and Onshore Orders 1, 2, and 7), and is
not necessary.
Some commenters are concerned that hydraulic fracturing affects the
availability of water resources. These commenters describe that once
water is used for hydraulic fracturing, it cannot be returned to the
water table and that water is a precious resource that should not be
depleted in this fashion.
Recycling and reuse of flowback fluids from ongoing hydraulic
fracturing operations is currently practiced in many states, but the
majority of recovered fluids are still injected into disposal wells
regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The 2015 rule,
however, would not have mandated reuse or recycling. Therefore,
rescinding the 2015 rule will not affect demands on water supplies or
the reuse or recycling of recovered fluids.
One commenter states that, although incidents of contamination of
groundwater from hydraulic fracturing are not frequent, due in part to
improvements in technology, they have occurred in locations that raise
concern about the adequacy of protection. In response to comments that
list examples of studies that find no linkages between hydraulic
fracturing and groundwater contamination, one comment points to the
work of a former U.S. EPA scientist linking hydraulic fracturing with
groundwater contamination. The commenter adds that not all laboratory
tests have shown contamination of groundwater in areas of hydraulic
fracturing because standard laboratory tests do not always test for
exotic, highly water-soluble chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing.
The referenced study suggested that water wells in Pavillion, WY
were contaminated with hydraulic fracturing wastes that had been stored
in unlined pits dug into the ground. The BLM has several existing
requirements, some of which are set out at 43 CFR subpart 3162 and in
Onshore Oil and Gas Orders 1, 2, and 7, that allow it to mitigate the
risks associated with oil and gas operations, including any risks to
groundwater from hydraulic fracturing operations. The BLM also
possesses discretionary authority allowing it to impose site-specific
protective measures reducing the risks associated with hydraulic
fracturing. The BLM Authorized Officers follow the BLM's regulations
and authorities to review and approve each APD. Operators also must
comply with existing state laws and regulations and, on tribal lands,
tribal laws and regulations, including those that are intended to
prevent groundwater contamination. The BLM does not believe that the
2015 final rule would reduce the risks of groundwater contamination to
an extent that would justify the burdens imposed on operators or the
BLM by that rule.
One commenter states that the cost of cleaning groundwater after it
is contaminated is exorbitant and therefore that circumstances
potentially causing contamination should be avoided.
We agree. The BLM Authorized Officers follow the BLM's regulations
and authorities (pre-2015 rule 43 CFR subpart 3162 and Onshore Orders
1, 2, and 7) to review and approve each APD. Operators also must comply
with existing state regulations, or, on tribal lands, tribal laws.
Those requirements are intended to ensure protection of the
[[Page 61932]]
water resources and prevent any groundwater contamination. We are no
longer persuaded, though, that the 2015 rule would improve protection
of groundwater to an extent that would justify the burdens on operators
or the BLM.
One commenter takes issue with the statements in the 2017 proposed
rule that, ``a review of incident reports from Federal and Indian wells
since December 2014,'' indicates that, ``resource damage is unlikely to
increase by rescinding the 2015 final rule.'' The commenter asserts
that the BLM provides no support or explanation for this statement and
has failed to consider many of the significant adverse environmental
impacts associated with rescinding the 2015 rule.
The BLM did not find any increase in the number of incidents
related to hydraulic fracturing completions in BLM operations since
December 2014. The EPA study (EPA 2016) on hydraulic fracturing was
unable to identify any specific activities of hydraulic fracturing
operations on Federal or Indian lands that impacted the drinking water
resources, because the study did not distinguish between hydraulic
fracturing on Federal or Indian lands and hydraulic fracturing on other
lands.
One commenter states that he has lived in North Dakota for five
years and personally witnessed the purposeful dumping of hydraulic
fracturing water along roads and ditches on the roads leading to
hydraulic fracturing sites. The commenter states that most of the oil
and hydraulic fracturing waste spills that happen on or near sites do
not get reported.
The 2015 rule did not address open dumping of recovered fluids.
Neither the 2015 rule, nor this rule, alter the requirement that
permanent disposal of produced water must be in accordance with an
approved plan. See Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 7, 58 FR 47354 (1993).
Unpermitted dumping of recovered fluids is outside the scope of this
rulemaking.
Multiple commenters assert that BLM's rescission of the 2015 rule
is appropriate because there has been no proven case of groundwater
contamination from hydraulic fracturing in the United States to date.
Several commenters state that studies developed by the EPA and U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) indicate that hydraulic fracturing has not had
an impact on groundwater quality. One commenter further states that
several studies, including an EPA study, a Yale University study, and a
study funded by the Natural Resources Defense Council, find no
incidence of contamination of groundwater due to hydraulic fracturing,
which has been performed on over 1.2 million wells since 1948. Absent
any confirmed instances of hydraulic fracturing impacting underground
sources of drinking water, a commenter asserts that there is no
protective advantage to the environment from the 2015 rule.
The BLM generally agrees with the commenter. We conclude that state
and some tribal regulations, in conjunction with the BLM's own pre-
existing regulations and authorities (pre-2015 rule 43 CFR subpart 3162
and Onshore Orders 1, 2, and 7) have been effective in ensuring
protection of the water resources and the local environment.
One commenter states that any studies contained in the BLM's
original administrative record that suggest that a link exists between
groundwater contamination and oil and gas production were focused on
well construction rather than hydraulic fracturing as the cause of the
contamination. The commenter further states the BLM and each of the
states in which Federal oil and gas is produced had well construction
rules prior to the 2015 rule, and that the BLM's administrative record
does not provide any evidence that a rule focused on hydraulic
fracturing would improve the degree of protection related to well
construction.
The BLM agrees in part. Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 2 continues
to apply to the drilling and cementing of oil and gas wells on Federal
and Indian lands. See 53 FR 46798 (1988). The 2015 rule would have
imposed additional monitoring, testing, and reporting requirements. In
the preamble and supporting documents for the 2015 rule, though, the
BLM cited a few instances where surface or groundwater contamination
was caused by inter-well communications during the hydraulic fracturing
operations. Those were not directly linked to wellbore construction,
but rather caused by geologic fractures and fissures which are
prevalent in some areas, or by lack of awareness of other wellbores.
However, the BLM also possesses discretionary authority allowing it to
impose site-specific protective measures that can be applied when
necessary to reduce the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.
One commenter noted that, in Federal court, an oil company was
found to have caused permanent and irreparable pollution of the Sac and
Fox Nation's groundwater by oil and gas activities. As a result of
ineffective and absent regulatory actions, portions of the Sac and Fox
Nation's aquifer will be unsafe to drink for generations.
It appears that the operator in the cited case did not follow the
conditions of the permit issued by the BLM for the operation, and is
responsible for the damage. The BLM's 2015 rule would not have
addressed such issues related to violation of the rule on tribal lands
and neither would this rule.
One commenter describes that the 2015 rule would have redefined
``usable water,'' modifying the term's definition to include ``those
waters containing up to 10,000 parts per million (ppm) of total
dissolved solids.'' The commenter asserts a lack of any empirical
evidence or science-based support for a need to protect water that is
so saline that it can kill livestock, and asserts that this definition
would expand the scope of protected waters well beyond EPA's
regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 2, Section II. Y, states that
``Usable Water means generally those waters containing up to 10,000 ppm
of total dissolved solids.'' The BLM believes that the standard set
forth in Onshore Order No. 2 is appropriate and it will continue to
follow that standard.
Air Quality/Public Health
One commenter states that there are unsafe levels of air pollution
at every stage of oil and gas development. Air quality testing at
hydraulic fracturing sites in several states have revealed levels of
hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds capable of causing
respiratory, neurologic, and cardiovascular disease, blood dyscrasias,
birth defects, and malignancies after chronic and recurrent exposure.
The commenter claims that we do not yet know the true level of risk
related to air contamination for workers, neighboring families and
communities. The commenter asserts that flowback, even when stored in
closed tanks, can liberate toxic volatile pollutants (such as
carcinogenic benzene) at very high concentrations into the atmosphere.
The commenter states that workers should be wearing respirator masks to
minimize serious health consequences.
In response to that comment, the BLM notes that the 2015 rule would
have generally required recovered fluids to be stored in tanks until a
permanent disposal plan was approved, but allowed for exceptions and
did not require closed or vapor-recovery systems. The 2015 rule was
never intended to be an air quality or emissions regulation. Health
effects from air emissions and mitigation measures were not addressed
in the 2015 rule and are outside the scope of this rule. Air quality
and worker safety
[[Page 61933]]
are regulated by other Federal, state, or tribal agencies.
One commenter states that a new form of hydraulic fracturing-
related air pollution may be increased levels of indoor radon
concentration (the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers)
in homes located in areas where hydraulic fracturing is used to extract
natural gas from shale formations. The commenter highlights that a
peer-reviewed study published in May 2015 by the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences, ``Predictors of Indoor Radon
Concentrations in Pennsylvania, 1989-2013,'' documents a progressive
upward trend in ambient radon levels between 2005 and 2013 coincident
with the onset of hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania. The commenter
noted that, at present, there are no state or Federal regulations
addressing this newly discovered association.
In response to that comment, the BLM notes that the 2015 rule did
not address radon concentrations, and rescinding that rule will not
affect radon concentrations. Radon ``association'' with hydraulic
fracturing operations is outside the scope of this rulemaking.
One commenter states that unsafe levels of air pollution found near
hydraulic fracturing sites are largely ignored by Federal and state
agencies. The commenter suggest that, to remedy this, monitoring of
pollution emissions, air testing of communities, and strict standards
to limit pollution are sorely needed and should replace patchy,
inadequate state protections that do not do enough to safeguard
communities that are increasingly exposed to the deadly consequences of
poorly regulated hydraulic fracturing sprawl. Another commenter states
that diesel emissions from heavy trucks and machinery used during well
site preparation, drilling, and production contain toxins and release
diesel soot particles, which increase health risks including: Asthma
attacks, cardiopulmonary disease, respiratory disease, pregnancy
complications, and premature death. In addition, the commenter states
that inhaling respirable silica can cause silicosis and lung cancer in
miners, sandblasters, and foundry workers. The commenter further notes
that, due in large part to methane leakage and venting, the greenhouse
gas footprint of shale gas is larger than the footprint of oil,
conventional gas, and even coal.
These comments are outside the scope of the present rulemaking
action. Neither the 2015 rule nor this rescission will cause air
pollution, fugitive dust, or greenhouse gas emissions to be greater or
less. Air quality monitoring and emissions standards are regulated by
other agencies.
In addition to air and water pollution, one commenter expressed
concern about externalities of drilling operations, such as noise
pollution and odors, which should be kept within tolerance levels as
drilling expands to areas where more people live.
This comment is outside the scope of this rulemaking because it
addresses oil and gas development in general and fails to assert any
specific alternative approach or change from the 2017 proposed rule
that the BLM should have considered in this final rule with respect to
the regulation of hydraulic fracturing operations on Federal and Indian
lands.
Chemical Disclosure
In this section, we describe the comments the BLM received
regarding chemical disclosure and respond to them all in the final
paragraph of the section.
Some commenters are concerned that rescinding the 2015 rule will
result in chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process not being
disclosed by operators. Commenters state that, as the Federal lands
managed by the BLM are public lands, the public has a right to clearly
understand what is occurring on them and any potential impacts that
those activities could have on water resources. One commenter notes
that a recent study conducted by the Yale School of Public Health found
that, of the compounds used in hydraulic fracturing that they could
identify and study, 44 percent of the water pollutants and 60 percent
of air pollutants were either confirmed or possible carcinogens.
Although these compounds often make up only a small percentage of the
total volume of the fluid, many are known to be toxic to humans at
levels as low as five parts per billion. The commenter suggests that
the 2015 rule would help to ensure proper handling and would mitigate
potential exposure and impacts to public health from hydraulic
fracturing. Another commenter describes a 2015 report published by the
EPA that stated that well operators refused to disclose 11 percent of
their ingredient records, citing them as confidential business
information. Furthermore, one or more ingredients in more than 70
percent of disclosures were omitted, according to the commenter.
One comment referred to a 2016 article entitled, ``Hydraulic
Fracturing Chemicals Reporting: Analysis of Available Data and
recommendations for Policy Makers,'' which highlighted that 16.5
percent of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing between the years
2012 and 2015 were unreported.
One commenter expressed concern regarding the BLM's reliance on a
third party (FracFocus) to replace specific transparency and public
accountability. In response to commenters on the 2015 rule, the BLM
stated that, ``compliance with these rules will increase transparency
of the hydraulic fracturing approval process and provide a means for
disclosure to the public of the fluids utilized in the hydraulic
fracturing process.'' The commenter complains that the BLM now states
that disclosure of the chemical content of hydraulic fracturing fluids
to states or databases, such as FracFocus, is more prevalent than it
was in 2015 and so there is no need for a Federal chemical disclosure
requirement. The commenter asserts that the slight shift in reporting
frameworks is insufficient justification to remove regulations that
promote administrative transparency and public disclosure of
potentially harmful chemicals. Furthermore, the commenter stated that
the BLM has yet to respond to questions from the Secretary of Energy's
Advisory Board raised in 2015 with respect to technical issues with
FracFocus, including a lack of verification for data accuracy.
One commenter states that the BLM's analysis of state requirements
for chemical disclosure indicates that all states reviewed require
chemical disclosure of hydraulic fracturing fluids to FracFocus (with
the possible exception of New Mexico). The commenter states that the
BLM rule, however, requires much more than just disclosure of chemicals
used in the fracturing fluid. The commenter asserts that California is
the only state that has equivalent requirements for each of the
elements that had been required in the 2015 rule and the only other
state that has any equivalent requirements is Wyoming.
One commenter states that radioactive substances are used in
hydraulic fracturing fluid to determine the injection profile and
location of fractures created by hydraulic fracturing. The commenter
asserts that these chemicals should be heavily regulated as a matter of
national security and that all chemicals onsite should be identified
and reported by the operator. The commenter states that the contents of
all materials and quantities injected into the wells should be
documented, reported, and provided upon request. The commenter states
that polluters should not remain unidentified because the identifying
features of the injected slurry are protected as ``trade secrets.''
[[Page 61934]]
Some commenters assert that it is not burdensome to require the oil
and gas industry to disclose the chemicals they are pumping into the
ground in order to extract petroleum.
In response to all of the foregoing comments in this section,
although we agree that the information is readily available to the
operators or their contractors, we are no longer convinced that a BLM
regulatory requirement would improve access to that information
sufficiently to justify the cost of compliance.
Most states with existing oil and gas operations now have
regulations that require operators to disclose the chemical content of
hydraulic fracturing fluids to either a publicly accessible forum, such
as FracFocus, state regulatory agencies, or both. This includes the
States of California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming, which accounted for approximately
99 percent of the total well completions on Federal and Indian lands
from fiscal year (FY) 2010 to 2016. In addition, there are 25 states
that currently use FracFocus for chemical disclosures. These include
seven states, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
Texas, and Utah, with substantial BLM administered oil and gas
operations. The BLM now believes that the disclosures of the chemical
content of hydraulic fracturing fluids to state regulatory agencies
and/or databases, such as FracFocus is more prevalent than it was in
2015 and that there is no need for a duplicate Federal chemical
disclosure requirement, since companies are already making those
disclosures on most of the operations, either to comply with state law
or voluntarily. Furthermore, the 2015 rule did not require disclosure
of trade secrets. See generally, 18 U.S.C. 1905; 43 CFR 3162.3-3(j)
(2016). Therefore, there is no reason to believe that rescinding the
2015 rule will cause operators to withhold more confidential
information about chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. To
the extent that the comments address control of hazardous substances
generally, they are beyond the scope of this rulemaking.
Earthquakes
Some commenters suggest that there is a link between earthquakes
and hydraulic fracturing of rock formations. One commenter states that
significant seismic activity is allowed without any state or Federal
constraints. Commenters suggest a link between hydraulic fracturing and
wastewater injection and earthquakes in Oklahoma and Ohio. Several
commenters describe a 2016 study that cautioned that hydraulic
fracturing in the United States may be causing higher-than-recognized
induced earthquake activity that is being masked by more abundant
wastewater-induced earthquakes. The commenters assert that the
injection of oil and gas wastewater, often associated with hydraulic
fracturing, has been linked to the dangerous proliferation of
earthquakes, including damaging earthquakes in many parts of the
country.
In addition, one commenter asserts that the hydraulic fracturing
industry has burdened tribal businesses and homeowners that have to pay
to repair damages inflicted by these earthquakes. The commenter asserts
that induced seismicity prevents tribal members from access to
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds for home
construction in areas that are now unable to be adequately insured for
earthquake damage.
In response to the comments, U.S. Geological Survey research
indicates that most induced seismicity has been linked to wastewater
injection, and seldom to hydraulic fracturing operations. While the
2015 rule contains provisions regarding the storage of recovered
fluids, it did not include any provisions regarding wastewater disposal
by underground injection, which is regulated under the SDWA by the EPA
or an approved state or tribe. The 2015 rule also did not change the
provisions of 43 CFR 3162.3-2 that apply to injection activities.
Pursuant to Onshore Order 7, operators must submit a wastewater
disposal plan prior to commencing operations, and they must provide the
BLM with a permit from the EPA, state or tribe along with this plan.
Even if hydraulic fracturing operations were found to cause damaging
seismicity, the 2015 rule would not have controlled the effect, and,
therefore, rescinding that rule will not increase the likelihood of
seismicity damage.
Rule Authorities
Commenters expressed a variety of opinions about whether the BLM
has statutory authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing operations on
Federal and Indian lands. This section of the preamble first summarizes
the arguments for the BLM's statutory authority (and duty) and responds
to them. It next summarizes the arguments against the BLM's authority
and responds to them.
Some commenters assert that the BLM has clear authority to regulate
hydraulic fracturing while other commenters disagree. More
specifically, some commenters state that the BLM issued the 2015 rule
as part of carrying out its statutory duties to prevent unnecessary or
undue degradation of public lands consistent with 43 U.S.C. 1732(b) and
to issue ``comprehensive'' regulations ``necessary to implement the
provisions'' of FLPMA, and to ``carry out the purposes of [FLPMA] and
of other laws applicable to the public lands.'' In addition, the
commenters state that, under the MLA, Congress charged the BLM with
ensuring that Federal lessees conduct their operations with
``reasonable diligence, skill and care,'' and instructed the BLM to
protect the ``interests of the United States'' and ``the public
welfare.'' The commenters state that Congress authorized the BLM to
``prescribe necessary and proper rules and regulations and to do any
and all things necessary to carry out and accomplish the purposes'' of
the MLA. These commenters conclude that the 2015 rule is consistent
with the BLM's duties under FLPMA and MLA.
Similarly, some commenters state that BLM lands are multiple use
lands that must fulfill not only resource acquisition goals but public
recreation and public benefit goals. The commenters state that actions
must be consistent with all the uses of BLM property and the BLM cannot
make this determination without the information requested in the 2015
rule. Some commenters assert that activity on public lands must be
regulated consistently across the nation, especially when activities
may affect the ability of the BLM to uphold its multiple use mandate.
Some commenters argue that the proposed action indicates a preference
for oil and gas leasing and development over other multiple uses. The
commenters argue that this mandate prohibits DOI from managing public
lands primarily for energy development or in a manner that unduly or
unnecessarily degrades other uses.
Some commenters state that the proposed rescission rule is
inconsistent with the BLM's statutory duties under FLPMA, the MLA, and
the IMLA. The commenters state that the BLM concluded in 2015 that the
requirements of the 2015 rule were necessary to meet those obligations.
The commenters assert that the BLM's proposed reversal of the 2015 rule
is not permissible under FLPMA and other laws because the BLM failed to
explain its departures from the factual conclusions it drew when
promulgating the rule in 2015.
Similarly, some commenters state that it is a dereliction of duty
to abdicate the responsibility of management of the
[[Page 61935]]
appropriate and proper use of public lands to the states. Commenters
state that they rely on BLM oversight to manage the use of these public
lands for the benefit of all Americans, not just the profits of oil and
natural gas companies. Commenters assert that the 2017 proposed rule,
if finalized, is guided by the short term interests of a few at the
expense of long-term efforts to protect our lands and most importantly,
our water.
We agree in part with the comments in the previous four paragraphs.
The BLM's actions related to oil and gas operations on Federal land are
subject to FLPMA, MLA, the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands
(MLAAL), and other statutes. FLPMA prescribes that the public lands are
to be managed for multiple use and sustained yield, and that the BLM is
to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. The MLA requires that
Federal oil and gas leases include provisions to ensure the exercise of
reasonable diligence, skill, and care in operations. No court, however,
has held that FLPMA requires BLM to manage each acre of public land to
support all uses at all times. Rather, oil and gas operations are
statutorily authorized uses of the Federal lands, and thus may be
thought of as ``necessary or due'' degradation when conducted according
to appropriate standards for protection of the lands and associated
resources.
With respect to legal duties, no statute requires the BLM to
regulate hydraulic fracturing operations, and no statute requires all
oil and gas operations on Federal lands to be subject to the same
regulations. (Indeed, lease stipulations and COAs are often different
in different areas to address local conditions.) Rather, the contents
of operating regulations are within the discretion of the Secretary.
Mineral Policy Ctr. v. Norton, 292 F. Supp. 2d 30, 44-45 (D.D.C. 2003).
State laws have always applied to oil and gas operations on public
lands, even when those laws differ from one another. Particularly
where, as here, there is no compelling indication that modern state
regulations are allowing unnecessary or undue degradation to the public
lands, the Secretary is within his discretion to decide that rescinding
the 2015 rule would reduce the burdens both on operators and the BLM,
with little reduction in the protection of those lands.
This final rule represents no dereliction of duty. See generally,
Gardner v. BLM, 638 F.3d 1217, 1222 (9th Cir. 2011). Furthermore, it
has nothing to do with decisions about which Federal lands to open for
leasing, or which parcels to be offered for lease. Private, for-profit,
development of oil and gas on Federal lands is authorized by the MLA,
the MLAAL, and other statutes, and thus objections to those
authorizations are outside the scope of this rulemaking.
Other commenters assert that the BLM lacked authority to issue the
2015 rule. Some commenters argue that Congress has not delegated
authority to the BLM to regulate hydraulic fracturing and has granted
only limited authority to the EPA to regulate hydraulic fracturing
under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Another commenter states that
the BLM concedes that it cannot regulate enhanced oil recovery,
disposal wells, or hydraulic fracturing using diesel because Congress
has designated the EPA as the agency with regulatory authority over
those forms of underground injection in the SDWA, and the same
conclusion should apply with respect to non-diesel hydraulic
fracturing.
Some commenters argue that the 2015 final rule requirement to
submit water source and recovered fluid disposal method encroaches upon
state jurisdiction over waters of the state and over underground
injection control covered in the primacy agreement between North Dakota
and the EPA in 1983.
A commenter asserts that North Dakota has a large number of
``split-estate'' tracts where the Federal minerals have been severed
from the surface estate, which is owned by either the State of North
Dakota or private parties. The commenter argues that the 2015 final
rule inappropriately broadened BLM's authority to regulate surface
operations for hydraulically fractured wells that penetrate Federal
minerals, but where the United States does not own the surface.
With few exceptions, the arguments described in the previous three
paragraphs were raised in the litigation challenging the 2015 rule. We
believe that rescinding the 2015 rule alleviates these concerns and,
therefore, the BLM need not address them here. The more immediate point
is that the BLM has authority to rescind the 2015 rule, and to restore
the regulations existing prior to the 2015 rule with the few exceptions
previously discussed. Those regulations were promulgated in 1982 and
amended in 1988. See 43 CFR 3612.3-2 (2014); 47 FR 47765 (1982); 48 FR
36583 (1983); 52 FR 5391 (1987); 53 FR 17363 (1988); 53 FR 22847
(1988). No commenter provided evidence that this rescission would
interfere with the regulation of underground injections by states,
tribes, or the EPA under the SDWA (as amended). The BLM does not
regulate disposal wells; but BLM's authorization is required for use of
BLM-managed surface for a disposal well. Other ``enhanced recovery''
operations are also outside the scope of this rulemaking. Aside from
``split estates'' being common in several states where the BLM
regulates oil and gas operations, no commenter provided evidence that
rescission of the 2015 rule would be ``inappropriate'' as applied to
split-estate lands. If after this rescission of the 2015 rule, the BLM
needs to approve an operation that would, for example, require
substantial quantities of water, the requirements of NEPA and the
applicable regulations would apply.
One commenter states that, regardless of the 2015 rule, the BLM
already has the ability to impose additional conditions related to
hydraulic fracturing on operators. This includes the authority to
require the submission of additional information in relation to the
permitting process as well as the ability to require that specific
actions be taken by operators on-site to minimize environmental impacts
and ensure site safety and security. The commenter states that the
agency has broad authority to collect information. The commenter also
noted that, pursuant to 43 CFR 3160.0-9, the BLM may request data so
that proposed operations may be approved or to enable the monitoring of
compliance with granted approvals, and operators must respond to such
requests as a condition of Federal oil and gas leases and as a
precondition to issuance of a permit to drill. Finally, the commenter
notes that the BLM also has the authority to require operators to take
specific actions when developing a lease.
The commenter is essentially correct. After this rescission, the
BLM will continue to responsibly use its authorities to carry out its
duties under the applicable statutes and regulations.
One commenter criticizes the BLM's intention to restore the
regulations under which prior approval is required for ``non-routine''
hydraulic fracturing operations. 43 CFR. 3162.3-2 (2014). The commenter
asserts that the BLM has never treated the ``fracturing'' referred to
in 43 CFR. 3162.3-2 as equivalent to hydraulic fracturing. The
commenter further argues that proponents of the 2015 rule have
recognized that under 43 CFR. 3162.3-2 ``companies generally treated
all hydraulic fracturing operations as routine'' and the BLM did not
exercise approval authority over hydraulic fracturing.
In response to this and other similar comments, the BLM
reconsidered its proposal to restore the regulatory text in
[[Page 61936]]
43 CFR 3162.3-2(a) (2014) requiring prior approval for ``nonroutine
fracturing jobs.'' As a result of this review, the BLM decided not to
restore the ``nonroutine fracturing'' requirement in this final rule.
As previously mentioned, prior to the 2015 rule, the regulations at
43 CFR 3162.3-2(a) (2014) provided in pertinent part that a ``proposal
for further well operations shall be submitted by the operator on Form
3160-5 for approval by the authorized officer prior to commencing
operations to . . . perform nonroutine fracturing jobs. . . .'' Those
regulations, however, did not define ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' or
provide guidance to operators or the BLM authorized officers on how to
distinguish ``routine'' from ``nonroutine.''
The BLM further notes that as a result of considerable advances in
oil and gas development technology in the last 20 years, hydraulic
fracturing practices that would have been considered ``nonroutine''
when the BLM originally issued the regulations requiring prior approval
for ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' are now commonly employed and
considered ``routine.'' The combination of advances in oil and gas
development technology and the BLM's existing authority to mitigate the
potential risks of hydraulic fracturing operations through site-
specific protective measures that are applied as a part of the
environmental review and approval process at the APD stage has made
post-APD approvals for ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' at most a very
rare occurrence. In fact, while the BLM has not been tracking requests
for approval of ``nonroutine fracturing jobs,'' recent inquiries to BLM
state offices have not revealed any examples of ``nonroutine
fracturing'' requests or approvals. Thus, given that the ``nonroutine
fracturing'' requirement has not, and will not foreseeably serve any
purpose, and that removing it from the regulations could reduce the
potential for unproductive confusion or paperwork without adverse
effects, the BLM has removed ``nonroutine fracturing'' from 43 CFR
3162.3-2(a) in this final rule.
As for whether the word ``fracturing'' in 43 CFR 3162.3-2 (2014),
includes hydraulic fracturing, both the plain meaning and its use in
the industry, includes ``hydraulic fracturing.'' See, e.g., Williams &
Myers Manual of Oil and Gas Terms, p. 420 (10th ed. 1997) (quoting
American Gas Ass'n, Glossary for the Gas Industry (3d ed. 1981)). The
BLM has always interpreted that regulation to include hydraulic
fracturing. The commenter does not offer any other rational
interpretation. Therefore, including ``routine fracturing'' in the
restored section 3162.3-2(b) makes plain that an operator does not need
the BLM's prior approval for hydraulic fracturing operations, except
those that involve increased surface disturbance or that do not conform
to the standard of prudent operating practice.
Adequacy of Existing Regulations and Industry Practices
The following paragraphs summarize comments regarding whether
existing regulations and industry practices are adequate to protect
public lands. We first summarize and respond to comments critical of
the existing regulations and industry practices, and opposed to
rescission of the 2015 rule. Then we summarize and respond to comments
arguing that existing state and Federal regulations and industry
practices provide adequate protection for federal lands and associated
resources, and in favor of rescission of the 2015 rule.
Multiple commenters state that when the BLM rescinds the 2015 rule,
regulations would be as they existed prior to adoption of the 2015
rule. One commenter states that it is apparent that almost no oversight
of hydraulic fracturing was required prior to the 2015 rule, however,
and that the inadequacy of the prior regulation for dealing with issues
related to hydraulic fracturing was noted in the rulemaking process for
the development of the 2015 rule. The commenter states that the prior
regulations required that the BLM approve proposals for ``further well
operations,'' which included ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' and eight
other activities. The commenter states that no BLM approval was
required for ``routine fracturing'' jobs unless there was additional
surface disturbance. However, the commenter states that ``nonroutine
fracturing jobs'' was not a defined term and the BLM proposes to
continue to not define the term. The commenter states that the lack of
defined distinction between nonroutine hydraulic fracturing jobs and
routine hydraulic fracturing jobs made ``this distinction functionally
difficult to apply and confusing for both the agency and those
attempting to comply with the regulations.'' The commenter states that
the BLM therefore acknowledges that almost all fracturing operations
were deemed routine and not requiring approval from the BLM prior to
commencing operations. A separate commenter notes that this ``pre-
existing authority'' clearly existed at the time the 2015 rule was
promulgated and fails to provide a valid basis for the BLM's change in
position.
Multiple commenters express concern that state laws are
insufficient to regulate hydraulic fracturing activities. The
commenters state that, while some states have requirements regarding
particular issues that are equivalent to the 2015 rule, many gaps in
regulation remain. The commenters state that each state has areas where
its regulations are weaker than the 2015 rule, and no state requires
the same best practices across the board. The BLM should keep the 2015
rule in place to ensure consistent protections across the dozens of
states with existing Federal oil and gas leases. One commenter notes
that, if the BLM recognizes that certain states have less comprehensive
regulations and enforcement mechanisms, it necessarily concedes that
the legal framework within those states will not provide the same
protections as the regulations promulgated by the 2015 rule and
therefore that the 2015 rule is not duplicative of state regulations.
Another commenter offers that the 2015 rule provided specific direction
to states on how to protect groundwater and other resources and set
forth a common standard of environmental protection at hydraulic
fracturing sites and brought together requirements for a set of
environmentally protective requirements that could be easily referenced
in one place for consistent implementation.
Multiple commenters argue that the BLM's analysis of state
regulations included in the RIA suggests the 2015 rule is not
redundant. In particular, two commenters highlight that the BLM, in its
discussion of the mechanical integrity test requirement, states it ``is
an industry recommended practice and is required by almost all of the
states whose regulations we reviewed.'' One commenter states that the
BLM rule requires operators to perform a successful mechanical
integrity test prior to fracturing at a test pressure equal to that
which will be applied during the actual fracturing operation and that
the applied pressure must hold for 30 minutes with no more than a 10
percent pressure loss. The commenter states that only California and
Montana have rules that include these requirements. The commenter
states that similar issues exist with regard to the annulus pressure
monitoring and reporting provisions. The commenter states further that,
in its analysis of state regulations for monitoring pressure during
hydraulic fracturing operations, the BLM claims that all states
reviewed, other than New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah, explicitly require
monitoring
[[Page 61937]]
during fracturing operations. The commenter states that, as with state
mechanical integrity test rules, the mere presence of a rule is not
sufficient. Rather, the commenter states, the substance of state rules
must be analyzed to determine whether state rules contain safeguards
equivalent to the BLM rule. In addition, with respect to review of the
storage tank requirements, some commenters state that the BLM
acknowledges that ``Although the use of tanks is reportedly common,
only 5 out of the 9 states in our in-depth regulatory review had
requirements specifying that operators must use tanks.''
One commenter asserts that the fact that all 32 states currently
with Federal oil and gas leases now have laws or regulations that
address hydraulic fracturing operations in no way indicates those
regulations are sufficient to fulfill the stipulations under Executive
Order 13783, Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth. Another
commenter highlighted that despite the existence of state requirements,
the BLM explained in 2015 that ``a major impetus for a separate BLM
rule is that states are not legally required to meet the stewardship
standards that apply to public lands and do not have trust
responsibilities for Indian lands under Federal laws.'' 80 FR 16133;
see id. at 16154. The commenters assert that ``an additional 12 states
have introduced laws or regulations'' regarding hydraulic fracturing is
a natural consequence of the significant public concern about the
practice, but does not obviate the need for Federal regulatory
standards that promote the responsible development of public lands and
fulfill BLM's own independent statutory duties to ensure that oil and
gas operations on Federal and Indian lands are performed in a safe,
responsible, and environmentally protective manner.
One commenter states that, unlike BLM's 2015 rule, many states do
not require operators to obtain a permit specifically for fracturing
operations. The commenter notes that, of the states the BLM reviewed in
the RIA, only California, Montana, and Wyoming require a permit for
fracturing operations. The commenter notes that Oklahoma and Colorado
require notification before fracturing, while New Mexico, North Dakota,
Texas, and Utah require neither a permit nor advanced notification. The
commenter states that this is a significant difference between state
regulations and the 2015 rule.
One commenter specifically claims that New Mexico is second only to
Wyoming in the number of producing oil and natural gas leases on
federally managed land, yet state regulations lack important safeguards
included in the 2015 rule. The commenter notes that, for example, New
Mexico's hydraulic fracturing regulations do not include measures to
prevent ``frack hits,'' which occur when the hydraulic fracturing of
one well causes a pressure transfer that interferes with production in
another well. The commenter states that, as acknowledged in the EA for
the rescission of this rule, these frack hits pose a tangible threat to
water resources and the ecological integrity of public land subjected
to excessive and haphazard drilling.
One commenter contends that the 2015 rule contains two essential
safety components: Wellbore testing prior to hydraulic fracturing and
storage of flowback waste in tanks rather than pits. The commenter
states that these two areas, if not adequately regulated, present
significant risks of environmental contamination. The commenter asserts
that the 2015 rule represented improvements over existing Federal and
Colorado state rules in these areas. The commenter states that, in
proposing to rescind them, the BLM clearly recognized what researchers
have also concluded: Hydraulic fracturing poses pollution risks to air,
soil and water that are highly correlated with failure to ensure
wellbore integrity and pit storage of waste. The commenter states that
the 2015 rule is the BLM's best determination, based on its own
expertise and expert outside input, for preventing such contamination
and the rule should therefore not be rescinded.
One commenter stated that BLM's suggestion that a major expansion
of state regulation has occurred since 2015 is misleading because the
states with new regulations represent an insignificant fraction of
Federal oil and gas development.
One commenter states that the Appendix to the EA for the proposed
rule showed that the new state regulations lack many of the protections
imposed by the 2015 rule. The commenter states that, for example, most
state regulations do not mandate the use of tanks instead of open pits,
do not require measures to prevent frack hits, and do not require the
same measures to ensure adequate cementing.
One commenter said that the BLM assumes substantial continued use
of storage tanks by operators in many states even after the rule is
rescinded, although this is implausible. The commenter states that, for
example, the BLM assumes that 100 percent of operators in Texas and New
Mexico will use tanks even after rescission because of state
regulations despite the fact that both states allow exemptions to their
regulatory standards. The commenter states that the BLM also assumes
100 percent voluntary compliance in Utah despite the state's
``unclear'' standards, and 92 percent voluntary compliance in Wyoming.
The commenter states that the estimation of voluntary compliance rates
is based partly on the fact that ``tanks are likely to be less costly
than pits on smaller and medium volume jobs.'' The commenter states
that without a Federal regulatory backstop, past voluntary compliance
rates and past evidence of job size in particular states do not
guarantee the continued use of tanks in the future.
In response to the foregoing paragraphs in this section, when
issuing the 2015 rule, the BLM acknowledged that it already had ``an
extensive process in place to ensure that operators conduct oil and gas
operations in an environmentally sound manner that protects resources''
(80 FR 16133). At that time, the BLM also noted that while ``the
regulations and Onshore Orders that have been in place to this point
have served to provide reasonable certainty of environmentally
responsible development of oil and gas resources . . .,'' the 2015 rule
``will complement these existing rules by providing further assurance''
that hydraulic fracturing operations are conducted in an
environmentally responsible manner across all public and Indian lands
(id. at 16137). However, as previously noted, in accordance with
Executive Order 13783 and Secretarial Order No. 3349, the BLM recently
conducted a review of the 2015 rule, existing state laws and
regulations, existing Federal authorities and recent incident reports
submitted to the BLM for Federal and Indian oil and gas operations. As
a result of this review, the BLM now believes that the 2015 rule
imposes unnecessary and unjustified compliance costs and burdens.
Moreover, in light of state regulatory programs, the sovereignty of
tribes to regulate oil and gas operations on their lands, and the BLM's
pre-existing regulations and Onshore Oil and Gas Orders and other
Federal authorities, the rescission of the 2015 rule will not lead to
poorly regulated oil and gas development activities, including
hydraulic fracturing operations, on Federal and Indian lands. State
regulatory programs can more readily address local conditions than may
the BLM's rules. Thus, the fact that state rules differ from each other
and are not identical to the 2015 rule do not render state programs
ineffective, or the
[[Page 61938]]
2015 rule essential. Furthermore, as expressed in the Executive Orders,
it is this Administration's policy to reduce unnecessary regulatory
burdens on energy development. Based on the rarity of adverse
environmental impacts that have occurred from hydraulic fracturing
operations before the 2015 rule, and the lack of compelling evidence
that state regulatory programs are inadequate, the 2015 rule is a
duplicative layer of Federal regulation that should be rescinded. To
the extent that the comments address the pre-2015 rule requirements for
prior approval of ``nonroutine fracturing jobs,'' see the BLM's
response to comments in the Rule Authorities section above. As
previously discussed, the BLM has decided not to restore the
requirements for ``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' in 43 CFR 3162.3-2(a).
One commenter states that the proposed rescission of the 2015 rule
does not provide substantive evidence that industry practice is
sufficient to prevent the pollution and degradation of hydrological
resources on public lands. The commenter states that, given its self-
described mandate to provide bona fide minimum standards to ensure
industry compliance, as well as its obligations under NEPA, the BLM
should not rescind protections given to groundwater in the 2015 Rule.
While industry practices can and often do work to appreciably
reduce the risks associated with oil and gas development, the BLM does
not solely rely on industry practice to ensure that oil and gas
development operations on public lands are conducted in an
environmentally responsible manner. Operators on Federal lands must
comply with all Federal, state, and local requirements. On Indian
lands, they must comply with all Federal and tribal permitting and
reporting requirements. As previously noted, the BLM has an extensive
process in place to ensure that operators conduct oil and gas
operations in a safe and environmentally sound manner that protects
resources. The environmental reviews conducted under NEPA provide an
opportunity for the BLM to consider and mitigate potentially adverse
environmental impacts, including those involving hydrological
resources. If hydrological concerns arise during the BLM's review of a
specific oil and gas proposal, the BLM may require additional
information, or impose protective measures, such as lease stipulations
or COAs attached to APDs, to mitigate the potential adverse impacts.
One comment disapproves of the proposed rescission because of a
lack of reasonable regulation in Idaho to protect the communities
impacted by hydraulic fracturing. The commenter adds that there is a
lack of standardization in incident reporting processes in different
states by highlighting a peer-reviewed study published in February 2017
in the Journal of American Chemical Society entitled, ``Unconventional
Oil and Gas Spills: Risks, Mitigation Priorities, and State Reporting
Requirements.'' The study points out differences in reporting
requirements in each of the four states that produce most oil and gas
using hydraulic fracturing, and documents a total of 6,648 spills
between 2005 and 2014.
Contrary to the commenter's assertion, the BLM reviewed the
applicable Idaho state laws and regulations and found an extensive
regulatory framework for addressing the risks associated with hydraulic
fracturing. See Idaho Admin. Code Sec. Sec. 20.07.02.210 and
20.07.02.211. As previously discussed, the fact that state regulatory
programs differ from each other and are not identical to the 2015 rule
does not render the state programs ineffective, or the 2015 rule
essential. Furthermore, operators on Federal or Indian lands are
required to report adverse incidents directly to the BLM. The BLM
requires operators to clean up spills promptly and thoroughly. Those
requirements will not change with the rescission of the 2015 rule.
Multiple commenters asserted that the hydraulic fracturing
regulations of specific states are adequate, and thus the 2015 rule is
not needed. One commenter highlighted that there has never been a
mechanical failure in North Dakota since the North Dakota Industrial
Commission's hydraulic fracturing regulations were implemented; a
separate commenter asserts that the regulatory oversight provided by
the State of North Dakota protects the environment while providing
permitting in a careful but timely manner. Another commenter suggested
that, in Wyoming, operators have employed hydraulic fracturing
technology safely and efficiently for decades. Another commenter
asserts that New Mexico's hydraulic fracturing rules and regulations
are protective of the environment and that hydraulic fracturing is
proficiently regulated by the State of New Mexico, including rigorous
protocols for casing, cementing, completions, recompletions and all
associated procedures, including extensive monitoring and pressure-
testing requirements, as well as mechanical and pressure-based well
integrity testing. That commenter states that adding an additional
layer of Federal regulation on top of an efficient and effective set of
existing state regulations will provide no additional environmental
protection. Additionally, one commenter states that the State of Utah
has an effective regulatory program that, for many years, has
successfully monitored the construction and operation of oil and gas
wells, including well completion operations, such as hydraulic
fracturing, water management, and chemical disclosure. Another
commenter also asserts that Colorado rules and regulations along with
the Memorandum of Agreement with the BLM (and the United States Forest
Service) for Permitting of Oil and Gas Operations on BLM and National
Forest Service Lands in Colorado should suffice in coordinating the
permitting of oil and gas operations on Federal lands. One commenter
states that, in Oklahoma, regulators live in the communities most
affected, are in touch with evolving technical and scientific data, and
have a demonstrated track record of working effectively with industry
as well as the other stakeholders of public and private lands. In
addition, a commenter asserts that Western States with oil and gas
production have robust regulations to protect the environment and
public health and are best-equipped to regulate oil and gas
development. The commenter asserts that the Western States have
experienced few, if any, adverse impacts involving water quality and
water allocation attributable to hydraulic fracturing and that the
process has been used for more than a million wells for over sixty
years, and is responsible for increasing the nation's ability to
recover oil and gas at great economic benefit.
The BLM thanks the commenters for providing comments and supporting
information.
One commenter states that the EA for the 2017 proposed rule reveals
that misguided public sentiment regarding hydraulic fracturing was a
lead motivator for the BLM's initiation of rulemaking in 2010. The
commenter states that BLM also accurately observed that adverse
environmental impacts from hydraulic fracturing were a rare occurrence
prior to the final 2015 rule, and that observation remains true today.
The commenter asserts that, instead of imposing a costly regulatory
burden on oil and gas operators, the BLM would be better served by
dedicating resources to countering these unfounded public concerns.
The BLM agrees that the 2015 rule imposes compliance costs on the
oil and gas industry that are no longer justified. The remaining
statements in this
[[Page 61939]]
comment are outside the scope of this rulemaking.
One commenter states that the 2015 rule would have required that
all fluids recovered between the commencement of hydraulic fracturing
operations and the authorized officer's approval of a produced water
disposal plan under BLM requirements must be stored in rigid enclosed,
covered, or netted and screened above-ground tanks. The commenter
further states that no regulatory mechanism exists for the ``approval
of a produced water disposal plan'' on an individual well basis, thus
the limitations the 2015 rule purports to apply to recovered fluids
storage are premised on an administrative approval process that does
not exist.
As this final rule rescinds the 2015 rule, this comment is outside
the scope of the present rulemaking action.
Adequacy of Tribal Regulations
Multiple commenters state that the BLM's suggestion that the 2015
rule is ``duplicative'' of existing tribal regulation is unsupported.
The commenters state that the differences between the 2015 BLM rule and
other regulations are even greater on Indian lands, where many tribes
have not developed their own regulatory programs to manage
hydraulically-fractured oil and gas development. The commenters state
that this is acknowledged in the EA. Another commenter asserts that
relying on state regulations is inadequate for protecting tribes. One
commenter describes experiencing multiple oil spills related to
injection wells on tribal lands and the lack of resources to respond
and hold corporations accountable for the injury, damage, and
unnecessary burden the oil industry placed on the tribe and its
resources. The commenter states that, even though the sovereignty of
tribes to regulate operations on their lands may be an option and
reality for some tribes, others have yet to develop the capacity to
enforce such regulations on their lands and may never have the
resources to effectively manage and enforce oil and gas regulations.
The 2015 rule would directly benefit and help protect these tribes.
We acknowledge that not all oil and gas producing tribes have
exercised their sovereignty to regulate hydraulic fracturing
activities. Rescission of the 2015 rule, however, does not affect those
tribes' options for promulgating and implementing programs in exercise
of their self-governance and sovereignty. In addition, the BLM
regulations applicable to tribal lands, which include the regulations
at 43 CFR subpart 3162, as amended by this final rule, and Onshore Oil
and Gas Orders 1, 2, and 7, reduce the risks associated with hydraulic
fracturing by providing specific requirements for well permitting;
construction, casing, and cementing; and disposal of produced water.
These BLM regulations, along with the enforcement mechanisms that are
available to the BLM on tribal lands, provide reasonable assurance that
oil and gas development on tribal lands will occur in an
environmentally responsible manner, even when tribal regulations or
enforcement mechanisms to ensure responsible oil and gas development
are not fully developed.
Rule Process
Multiple commenters assert that the BLM has failed to explain why
the 2015 rule is no longer needed to ensure the environmentally
responsible development of Federal oil and gas resources. These
commenters note that the Supreme Court has outlined procedures that an
agency must take to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
when changing an existing regulation, including the need to provide a
reasoned analysis or reasoned explanation for the change. The
commenters contend that the BLM's 2017 proposed rule does not meet
these requirements and is fraught with loose language that does not
demonstrate a reasoned basis or reasoned explanation for the change.
Some commenters assert that the BLM's decision to rely on Executive
Order 13783 and Secretarial Order 3349 to justify the proposed
rescission fails to provide the ``reasoned explanation'' required by
the APA. These commenters note that Executive Order 13783 directs
agencies to review regulations that ``unduly burden the development of
domestic energy resources beyond the degree necessary to protect the
public interest or otherwise comply with the law.'' They contend that
the BLM does not explain why the 2015 rule ``burdens'' the development
of energy resources as defined by the Executive Order, particularly in
light of the BLM's findings that the 2015 rule would cost just a small
fraction of a percent of the profit margins of small operations. The
commenters further state that the proposed rescission does not address
other provisions of the Executive Order, including that ``all agencies
should take appropriate actions to promote clean air and clean water
for the American people.''
Finally, some commenters state that the BLM articulated a reasoned
justification in 2015 for the storage tank requirement, and that the
agency now proposes to rescind that same requirement without addressing
the evidence from the 2015 record or offering any explanation for why a
tank requirement would no longer deliver important environmental
benefits.
On the contrary, the BLM believes that it has articulated a
reasoned justification for rescinding the 2015 final rule. It therefore
has not changed this final rule based on these comments. The Supreme
Court has explained that ``[a]gencies are free to change their existing
policies as long as they provide a reasoned explanation for the
change,'' ``display awareness that [they are] changing position,'' and
``show that there are good reasons for the new policy.'' Encino
Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro, __U.S. __, 136 S. Ct. 2117, 2125-26 (2016).
However, agencies do not need to show ``that the reasons for the new
policy are better than the reasons for the old one'' or necessarily
``provide a more detailed justification than what would suffice for a
new policy created on a blank slate.'' FCC v. Fox Television Stations,
Inc., 556 U.S. 502, 515 (2009).
The BLM has provided a reasoned explanation for rescinding the 2015
rule that accords with these requirements: The BLM believes that the
2015 rule, which would impose compliance costs and information
requirements that are duplicative of regulatory programs of many states
and some tribes, is redundant and therefore unnecessarily burdensome on
regulated entities. Any marginal benefits provided by the 2015 rule do
not outweigh the rule's costs, even if those costs are a small
percentage of the cost of a well. In fact, benefits were largely
unquantified in the 2015 rule. The BLM has also provided good reasons
for its new policy, explaining that state regulatory programs
(including those of the states with most of the Federal oil and gas
leasing), the sovereignty of tribes to regulate operations on their
lands, and other preexisting Federal regulations provide a better
framework than the 2015 rule for mitigating the impacts associated with
hydraulic fracturing operations. For example, there are currently laws
or regulations to address hydraulic fracturing in all 32 of the states
in which the BLM currently manages oil and gas leases, and the BLM has
several existing requirements, some of which are set out at 43 CFR
3162.3-1 and in Onshore Oil and Gas Orders 1, 2, and 7, that allow it
to reduce the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing. Additionally,
the BLM has explained that rescinding the 2015 rule's storage tank
requirement may alleviate some on-the-ground indirect impacts, such as
[[Page 61940]]
those associated with truck traffic to transport tanks to and from well
sites.
The BLM is not required to demonstrate that its reasons for
rescinding the 2015 rule are better than or refute its rationale for
initially promulgating the 2015 rule. This is especially true where, as
here, the 2015 rule was never operational and did not engender serious
reliance interests on the part of the regulated community. By providing
an explanation for why it is rescinding the 2015 rule and demonstrating
that there are good reasons for relying on state regulations, tribal
sovereignty, and the BLM's preexisting regulations, the BLM has
provided the necessary justification for changing its policy regarding
the regulation of hydraulic fracturing. Furthermore, there is no legal
impediment to this Administration implementing its policies and
priorities through rulemaking to rescind or amend existing regulations.
Some commenters state that the BLM failed to consider a full range
of alternatives in its environmental assessment. In particular, the
commenters state that the BLM should have analyzed alternatives that
strengthen the rule instead of rescinding it, including alternatives
that regulate stimulation operations broadly, area of review,
strengthen frack hit protections, baseline water testing, well
construction, and restricted chemicals.
The BLM disagrees. The BLM considered a reasonable range of
alternatives in its environmental assessment in light of the proposed
action's purpose and need and the environmental effects that may result
from rescinding the 2015 final rule. NEPA requires an agency to analyze
all reasonable alternatives related to the purposes of the agency's
action. Where, as here, an agency prepares an EA, the range of
alternatives that the agency must consider, and the degree of analysis
that is required, is less than is required for environmental impact
statements. Moreover, ```the range of alternatives that [an] agency
must consider [in an EA] decreases as the proposed action's
environmental impact becomes less and less substantial,' '' Earth
Island Inst. v. United States Forest Serv., 697 F.3d 1010, 1023 (9th
Cir. 2012) (quoting Louisiana Crawfish Producers Ass'n-West v. U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, 463 F.3d 352, 356-57 (5th Cir. 2006)
(alterations omitted)), and it becomes even more diminished where, as
here, an agency concludes that the action being considered will have a
minimal environmental effect. See Save Our Cumberland Mts. v.
Kempthorne, 453 F.3d 334, 342-43 (6th Cir. 2006). Furthermore, although
the unsigned draft EA accompanying the proposed rulemaking analyzed
only two alternatives, the signed EA for this final rule analyzes four
alternatives, and explains why other alternatives were considered but
not carried forward for analysis.
As described in detail above, this final rule will have minimal
environmental effects. It will not authorize hydraulic fracturing
operations as a whole, it will not authorize any particular hydraulic
fracturing operation on Federal or Indian lands, and it will not impact
the overall number of hydraulic fracturing operations on Federal or
Indian lands. What few impacts may result from the final rule will be
mitigated by state and tribal regulations and the preexisting Federal
regulations. In light of these minimal impacts, the BLM did not need to
analyze additional alternatives beyond the alternative that were
analyzed in the EA that has been prepared for this final rule.
Additionally, the commenters are mistaken that the BLM should have
analyzed alternatives that strengthened the 2015 final rule. The
purpose and need of a proposed action determines the universe of
alternatives that an agency must consider. The purpose of the BLM's
proposed action (the 2017 prosed rule) ``is to reduce and eliminate
unnecessary regulatory requirements in order to more efficiently manage
oil and gas operations,'' and the need is ``to more prudently balance
the BLM's interest in mitigating the risks of oil and gas development
operations, including hydraulic fracturing, . . . with the compliance
burdens it imposes on the oil and gas industry.'' Alternatives that
would retain or increase the regulatory burdens imposed by the 2015
final rule on the oil and gas industry would not further the BLM's
purpose and need for action and, therefore, did not have to be
analyzed.
Some commenters assert that the BLM's proposed rescission of the
2015 rule fails to comply with NEPA. These commenters state that the EA
prepared by the BLM contains only a brief discussion of a few of the
impacts related to groundwater, surface water, and greenhouse gas
emissions, which it determines to be insignificant. The commenters
contend that these determinations contradict those found in the EA that
the BLM prepared when it promulgated the 2015 rule, ignore recent
science regarding hydraulic fracturing, and contradict several reviews
of hydraulic fracturing conducted in California and elsewhere that
demonstrate the potential for other significant environmental impacts
that may result from the repeal of the 2015 rule.
The BLM disagrees with the commenters that the EA's discussion of
impacts constituted a NEPA violation. Pursuant to CEQ's regulations
implementing NEPA, an EA needs to include only ``brief discussions . .
. of the environmental impacts of the proposed action and
alternatives.'' (See 40 CFR 1508.9(b).) The EA's discussion of the
impacts related to groundwater, surface water, and greenhouse gas
emissions satisfies this requirement. Moreover, BLM notes that the EA
references appropriate portions of the 2015 EA addressing these
impacts, incorporating them into this EA.
Similarly, the BLM disagrees with the commenters that its
determinations that the impacts to groundwater, surface water, and
greenhouse gas emissions of this final rule are insignificant
contradict its determinations in the EA prepared for the 2015 rule.
With regard to surface water and groundwater, the 2015 EA merely stated
that, under the No Action Alternative (i.e., existing regulations), the
impacts to surface water and groundwater described in the EA would be
ongoing. The 2015 EA neither stated nor concluded that the impacts to
those resources from the No Action alternative would be significant.
Similarly, there is no contradiction between the two EAs regarding
impacts related to greenhouse gas emissions. The 2015 EA did not, as
the commenters suggest, determine that greenhouse gas emissions related
to the No Action alternative would be significant. On the contrary, the
2015 EA found that although ``the various action alternatives would
result in some small variations in [greenhouse gas emissions],'' none
of them ``would appreciably affect the amount of GHG emissions arising
from oil and gas operations on Federal and tribal lands as compared to
[existing regulations].'' This finding is consistent with the BLM's
current determination that rescinding the 2015 final rule would not
result in an appreciable increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
The BLM also disagrees that the determinations in the EA ignores
recent science regarding hydraulic fracturing. The BLM reviewed and
considered a wide range of scientific evidence, including recent
studies, in assessing the environmental impacts associated with
rescinding the 2015 final rule. For example, the BLM gave considerable
weight to the EPA's December 2016 study of hydraulic fracturing's
potential impact on drinking water resources. NEPA, however, does not
require the BLM to rely equally on all such studies.
[[Page 61941]]
Rather, NEPA permits agencies to rely on their expertise to determine
which studies are particularly relevant or scientifically accurate. The
fact that the EA does not specifically address the findings in the
studies referenced in the comment does not mean that such studies were
not considered. It simply means that, in analyzing the impacts
associated with rescinding the 2015 final rule, the BLM found other
studies more relevant.
Some commenters assert that the BLM violated NEPA by basing its EA
on unfounded assumptions rather than sufficient evidence or analysis.
The commenter states, for example, while acknowledging potential risks
from the impacts that it did consider, the BLM finds that existing
state and tribal regulations and the BLM's existing authorities will
``allow it to reduce the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.''
However, the commenter states, the 2015 final rule remains more
comprehensive than the requirements in many states and tribes, and the
BLM has previously stated that the final rule ``would result in a
reduction of the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing operations
on Federal and Indian lands.''
The commenters are mistaken. The BLM based its EA on evidence,
analysis, and technical expertise, not unfounded assumptions. For
example, the specific conclusion referenced by the commenters that
existing regulatory frameworks will allow the BLM to reduce the risks
associated with hydraulic fracturing is based on the BLM's detailed
review of state, tribal, and Federal regulations. See RIA at Sec.
2.12, and EA at Appendix 1. That review indicated that all 32 states
with existing Federal oil and gas leases currently have regulations to
address hydraulic fracturing operations, as do some tribes with oil and
gas resources. Additionally, the BLM has several existing requirements,
some of which are set out at 43 CFR subpart 3162 and in Onshore Oil and
Gas Orders 1, 2, and 7, that allow it to reduce the risks associated
with oil and gas operations, including those of hydraulic fracturing.
The BLM also possesses discretionary authority allowing it to impose
site-specific protective measures reducing the risks associated with
hydraulic fracturing. Relying on this evidence to conclude that the
2015 final rule was duplicative of an existing regulatory framework
that will reduce the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing
operations is a technical judgment within the BLM's area of expertise.
The BLM may rely on the judgment of its own experts, see San Juan
Citizens Alliance v. Stiles, 654 F.3d 1038, 1057 (10th Cir. 2011), even
if the same regulatory framework would have led the commenters to
arrive at a different conclusion. See Greater Yellowstone Coal. v.
Flowers, 359 F.3d 1257, 1271 n. 14 (10th Cir. 2004).
The commenters are also mistaken that the 2015 rule's potential to
reduce risks somehow calls into question the BLM's conclusion that it
can rely on state, tribal, and Federal regulatory framework to reduce
the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing operations. The 2015
rule was meant to ``add to'' and ``complement'' this existing
regulatory framework. (80 FR 16128). Regardless of whether those
additions would have resulted in additional risk reductions, the BLM's
conclusion that the existing regulatory framework is capable of
reducing risks remains valid.
Some commenters assert that the BLM must prepare a full EIS before
rescinding the 2015 rule.
The BLM has not prepared an EIS in response to those comments. NEPA
requires an agency to prepare an EIS when it proposes to take a major
Federal action that significantly affects the quality of the human
environment. Agencies must consider the context of the action and the
intensity of its impacts to determine whether an action significantly
affects the quality of the environment. As discussed in the BLM's EA
and FONSI, the BLM considered the context of rescinding the 2015 rule
and determined that doing so would remove information requirements that
are duplicative of the regulatory programs of many states and some
tribes with active oil and gas development. The BLM also considered the
intensity, as that term is defined in CEQ's NEPA regulations, of
rescinding the 2015 final rule. Applying the intensity factors listed
in 40 CFR 1508.27(b), the BLM determined that rescinding the 2015 rule
would not have a severe impact on the quality of the human environment.
Based on its considerations of the context and intensity of the
proposed action, the BLM determined that rescinding the 2015 rule will
not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. In light
of that determination, it is unnecessary to prepare a full EIS before
rescinding the 2015 rule.
Some commenters assert that the BLM failed to analyze indirect and
cumulative impacts of rescinding the 2015 rule.
Agencies are required to analyze the indirect and cumulative
impacts associated with a proposed action. The BLM's analysis of those
impacts is set forth, respectively, in sections 4.0 and 5.0 of the EA.
One commenter states that ESA and NHPA consultations are required
before the 2015 final rule can be rescinded.
The ESA requires an agency to consult with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service to ensure that
any action it authorizes, funds, or carries out is not likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or result in
the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Section
106 of the NHPA requires Federal agencies to take into account the
effects of their undertakings on historic properties included on or
eligible for inclusion on the National Historic Register of Historic
Places (NRHP), and to afford the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation a reasonable opportunity to comment on such undertakings.
The BLM is not required to perform ESA or NHPA consultations to
rescind the 2015 rule. Neither the rescission nor implementation of the
2015 rule would, by themselves, authorize or prohibit hydraulic
fracturing operations as a whole, or any particular hydraulic
fracturing operation on Federal or Indian lands. These actions are also
not expected to impact the number of hydraulic fracturing operations.
As such, the actions would not, by themselves, have an effect on any
listed species or its habitat nor any historic properties that are
listed on or eligible for listing on the NRHP. After the 2015 rule is
rescinded, the BLM will continue to make decisions involving the
development of oil and gas resources on BLM-administered lands at the
land use planning, leasing, and permitting stages in compliance with
NEPA, the ESA, and the NHPA. Indeed, site-specific proposals to drill
for and develop oil and gas resources that involve hydraulic fracturing
operations would require the same level of compliance with the ESA and
NHPA if the BLM did not rescind the 2015 rule. Given that the BLM
considers the cumulative and site-specific effects of proposed oil and
gas operations as part of its land use planning, leasing, and
permitting processes, as is discussed earlier in this preamble, and
will conduct appropriate consultations whenever and wherever
appropriate, consultation under the ESA and NHPA is not required at
this time.
Some commenters state that, because the issue of ``frack hits'' was
not part of the discussions between stakeholders and the agency during
the rulemaking process for the 2015 rule, it is reasonable that the BLM
would rescind the 2015 rule and defer issuance of any
[[Page 61942]]
rule related to ``frack hits'' until the appropriate regulatory
procedures are invoked.
Some commenters also state that the 2015 rule would have required
that before hydraulic fracturing operations begin, the operator must
perform a successful mechanical integrity test of any casing or
fracturing string through which the operation will be conducted. These
commenters contend that the administrative record prepared for the 2015
final rule ``does not contain comments regarding the efficacy, cost, or
purpose of testing the lateral portion of the wellbore because that
requirement was not part of the proposed rule.''
The commenters contend that measures to protect against ``frack
hits'' and requiring mechanical integrity tests included in the 2015
rule were not logical outgrowths of the BLM's proposed rule. Because
the BLM is rescinding the 2015 rule, and because the present rule
rescission does not contain measures related to ``frack hits'' or
require mechanical integrity tests, it is unnecessary to address
whether the issues of ``frack hits'' and mechanical integrity tests are
a logical outgrowth of the proposed rule that the BLM published.
One commenter states that it is impossible to reconcile a
requirement to conduct a mechanical integrity test on casing that does
not protect usable water and it is likely to increase costs of
completing a well by $75,000 to $100,000. Given the absence of any
benefit that will be derived from these costs, rescission of the 2015
rule is reasonable and appropriate.
The BLM agrees that rescission of the 2015 rule is appropriate and
good policy.
Costs of 2015 Rule and Effects on Industry
Multiple commenters state that the 2015 rule would not be
burdensome for industry. One commenter states that there are several
problems with BLM's assertion that the 2015 rule ``imposes burdensome
reporting requirements and other unjustified costs on the oil and gas
industry'' (82 FR 34464). The commenter states first, that the BLM's
own RIA finds that the 2015 rule would cost approximately $9,690 per
well, or about 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent of the cost of drilling a
well (RIA at 3, Tables 4.2.2.a, 4.2.2.b). The commenter further notes
that the BLM's estimate of the costs of the 2015 rule have not
substantially changed since 2015 (80 FR 16,130 (estimating compliance
costs to be ``approximately 0.13 to 0.21 percent of the cost of
drilling a well'')). The commenter states that BLM also noted that its
cost estimates may be overstated where industry is already in
compliance.
In the RIA for the 2015 rule, the BLM asserted that regulation
would result in a reduction of the risks associated with hydraulic
fracturing operations on Federal and Indian lands, without providing an
estimate for the monetary benefits of this risk reduction. The BLM
noted in the 2015 RIA that the majority of the requirements were
consistent with industry practice and that some were required by state
regulations or were generally addressed by existing BLM requirements.
In light of the protections available under other Federal regulations,
the increased prevalence of state and tribal laws and regulations to
address hydraulic fracturing, and new industry practices, the BLM
believes that the requirements imposed by the 2015 rule are redundant
and therefore unnecessarily burdensome. There were no monetary
estimates of any incremental benefit that the 2015 rule provides in
addition to existing Federal, state, and tribal regulations and
industry standards. Such incremental benefits, however, are likely to
be too small in light of the increased prevalence and comprehensiveness
of these standards since the original RIA was published to justify
compliance costs that are both monetized and certain to exist.
One commenter notes that, in 2015, in response to commenters'
arguments that the rule was not economically justified and that
benefits did not exceed costs, the BLM responded that the 2015 rule was
``prudent,'' ``necessary,'' and ``common-sense,'' and that the rule's
``burden should be minimal.'' The commenter asserts that, in its
proposed rescission, the BLM never sufficiently explains why those same
prudent, common-sense requirements, deemed necessary to environmental
protection after weighing compliance costs, are now suddenly
unnecessary.
As noted in previous responses, in light of the protections
available under other Federal regulations, the increased prevalence of
state and tribal laws and regulations to address hydraulic fracturing,
and new industry practices, the BLM now believes that the requirements
imposed by the 2015 final rule are redundant or only marginally
beneficial, and therefore unnecessarily burdensome.
One commenter states that the BLM fails to acknowledge the forgone
cost savings of the tank requirement that will partly offset any
estimated cost savings from the rescission. The commenter notes that
storage tank requirement from the 2015 rule was anticipated to generate
long-term cost savings for industry that would have partly offset their
compliance costs. The commenter suggests that rescinding the
requirement will forgo those cost savings, and that loss of cost
savings will partly offset any positive cost savings anticipated from
the rescission.
In response to the previous comment, the BLM notes that it is not
clear that requiring operators to use storage tanks for flowback and
produced water would generate any cost savings. Operators that instead
use central reservoirs may have decided to do so precisely because it
is the most cost-effective option available to them, and requiring them
to do otherwise may have the unintended consequence of increasing costs
for them.
One commenter states that an unanticipated cost associated with
rescinding the 2015 rule is related to road and infrastructure damage
associated with trucks hauling large quantities of salt water and
drilling mud at load weights exceeding legal limits by 35 percent. The
commenter offers that Texas has incurred more than $2 billion debt to
repair about 40 percent of their damaged roads in absence of having a
dedicated revenue source to pay for it. A commenter states that failure
to hold businesses accountable for their externalities amounts to
indirect subsidies, which is not fair to producers of clean energy who
do not receive these advantages. The commenter states that Federal
lands are leased to these extractors at prices that are well below
market values for extraction on private lands. The commenter asserts
that this is another indirect subsidy for the extractors and is a bad
deal for the taxpayers.
The use of public roads for the transport of materials and
equipment both to and from energy production sites, including weight
restrictions and taxation, is regulated by states and localities, and
on tribal lands by tribes. It was not addressed in the 2015 rule, and
thus is outside the scope of this rulemaking. Operators do need BLM's
approval for access roads from public roads across public lands to
their operation sites.
The BLM also disagrees with the assertion that Federal lands are
leased at ``well below market values'' for oil and gas extraction on
comparable private lands. Although private leases may often have higher
royalty rates, there are often greater regulatory burdens uniquely
associated with Federal leasing requirements. These include NEPA
reviews for leasing nominations and drilling permits, production
[[Page 61943]]
measurement compliance requirements, and other fees and assessments,
that operators do not encounter to the same extent on non-Federal
lands. A simple comparison of royalty rates between Federal and non-
Federal oil and gas leases is insufficient to support the commenter's
conclusion about market values. Furthermore, bonus bids, rentals and
royalties are outside the scope of this rulemaking.
One commenter suggests that California's growing economy is an
example to counter industry's claims that the 2015 rule and regulations
in general, unnecessarily encumber energy production, constrain
economic growth, and prevent job creation.
The commenter does not provide evidence that regulation of
hydraulic fracturing in California specifically has an impact on
statewide economic growth. Also, different states have different mixes
of industries and employers, as well as different geology, land
ownership patterns, and other conditions important to business growth.
Thus, we have no reasonable basis to extrapolate from any state's
economic growth to a conclusion that the 2015 rule would be a net
benefit for job creation.
One commenter suggested it is valuable to have a unified standard
with which to regulate hydraulic fracturing. The commenter states that
frack hits also pose a threat to industry profits, as they may also
lead to a decrease in well production. The commenter states that,
without firmly regulating irresponsible drilling practices, we run the
risk of not only damaging the ecological health of our public lands and
water resources, but also sabotaging the success of the extractive
industry.
As noted in the RIA, the American Petroleum Institute does provide
uniform, national voluntary standards for conducting hydraulic
fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing oversight is and will continue to be
provided through the state laws and regulations detailed in API 100-1
and API 100-2. There is ample evidence from national production data
that hydraulic fracturing allows oil and gas production that would not
otherwise be realized. Any frack hits on neighboring wells from using
the technology are unfortunate but not nationally significant compared
to the overall industry growth emanating from this technology.
One commenter suggests that, because the 2015 rule presented
significant conflicts with existing Federal and state regulations, its
adoption held the potential to create regulatory uncertainty and
confusion, increasing project costs, thus providing further
disincentives to operators to develop resources on Federal lands that
the agency manages for the American people.
The BLM does not agree that regulations that are largely consistent
with state rules and industry practices necessarily increase
uncertainty or confusion. The BLM does agree, however, that such
overlap can make such regulations redundant, marginally beneficial, and
unnecessarily burdensome, which is the why it is rescinding the 2015
rule.
Multiple commenters state that additional BLM regulation of a
process already regulated by the states will decrease efficiency and
increase costs. Commenters assert that the BLM does not have the staff,
the budget, or the expertise to process APDs with the same efficiency
as the states. One commenter states that the delay in processing APDs
by the BLM will result in declining production from Federal lands to
the detriment of the public. Another commenter asserts that the BLM
severely underestimated the cost of the 2015 rule by not including the
cost of delays in permit approval. The commenter asserts that if APDs
are not approved in a timely manner, the re-leasing process will cost
additional millions. A separate commenter highlights that BLM officials
conceded that, given the combination of increases in workload
associated with the hydraulic fracturing rule and reductions in the
agency budget, getting the work done could be an issue. The commenter
also notes that, among other problems, the BLM recognizes that ``skills
gaps'' are a ``program vulnerability'' for the BLM's existing oil and
gas programs. The commenter therefore concludes that rescission of the
2015 rule is entirely appropriate given the admonitions of agency
leaders that the BLM does not have the expertise in the field to
administer the rule.
The BLM's engineers and field managers have decades of experience
exercising oversight of these wells during the evolution of hydraulic
fracturing technology. However, as stated in the RIA for this rule, the
BLM recognizes the potential that the 2015 rule might pose unnecessary
delays and implementation costs to the BLM and operators. These costs
were not quantified in the RIA for the 2015 rule. The BLM's staffing
levels, budget and appropriations are outside the scope of this
rulemaking.
One commenter argues that, due to North Dakota's unique history of
land ownership, it is typical for oil and gas spacing units to consist
of a combination of Federal, state, and private mineral ownership. The
commenter notes that, even in circumstances where the Federal mineral
ownership within a spacing unit is small relative to other mineral
ownership, the 2015 rule would have required all the oil and gas
operators within the unit, as a practical matter, to conduct operations
in accordance with the 2015 rule applicable to the development of
Federal minerals. The commenter asserts that complying with the Federal
requirements and permitting timelines imposed by the 2015 final rule
will substantially delay operations on any spacing units that contain
Federal minerals and that this delay adversely affects the development
of all minerals within the unit, including state and private oil and
gas minerals.
As stated in the RIA for this rule, the BLM recognizes the
potential that the 2015 final rule might pose unnecessary delays and
implementation costs to the BLM and operators. We understand the
commenter's concerns that many long directional wells are completed in
many tracts, some Federal, and some not federal. The operators' burdens
of complying with the 2015 rule could adversely affect the owners of
the non-federal tracts. Those concerns support the BLM's decision to
rescind the 2015 rule.
Some commenters state that the 2015 rule would have represented an
expansion of the information that oil and gas developers are required
to disclose publicly both before and after operations and that, much of
this information, and particularly information regarding local geology
and the operators' technical designs for extracting resources from that
geology, is highly proprietary and represents economically valuable
commercial information. The commenters argue that the 2015 rule failed
to account both for the confidential nature of the information the rule
required to be disclosed and the commercial consequences of that
disclosure. The commenters state that, because the 2015 rule would have
required public disclosure of highly confidential and commercially
valuable information, it is contrary to Federal public records law and
its rescission is appropriate. Another commenter argued that the same
requirement of the 2015 rule failed to account for service companies
owning the trade secrets.
As the commenter notes, by rescinding the 2015 rule, the BLM would
no longer require that the operator submit information to the BLM and/
or FracFocus after the hydraulic fracturing operation is complete. As
[[Page 61944]]
stated in the RIA, the removal of this requirement would alleviate some
administrative burden. At least for Federal wells, operators are likely
to report the chemicals used regardless of whether the BLM requires
them to or not, since almost all states currently have chemical
disclosure requirements.
One commenter estimates that the 2015 rule would have imposed a
minimum per-well additional cost of $1,500 associated with assembling,
analyzing and adding new information to APDs and final reports
submitted to the BLM, not including the potential additional costs
associated with legal review and requirements for the operator to
verify and manage proprietary information that is claimed to be exempt
from disclosure. The commenter estimates the following additional costs
of the 2015 rule: Potential work stoppage during completions if there
is a ``false positive'' 500 psi increase in annulus pressure (assumed
$200,000 to $500,000 per day standby cost); managing ``recovered
fluids'' or produced water by constructing and utilizing a central
storage and treatment facility according to rule requirements
(estimated 5-year net present cost of $2.3 million for a lined pit, vs.
$23 million for using 500-barrel tanks to provide a storage capacity of
250,000 barrels); concern that a BLM field office could interpret the
2015 rule in a more stringent fashion than intended, which could lead
to a slowdown, stoppage, or delay of work, or additional costs for
specific requirements.
The BLM acknowledges that there are several potential compliance
costs for the 2015 rule that it did not quantify in the economic
analysis that was prepared for that rule. However, because this final
rule rescinds the 2015 rule, it is not necessary to review whether the
BLM's cost estimates for that rule were adequate, or to determine if
the commenters' estimates are appropriate.
A commenter critiqued the effects of the 2015 rule on operators,
concluding that the rule would have caused unintended burdens or
delays.
Because we are rescinding the 2015 rule, there is no need to
analyze the commenters' predictions.
One commenter asserts that small businesses will benefit from this
final rule because elimination of the 2015 rule would eliminate any
future possibility that they must pay the compliance costs associated
with the rule.
We agree that small businesses would benefit to the degree that
they are no longer subject to the compliance costs associated with the
2015 rule.
One commenter states that a comprehensive analysis of the costs the
2015 rule would have imposed demonstrates that costs savings resulting
from the rule's rescission are likely to exceed $220 million per year
due to increased administrative costs ($17.8M), delay costs ($6.7M),
additional casing costs ($174M), additional mechanical integrity
testing costs ($17M), and additional costs of recovered fuel storage
($4.9M).
The comment has been considered in developing the final regulatory
impact analysis (RIA), but we find that the estimated cost savings
discussed in the RIA are more supportable and are adequate for the
decision to rescind the 2015 rule.
Regional and National Implications
One commenter states that the economic impact of rescinding the
2015 final rule on the outdoor industry and farming should be seriously
considered when evaluating whether rescinding the 2015 rule is good for
economic growth and job creation. The commenter asserts that hydraulic
fracturing operations effectively destroy natural and rural areas
integral to the outdoor industry. The commenter notes that, in 2011,
the outdoor industry employed 6.1 million Americans and Americans spend
approximately $646 billion annually on outdoor recreation.
There is little to no evidence that properly regulated hydraulic
fracturing operations have a significantly greater effect on natural
and rural areas integral to the outdoor industry compared to the
conventional oil and gas drilling operations that have taken place on
BLM lands for decades. In its decision to rescind the 2015 rule, the
BLM examined existing state regulations--as well as existing Federal
regulations contained in Onshore Orders 1, 2, and 7--and determined
that they are sufficient to ensure that hydraulic fracturing operations
on Federal lands remain properly regulated.
To the degree that lands open for oil and gas development could
have an opportunity cost in that they could otherwise be used for
recreational activities, the BLM has long implemented FLPMA's policy of
multiple use that uses the NEPA environmental review process to
determine how best to plan for the public's desires to put the lands to
competing uses. The BLM's land use planning, however, is beyond the
scope of this rulemaking.
Multiple commenters support the proposed rescission asserting that
the 2015 rule imposes unnecessary costs, hinders energy production, and
constrains economic growth. Commenters argue that the potential cost
impacts of the 2015 rule on exploration and production activities on
BLM managed lands would greatly exceed the estimates that the BLM
provided in its original RIA. One commenter asserts that governments
should take care to ensure that any regulations they issue to ensure
safety and protect the environment recognize the economic importance
of, and avoid unduly burdening the use of, hydraulic fracturing to
develop America's energy resources.
In analyzing the 2015 rule, the BLM has reached the same conclusion
regarding its unnecessary costs and impact on energy production and
economic growth. As a result, the BLM has decided to rescind the 2015
rule.
One commenter stated that BLM's 2015 rule would exacerbate the
decline in oil and natural gas production on Federal lands and that
this would have a severe, negative effect on Wyoming's tax revenue and
employment numbers, would increase the costs for energy to all
consumers, and could increase this country's reliance on imports from
less than friendly nations.
Regardless of whether the 2015 rule would have had a ``severe,
negative effect'' on any state, or whether it would have caused an
increase in reliance upon imported oil or gas, the BLM does believe
that the costs of complying with the 2015 rule would be an unnecessary
burden on industry. This Administration's policy is to increase
revenues and to reduce reliance on imported oil through this and other
actions to reduce unnecessary burdens on energy industries, including
oil and gas on Federal and Indian lands. Thus, we are rescinding the
2015 rule.
Climate Change
Some commenters contend that the BLM cannot, in evaluating its
oversight of hydraulic fracturing on the public lands, overlook the
fact that extracting the new oil and gas resources made exploitable by
modern hydraulic fracturing techniques is inconsistent with any
reasonable likelihood of avoiding the most catastrophic effects of
global climate change. Some commenters recommend that the United States
shift toward alternative forms of energy.
Some commenters assert that the BLM must weigh the relative effects
on oil and gas production, supply, markets, and ultimately emissions of
its actions in regulating public lands hydraulic fracturing. The
commenters assert that this must include an assessment of the net
emissions consequences of all
[[Page 61945]]
reasonable alternatives--including implementation of the 2015 hydraulic
fracturing rule, the BLM's proposed rescission of that rule, or an
alternative rule banning public lands hydraulic fracturing.
Those commenters seek a reduction in leasing and production of oil
and gas from Federal and Indian lands with the goal of reducing
emissions of greenhouse gasses. Issues of land use planning, leasing of
parcels, and levels of production from Federal and Indian lands are
beyond the scope of this rulemaking. Hydraulic fracturing was a
technology available to operators on Federal and Indian lands prior to
the promulgation of the 2015 rule, it would have been available had the
2015 rule become effective, and it will be available after promulgation
of this rescission rule. The BLM is committed to compliance with NEPA
at each stage of its decision-making. NEPA does not require the BLM to
consider banning hydraulic fracturing in its analysis of this
rescission rule. As previously stated, the purpose and need for the
rule is to reduce unnecessary burdens on oil and gas production from
Federal and Indian lands. Furthermore, since emission levels from
future hydraulic fracturing operations are necessarily speculative
(because they depend upon geologic, technical, and economic variables,
plus the potential substitution of sources for oil and gas), a
comparison of ``net emissions consequences'' would not provide useful
information to the decision-maker or the public.
The BLM has not made a change from the 2017 proposed rule to this
final rule in response to those comments.
Recommendations
Multiple commenters suggest the BLM should conduct additional
research regarding the impacts of hydraulic fracturing and of
rescinding the 2015 rule, including the impacts of hydraulic fracturing
on drinking water resources and human health. Some commenters assert
that the BLM must thoroughly study the effects of repealing the rule,
including consideration of new circumstances, studies, and information
developed since the rule was adopted. The commenters assert that this
should include, for example, consideration of recent information
regarding connections between disposal of drilling-related waste and
earthquakes, according to some commenters. Moreover, the commenters
state that the BLM must consider the likelihood that the proposed
deregulation will lead to a significant expansion in poorly controlled
oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing and the consequences for
global climate change. Some commenters suggest that the BLM should
consider and adopt a rule that protects public lands, public health,
and the climate by banning hydraulic fracturing altogether on public
lands.
In response to the previous comments, the BLM notes that, in
December 2016, EPA completed its nationwide study of hydraulic
fracturing. U.S. EPA, Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts
from the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle on Drinking Water Resources
in the United States (Final Report), EPA/600/R-16/236F (available at
2016https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/hfstudy/recordisplay.cfm?deid=332990).
The BLM has considered the findings in that report. That report
demonstrated that, like most industrial processes, hydraulic fracturing
has the potential to cause the release of pollutants into the
environment, including groundwater resources. A logical conclusion is
that hydraulic fracturing activities should be regulated to control
those risks. It is not clear, however, that the 2015 rule was the best
or only way to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian
lands. Commenters have failed to provide facts demonstrating that the
BLM needs to conduct another study a year after EPA's report. Risks of
induced seismicity from hydraulic fracturing operations are beyond the
scope of this rulemaking. The USGS studies both natural and induced
seismicity. Several USGS publications are listed at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/references.php. Those studies show
that induced seismicity from hydraulic fracturing operations is
uncommon, and seems to occur mostly in areas with small percentages of
federally owned minerals. More common is seismicity induced by the
injection of waste fluids for disposal. Those disposal wells, however,
are regulated by states, tribes and the EPA under the Safe Drinking
Water Act, and are beyond the scope of this rulemaking.
This final rule will not lead to poorly regulated drilling of oil
and gas wells on Federal and Indian lands. Drilling operations will
continue to be subject to the BLM's regulations, including Onshore Oil
and Gas Order No. 2, (53 FR 46798, 1988), state regulations on Federal
land, and tribal regulations on tribal lands. We do not believe that
hydraulic fracturing operations will be poorly regulated under the
present rule, with states and tribes taking the lead for regulating
most hydraulic fracturing activities.
As previously explained, we do not believe it is in the national
interest to ban hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian lands.
Hydraulic fracturing activities can be conducted in ways that reduce
risks to the environment while providing the benefits of domestically
produced oil and gas, including jobs. Furthermore, a ban on hydraulic
fracturing on Federal and Indian lands would most likely cause
production to move to areas that are not subject to the BLM's
regulations, and have no impact on emissions.
One commenter asserts that the 2015 rule provides for a ``type
well'' to be used for an entire field to satisfy the pre-fracturing
approval requirements. The commenter recommends that the 2015 rule
should be rescinded in its entirety or expanded to allow a type well to
cover an entire county or basin if the geology is substantially
similar.
The commenter is mistaken. The 2015 rule does not mention a ``type
well.'' The present rule rescinds the 2015 rule in its entirety.
The BLM has not made a change from the 2017 proposed rule to this
final rule based on these commenters' recommendations.
Discussion of the Final Rule
As previously discussed in this preamble, the BLM is revising 43
CFR part 3160 to rescind the 2015 rule. The regulatory amendments in
this final rule are identical to those in the proposed rule, except
that the phrase ``perform nonroutine fracturing jobs'' has been removed
from the regulations at 43 CFR 3162.3-2(a). This final rule restores
the regulations in part 3160 of the CFR to exactly as they were before
the 2015 rule, except for changes to those regulations that were made
by other rules published between March 26, 2015 (the date of
publication of the 2015 final rule) and now, and the phrase ``perform
nonroutine fracturing jobs,'' which is not restored to the list of
subsequent operations requiring prior approval in section 3162.3-2(a).
None of the amendments to part 3160 by other rules are relevant to this
rulemaking. See, e.g., 82 FR 83008 (2016). The following section-by-
section analysis discusses returning to the pre-2015 rule regulations.
Section 3160.0-3 Authority
The BLM amends Sec. 3160.0-3 by removing the reference to the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (43 U.S.C.
1701). The 2015 rule added this reference as an administrative matter.
This final rule returns this section to the language it contained
before the 2015 rule and does not have any substantive impact.
[[Page 61946]]
Section 3160.0-5 Definitions
The BLM amends this section by removing several terms that were
added by the 2015 rule and by restoring the definition of ``fresh
water'' that the 2015 rule removed. This final rule removes the
definitions of ``annulus,'' ``bradenhead,'' ``Cement Evaluation Log
(CEL),'' ``confining zone,'' ``hydraulic fracturing,'' ``hydraulic
fracturing fluid,'' ``isolating or to isolate,'' ``master hydraulic
fracturing plan,'' ``proppant,'' and ``usable water.'' The 2015 rule
used those terms in the operating regulations. Since those operating
regulations are rescinded, these terms are no longer necessary in this
definitions section. This final rule restores the previous definition
of ``fresh water'' to the regulations.
Section 3162.3-2 Subsequent Well Operations
This final rule amends Sec. 3162.3-2 by making non-substantive
changes to paragraph (a), which include replacing the word ``must''
with the word ``shall,'' replacing the word ``combine'' with the word
``commingling,'' replacing the word ``convert'' with the word
``conversion,'' and removing the language from the first sentence of
paragraph (a) that the 2015 rule only added to more fully describe Form
3160-5.
In response to comments received, Sec. 3162.3-2(a) of this final
rule does not include the requirement to obtain prior approval to
``perform nonroutine fracturing jobs.'' As previously discussed in this
preamble, as a result of considerable advances in oil and gas
development technology in the last 20 years, hydraulic fracturing
practices that would have been considered ``nonroutine'' when the BLM
originally issued the regulations requiring prior approval for
``nonroutine fracturing jobs'' are now commonly employed and considered
``routine.'' See the ``Rule Authorities'' discussion of comments for
more information about this revision.
The final rule makes non-substantive changes to paragraph (b) of
Sec. 3162.3-2, which include replacing ``using a Sundry Notice and
Report on Well (Form 3160-5)'' with ``on Form 3160-5.''
The final rule restores ``routine fracturing or'' to paragraph (b)
of Sec. 3162.3-2. The 2015 rule removed those words from the list
because it amended Sec. 3162.3-3 to include a detailed listing of
requirements for hydraulic fracturing operations to be approved by the
authorized officer. This final rule removes that requirement from Sec.
3163.3-3, which is discussed below.
Section 3162.3-3 Other Lease Operations
The BLM revises this section by removing language that was added by
the 2015 rule and returning this rule to the exact language it
contained previously. The 2015 rule made substantial changes to this
section and revised the title to read as ``Subsequent well operations;
Hydraulic fracturing.''
Paragraph (a) of this section in the 2015 rule, as reflected in the
2015 edition of the CFR, includes an implementation schedule that the
BLM would have followed to phase in the requirements of the rule, had
the rule gone into effect. Paragraph (b) of this section contains the
performance standard referencing Sec. 3162.5-2(d). Paragraph (c) of
this section would have required prior approval of hydraulic fracturing
operations. Paragraph (d) of this section lists the information that an
operator would have been required to include in a request for approval
of hydraulic fracturing. Paragraph (e) of this section specifies how an
operator would have had to monitor and verify cementing operations
prior to hydraulic fracturing. Paragraph (f) of this section would have
required mechanical integrity testing of the wellbore prior to
hydraulic fracturing. Paragraph (g) of this section would have required
monitoring and recording of annulus pressure during hydraulic
fracturing. Paragraph (h) of this section specifies the requirements
that would have applied for managing recovered fluids until approval of
a permanent water disposal plan. Paragraph (i) of this section
specifies information that an operator would have been required to
provide to the authorized officer after completion of hydraulic
fracturing operations. Paragraph (j) of this section specifies how an
operator could have withheld information from the BLM and the public
about the chemicals used in a hydraulic fracturing operation. Paragraph
(k) of this section describes how the BLM would have approved variances
from the requirements of the 2015 final rule.
For the reasons discussed earlier in this preamble, the BLM
believes this section of the 2015 rule is unnecessarily duplicative and
would impose costs that would not be clearly exceeded by its benefits
and, therefore, removes these 2015 rule provisions and restores the
previous language of the section.
Section 3162.5-2 Control of Wells
The BLM amends paragraph (d) of this section by restoring the term
``fresh water-bearing'' and the phrase ``containing 5,000 ppm or less
of dissolved solids.'' The final rule also restores other non-
substantive provisions that appeared in the previous version of the
regulations.
Good Cause for Immediate Effectiveness
The APA normally requires regulations to become effective no sooner
than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register (5 U.S.C.
553(d)). Nonetheless, the APA allows regulations to go into effect
immediately upon publication when ``a substantive rule grants or
recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction'' (5 U.S.C.
553(d)(1)). As explained in this preamble, this final rule relieves oil
and gas operators on Federal and Indian lands from the numerous
restrictions and burdens that would be imposed if the 2015 rule were to
go into effect.
The primary purpose of the delayed effective date requirement in
section 553(d) is to give people a reasonable time to prepare to comply
with or take other action with respect to the rule (See Attorney
General's Manual on the Administrative Procedure Act 37 (1947)). As
explained elsewhere in this preamble, the 2015 rule has never been
operational. Therefore, no one requires time to conform their conduct
to avoid the legal consequences of ``violating'' the regulations that
would remain in effect after rescission of the 2015 rule. Even if
persons not subject to the 2015 rule could claim a benefit from a 30-
day effective date, that would not prevent this final rule from
becoming effective immediately upon publication (Independent U.S.
Tanker Owners Comm. v. Skinner, 884 F.2d 587, 591-92 (D.C. Cir. 1989),
cert. denied, 495 U.S. 904 (1990)).
The APA also allows regulations to go into effect immediately upon
publication for ``good cause'' (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). Application of the
good cause exception requires an `` `urgency of conditions coupled with
demonstrated and unavoidable limitations of time,' '' with the
``primary consideration . . . be[ing] the `convenience or necessity of
the people affected' '' (United States v. Gavrilovic, 551 F.2d 1099,
1104 (8th Cir. 1977) (quoting 92 Cong. Rec. 5650-51 (1946) (remarks of
Cong. Walter))). In determining whether to invoke the good cause
exception, an ``agency is required to balance the [public] necessity
for immediate implementation against principles of fundamental fairness
which require that all affected persons be afforded a reasonable time
to prepare for the effective date of its ruling'' (Gavrilovic, 551 F.2d
at 1105).
[[Page 61947]]
The current posture of the litigation related to the 2015 rule
makes it possible that the 2015 rule could become operational within 30
days of the publication of this final rule. Were that to happen, oil
and gas operators--the persons most affected by this final rule--would
have to go to significant expense to comply with the 2015 rule, even
though that rule would be rescinded in a matter of days upon the
effective date of this final rule. Those significant burdens would not
be offset by the de minimus environmental benefits of a few days of
compliance with the 2015 rule. Requiring oil and gas operators to incur
such significant expense to comply with a rule that will be rescinded
in a matter of days would be fundamentally unfair. Thus, there are
urgent conditions, unavoidable limitations of time, and a risk to the
convenience or necessity of the people affected.
For both of these reasons, the BLM finds that there is good cause
for this final rule to be effective upon publication in the Federal
Register.
III. Procedural Matters
Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and
13771)
Executive Order 12866 provides that the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget will review
all significant rules. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
has determined that this rule is significant because it will raise
novel legal or policy issues.
Executive Order 13563 reaffirms the principles of Executive Order
12866 while calling for improvements in the Nation's regulatory system
to promote predictability, to reduce uncertainty, and to use the best,
most innovative, and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory
ends. The Executive Order directs agencies to consider regulatory
approaches that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of
choice for the public where these approaches are relevant, feasible,
and consistent with regulatory objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes
further that regulations must be based on the best available science
and that the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and
an open exchange of ideas. We have developed this rule in a manner
consistent with these requirements.
Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, Feb. 3, 2017) requires Federal
agencies to take proactive measures to reduce the costs associated with
complying with Federal regulations. Consistent with Executive Order
13771, we have estimated the cost savings for this final rule to be
$14--$34 million per year from the 2015 rule. Therefore, this final
rule is expected to be a deregulatory action under Executive Order
13771.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The BLM certifies that this rule will not have a significant
economic effect on a substantial number of small entities pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 605(b). The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
(RFA) generally requires that Federal agencies prepare a regulatory
flexibility analysis for rules subject to the notice and comment
rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 500 et seq.), if the rule would have a significant economic
impact, either detrimental or beneficial, on a substantial number of
small entities (See 5 U.S.C. 601--612). Congress enacted the RFA to
ensure that government regulations do not unnecessarily or
disproportionately burden small entities. Small entities include small
businesses, small governmental jurisdictions, and small not-for-profit
enterprises.
The BLM reviewed the Small Business Administration (SBA) size
standards for small businesses and the number of entities fitting those
size standards as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Economic
Census. The BLM concluded that the vast majority of entities operating
in the relevant sectors are small businesses as defined by the SBA. As
such, the final rule will likely affect a substantial number of small
entities.
Although the final rule will likely affect a substantial number of
small entities, the BLM does not believe that these effects would be
economically significant. This final rule is a deregulatory action that
will remove all of the requirements placed on operators by the 2015
rule. Operators will not have to undertake the compliance activities,
either operational or administrative, that are outlined in the 2015
rule, except to the extent the activities are required by state or
tribal law, or by other pre-existing BLM regulations.
The BLM conducted an economic analysis which estimates that the
average reduction in compliance costs will be a small fraction of a
percent of the profit margin for small companies, which is not a large
enough impact to be considered significant. For more detailed
information, see section 5.3 of the RIA prepared for this final rule.
The final RIA has been posted in the docket for the final rule on the
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA)
This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. This rule will not cause
a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual
industries, Federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic
regions. The rule will not have an annual effect on the economy of $100
million or more.
This rule will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for
consumers, individual industries, Federal, state, or local government
agencies, or geographic regions.
This rule will not have significant adverse effects on competition,
employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of
U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
This final rule is a deregulatory action that removes all of the
requirements placed on operators by the 2015 rule. Operators will not
have to undertake the compliance activities, either operational or
administrative, that would have been required solely by the 2015 rule.
The screening analysis conducted by the BLM estimates the average
reduction in compliance costs will be a small fraction of a percent of
the profit margin for companies, which is not large enough to: Have
significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment,
productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to
compete with foreign-based enterprises; cause a major increase in costs
or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, state, or
local government agencies, or geographic regions; or have an annual
effect on the economy of $100 million or more.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
This rule does not impose an unfunded mandate on state, local, or
tribal governments, or the private sector of more than $100 million per
year. The rule does not have a significant or unique effect on State,
local, or tribal governments or the private sector. A statement
containing the information required by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (UMRA) is not required. This rule is also not
subject to the requirements of section 203 of UMRA because it contains
no regulatory requirements that might significantly or uniquely affect
small governments, because it contains no requirements that apply to
such
[[Page 61948]]
governments, nor does it impose obligations upon them.
Takings (EO 12630)
This rule does not affect a taking of private property or otherwise
have taking implications under Executive Order 12630. A takings
implication assessment is not required. This rule is a deregulatory
action that removes all of the requirements placed on operators solely
by the 2015 rule and therefore will impact some operational and
administrative requirements on Federal and Indian lands. All such
operations are subject to lease terms which expressly require that
subsequent lease activities be conducted in compliance with
subsequently adopted Federal laws and regulations. This rule conforms
to the terms of those leases and applicable statutes and, as such, the
rule is not a government action capable of interfering with
constitutionally protected property rights. Therefore, the BLM has
determined that the final rule will not cause a taking of private
property or require further discussion of takings implications under
Executive Order 12630.
Federalism (E.O. 13132)
Under the criteria in section 1 of Executive Order 13132, this rule
does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the
preparation of a federalism summary impact statement. A federalism
summary impact statement is not required. The final rule will not have
a substantial direct effect on the states, on the relationship between
the Federal Government and the states, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the levels of government. It will not apply
to states or local governments or state or local governmental entities.
The rule will affect the relationship between operators, lessees, and
the BLM, but it does not directly impact the states. Therefore, in
accordance with Executive Order 13132, the BLM has determined that this
final rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
preparation of a federalism assessment.
Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)
This rule complies with the requirements of Executive Order 12988.
More specifically, this rule meets the criteria of section 3(a), which
requires agencies to review all regulations to eliminate errors and
ambiguity and to write all regulations to minimize litigation. This
rule also meets the criteria of section 3(b)(2), which requires
agencies to write all regulations in clear language with clear legal
standards.
Consultation With Indian tribes (E.O. 13175 and Departmental Policy)
The Department strives to strengthen its government-to-government
relationship with Indian tribes through a commitment to consultation
with Indian tribes and recognition of their right to self-governance
and tribal sovereignty. The BLM has evaluated this final rule in
accordance with the Department's consultation policies and under the
criteria in Executive Order 13175. The BLM authorizes oil and gas
operations that are proposed on Indian onshore oil and gas leases.
Therefore, the rule has the potential to affect Indian tribes and
tribal lands.
Potentially affected tribes were provided an opportunity to provide
feedback and consult with the BLM regarding this rule. The BLM has
fully considered tribal views made known to us in preparing this final
rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) provides
that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays a
currently valid control number issued by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Collections of information include requests and
requirements that an individual, partnership, or corporation obtain
information, and report it to a Federal agency. See 44 U.S.C. 3502(3);
5 CFR 1320.3(c) and (k).
This rule rescinds information collection activities that would
have required approval by the OMB under the PRA had the 2015 rule
become effective. OMB pre-approved those activities and assigned
control number 1004-0203 to them, but the control number was not
activated. In view of the rescission, there will be no need to continue
the information collection activities that the OMB has pre-approved
under control number 1004-0203. Accordingly, the BLM will request that
the OMB discontinue that control number after the effective date of
this final rule.
In accordance with this final rule, the BLM will include in its
request for renewal of control number 1004-0137 (expires January 31,
2018) that nonroutine fracturing jobs be removed from the information
collection activity for subsequent well operations, at 43 CFR 3162.3-2.
National Environmental Policy Act
The BLM prepared an environmental assessment (EA) to document its
examination of the potential environmental impacts that may occur as a
result of this final rule. The BLM has determined that this rule does
not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the
quality of the human environment. A detailed statement under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 is not required because we
reached a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for this final rule.
The final EA and FONSI that were prepared for this final rule have
been placed in the file for the BLM's Administrative Record for the
final rule at the BLM's 20 M Street address specified in the ADDRESSES
section. The final EA and FONSI have also been posted in the docket for
the final rule on the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. The BLM invites the public to review these
documents.
Effects on the Energy Supply (E.O. 13211)
This final rule is not a significant energy action under the
definition in Executive Order 13211. A statement of Energy Effects is
not required. Section 4(b) of Executive Order 13211 defines a
``significant energy action'' as ``any action by an agency (normally
published in the Federal Register) that promulgates or is expected to
lead to the promulgation of a final rule or regulation, including
notices of inquiry, advance notices of rulemaking, and notices of
rulemaking: (1)(i) That is a significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866 or any successor order, and (ii) is likely to
have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use
of energy; or (2) that is designated by the Administrator of [OIRA] as
a significant energy action.''
Since this final rule is a deregulatory action and would reduce
compliance costs, it is likely to have a positive effect, if any, on
the supply, distribution, or use of energy, and not a significant
adverse effect. As such, we do not consider the final rule to be a
``significant energy action'' as defined in Executive Order 13211.
Authors
The principal author(s) of this rule are Justin Abernathy, Senior
Policy Analyst, BLM, Washington Office; Michael Ford, Economist, BLM,
Washington Office; James Tichenor, Economist, BLM, Washington Office;
Ross Klein, (Acting) Natural Resource Specialist, BLM, Washington
Office; Subijoy Dutta, Lead
[[Page 61949]]
Petroleum Engineer, BLM, Washington Office; Jeffrey Prude, Petroleum
Engineer/Oil and Gas Program Lead, BLM, Bakersfield Field Office; and
James Annable, Petroleum Engineer, BLM, Royal Gorge Field Office;
assisted by Charles Yudson of the BLM's Division of Regulatory Affairs
and by Richard McNeer and Ryan Sklar of the Department of the
Interior's Office of the Solicitor.
Dated: December 22, 2017.
Joseph Balash,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of
the Interior.
List of Subjects in 43 CFR Part 3160
Administrative practice and procedure, Government contracts,
Indians-lands, Mineral royalties, Oil and gas exploration, Penalties,
Public lands-mineral resources, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, and under the authorities
stated below, the Bureau of Land Management amends 43 CFR part 3160 as
follows:
PART 3160--ONSHORE OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS
0
1. The authority citation for part 3160 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 25 U.S.C. 396d and 2107; 30 U.S.C. 189, 306, 359,
and 1751; 43 U.S.C. 1732(b), 1733, and 1740; and Sec. 107, Pub. L.
114-74, 129 Stat. 599, unless otherwise noted.
Subpart 3160--Onshore Oil and Gas Operations: General
0
2. Revise Sec. 3160.0-3 to read as follows:
Sec. 3160.0-3 Authority.
The Mineral Leasing Act, as amended and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181
et seq.), the Act of May 21, 1930 (30 U.S.C. 301-306), the Mineral
Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, as amended (30 U.S.C. 351-359), the Act
of March 3, 1909, as amended (25 U.S.C 396), the Act of May 11, 1938,
as amended (25 U.S.C. 396a-396q), the Act of February 28, 1891, as
amended (25 U.S.C. 397), the Act of May 29, 1924 (25 U.S.C. 398), the
Act of March 3, 1927 (25 U.S.C. 398a-398e), the Act of June 30, 1919,
as amended (25 U.S.C. 399), R.S. Sec. 441 (43 U.S.C. 1457), the
Attorney General's Opinion of April 2, 1941 (40 Op. Atty. Gen. 41), the
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended
(40 U.S.C 471 et seq.), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,
as amended (40 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Act of December 12, 1980 (94
Stat. 2964), the Combined Hydrocarbon Leasing Act of 1981 (95 Stat.
1070), the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30
U.S.C. 1701), the Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 (25 U.S.C.
2102), and Order Number 3087, dated December 3, 1982, as amended on
February 7, 1983 (48 FR 8983) under which the Secretary consolidated
and transferred the onshore minerals management functions of the
Department, except mineral revenue functions and the responsibility for
leasing of restricted Indian lands, to the Bureau of Land Management.
0
3. Amend Sec. 3160.0-5 by removing the definitions of ``Annulus,''
``Bradenhead,'' ``Cement Evaluation Log (CEL),'' ``Confining zone,''
``Hydraulic fracturing,'' ``Hydraulic fracturing fluid,'' ``Isolating
or to isolate,'' ``Master hydraulic fracturing plan,'' ``Proppant,''
and ``Usable water,'' and by adding the definition of ``Fresh water''
in alphabetical order to read as follows:
Sec. 3160.0-5 Definitions.
* * * * *
Fresh water means water containing not more than 1,000 ppm of total
dissolved solids, provided that such water does not contain
objectionable levels of any constituent that is toxic to animal, plant
or aquatic life, unless otherwise specified in applicable notices or
orders.
* * * * *
Subpart 3162--Requirements for Operating Rights Owners and
Operators
0
4. Amend Sec. 3162.3-2 by revising the first sentence of paragraph (a)
and revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 3162.3-2 Subsequent well operations.
(a) A proposal for further well operations shall be submitted by
the operator on Form 3160-5 for approval by the authorized officer
prior to commencing operations to redrill, deepen, perform casing
repairs, plug-back, alter casing, recomplete in a different interval,
perform water shut off, commingling production between intervals and/or
conversion to injection. * * *
(b) Unless additional surface disturbance is involved and if the
operations conform to the standard of prudent operating practice, prior
approval is not required for routine fracturing or acidizing jobs, or
recompletion in the same interval; however, a subsequent report on
these operations must be filed on Form 3160-5.
* * * * *
0
5. Revise Sec. 3162.3-3 to read as follows:
Sec. 3162.3-3 Other lease operations.
Prior to commencing any operation on the leasehold which will
result in additional surface disturbance, other than those authorized
under Sec. 3162.3-1 or Sec. 3162.3-2, the operator shall submit a
proposal on Form 3160-5 to the authorized officer for approval. The
proposal shall include a surface use plan of operations.
0
6. Amend Sec. 3162.5-2 by revising the heading and first sentence of
paragraph (d) to read as follows:
Sec. 3162.5 -2 Control of wells.
* * * * *
(d) Protection of fresh water and other minerals. The operator
shall isolate freshwater-bearing and other usable water containing
5,000 ppm or less of dissolved solids and other mineral-bearing
formations and protect them from contamination. * * *
[FR Doc. 2017-28211 Filed 12-28-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P