Rep. Patricia Royal Caballero House District 13 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
Today, Secretary Zinke finalized the delay of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Methane and Waste Prevention rule until January 2019. This rule was created to limit the waste of $330 million worth of methane from oil and gas operations on public and tribal lands each year through leaks, flaring, and intentional releases.
The Bureau of Land Management will finalize a long-term delay of its methane waste rule in a notice to be published in Friday's Federal Register. The key provisions of the rule, including leak detection and repair requirements, will not be enforced until January 17, 2019. This timeline allows BLM enough time to repeal the rule.
"The BLM has concerns regarding the statutory authority, cost, complexity, feasibility, and other implications of the 2016 final rule," stated the agency in their notice. They aim to avoid imposing "likely considerable and immediate compliance costs on operators for requirements that may be rescinded or significantly revised in the near future."
Previously, a hasty delay issued by the Interior Department was struck down by a federal judge due to failure in following administrative procedures like collecting public comment on a delay. BLM subsequently engaged in notice-and-comment rulemaking for this new delay.
On Monday, BLM announced plans to appeal that judge’s ruling despite having finalized this new delay. If successful, it could ease future efforts by Interior to halt rules.
It remains unclear how long it will take for BLM to complete its review and potential repeal of what is also known as the venting and flaring rule.
