National Park Service to update Oil and Gas Regulations

Posted by Jeff on Oct 17, 2015 @ 7:51 am in Conservation | 0 comments | Last modified: October 17, 2015

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to modernize regulations for non-federal oil and gas rights exercised in national parks. The proposal would update current regulations that are now 36-years-old. The proposed updates will provide greater clarity and certainty to industry while improving the National Park Service’s ability to protect park resources and the values for which the parks were set aside, and to protect visitors from potentially adverse impacts associated with non-federal oil and gas operations located within the National Park System. The updated rule will bring existing oil and gas operations up to NPS standards to protect water quality and water quantity, air quality, night skies and natural sounds, visitor and employee health and safety, fish and wildlife habitat, and meet spill protection and reclamation standards.

“We have a fundamental responsibility to conserve park resources for the enjoyment of future generations and the changes we’ve proposed will clarify the process for oil and gas development in the small group of parks where current operations exist, and for parks who may manage operations in the future,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

The proposal seeks to recover the full cost of reclamation resulting from oil and gas development and includes updates to make the regulations consistent with existing policies and practices.