California sues Trump over rollback of fracking rules

California’s attorney general said the state has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its decision to repeal fracking rules. The US Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2015 fracking […]

California’s attorney general said the state has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its decision to repeal fracking rules.

The US Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2015 fracking legislation required companies to provide data on chemicals used in fracking and to take steps to prevent leakage from oil and gas wells on federally-owned land.

The rules for federal and tribal lands were however not implemented as oil and gas industry groups sued to block them.

The repeal came into effect last month.

Fracking operations use extreme high-pressure injection of water and chemicals to break rock formations underground and release oil and gas.

Xavier Becerra is seeking an order compelling BLM to reinstate the fracking rule, which is designed to mitigate public health and environmental risks.

He said: “Once again, President Trump and Interior Secretary Zinke didn’t get the law or facts get in their way in their zeal to repeal the 2015 Fracking Rule.

“The Interior Department’s own factual record shows that the risks to our health and environment are real. So once again, the California Department of Justice will get in the way of another reckless Trump violation of our laws.”

Latest Podcast