Bills to Preempt Local Efforts to Control Oil, Gas Activities Move Through State Legislature

摘要

Oklahoma lawmakers took a first step toward modifying the authority of municipalities to regulate oil and gas drilling or production, passing a series of measures March 11 and 12 that the state sees as clarifying regulatory authority and that environmental opponents criticize as a cumulative "threat" to discourage cities and towns from enacting meaningful regulation. Passing the Oklahoma House March 11 in a 69-26 vote, H.B. 2178 would give exclusive jurisdiction over oil and gas operations-including exploration, drilling, fracture stimulation, production and plugging-to the state's oil and gas regulator, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC).