On Wednesday the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will auction helium stored in its Cliffside Field underground storage facility in west Texas (aka the Federal Helium Reserve). This annual auction under the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 is part of
Mineral Law
Insight and Information on the Oil, Gas, Pipeline, & Mining Industries
The Mineral Law blog published by Stoel Rives LLP focuses on legal issues related to mineral extraction and development, including regulatory compliance, permitting processes, and legislative developments affecting mining operations. It covers federal and state policies impacting mineral production, such as executive orders aimed at expediting permitting for critical mineral projects and tax legislation relevant to resource industries. The blog also addresses environmental and safety regulations, labor and employment matters within mining contexts, and the intersection of mineral law with energy and infrastructure projects. It provides updates on legal challenges, administrative rulings, and industry trends that influence mineral law practice and resource development strategies.
Latest from Mineral Law - Page 6
Senate Proposes Legislation to Modernize Federal Energy Policies
On June 28, 2017, the Senate introduced a bill that aims to revitalize and overhaul various federal energy and natural resources policies. Senate Bill 1460 (S.1460), sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Arkansas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), broadly proposes reform of…
With Mining Law Segregation on 10 Million Acres to Expire in Three Months, Interior Forms Sage-Grouse Review Team
By Eric Martin
Late Wednesday Secretary of the Interior Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3353 establishing a Sage-Grouse Review Team to review the Obama Administration’s 2015 amendments to federal land use management plans. To avoid listing the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act,…
North Dakota’s UIC Class VI Primacy Wait is Almost Over
By Eric Martin
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to approve North Dakota’s application for primary enforcement authority over the underground injection of CO2 for geologic sequestration in that state. Nearly four years after North Dakota became the first state to seek…
Mining the Deep Seabed for Renewable Energy
By Eric Martin
On Friday the China Minmetals Corporation signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration of polymetallic nodules on the deep seabed of the Pacific Ocean. The ISA has now executed nearly 30 exploration contracts for polymetallic…
Washington State Streamlines Permitting for Geothermal Exploration
By Eric Martin
On Monday Governor Inslee signed SB 5470, which the legislature unanimously passed to streamline Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permitting for drilling core holes used to gather geothermal data. Before SB 5470, each core hole required a separate permit,…
Some Not-So-Good News Out of Washington, D.C. for Pipeline Operators – Feds Increase Fines for Pipeline Safety Violations
President Trump’s recent executive orders have benefited the oil pipeline industry in a number of ways, including most notably, giving the final “okay” to the Dakota Access Pipeline. But some legislative mandates have been out of the reach of the…
Swing and a Foul Ball? Practical Effect of Obama Administration’s Now-Defunct Coal Leasing Moratorium Likely Relatively Small
By Eric Martin
An executive order, secretarial order, and lawsuit challenging said secretarial order, all in the span of less than 36 hours and all concerning federal coal leasing. The Trump administration on Wednesday reversed a 2016 Obama administration moratorium on federal coal leasing,…
Idaho Modifies Oil and Gas Statutes (Again)
By Eric Martin
Both houses of the Idaho Legislature unanimously approved House Bill 301a last week following a seven-hour negotiation and two days of hearings earlier this month. Supported by Governor Otter, this bill will (among other things) amend the forced pooling…
Oil Transportation and Suction Dredge Mining Legislative Topics in Washington Too
By Eric Martin