New Gas Flaring Rules

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming's top elected officials have approved more oversight of the practice of flaring, or burning off excess gas from oil and gas wells on state land.

The purpose is to charge royalties on at least some of that gas.

The state Board of Land Commissioners voted 4-0 Thursday to involve the Office of State Lands and Investments in reviewing requests by petroleum companies to flare gas from wells on state land.

Until now, only the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has been involved in approving requests to flare.  The Board of Land Commissioners consists of the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and state superintendent of public instruction.

State Treasurer Joe Meyer missed the vote because he is recovering from cancer surgery.