Governor Mead Calls For More Time On Fracking Rules

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead is asking the U.S. Interior Department for more time to study proposed federal hydraulic fracturing rules.
Mead opposes the proposed rules, saying they duplicate Wyoming's fracking rules and are unnecessary and cumbersome.

Fracking boosts the productivity of oil and gas wells by cracking open underground deposits with water and chemicals mixed with sand.
The Bureau of Land Management has drafted a rule for fracking use on federal and Indian lands.

Mead is requesting a 90-day extension of the comment period based on a recent study projecting more than $1.4 billion in economic impacts to industry.
He says the state needs more time to adequately assess how the proposed rule will impact Wyoming, including its budget, local government funding and jobs.