Attorney General Morrisey Applauds Delay of Oil and Gas Rule

 
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered that any final decision regarding the case be held in abeyance and requires periodic status reports from the EPA while the court and the parties involved determine the next steps.
 
“Today's decision by the court is a victory for working families in West Virginia,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We appreciate the Trump Administration's willingness to review the devastating impact of the oil and gas rule and look forward to hearing the new administration's take on this unlawful regulation.”
 
West Virginia led a coalition of 14 states and state agencies that challenged the oil and gas rule in August 2016. The coalition argued that the regulation imposed unnecessary and burdensome rules upon the oil and natural gas industry, while setting the stage for further limits on existing oil and gas operations.
 
West Virginia is a leader in natural gas production. The natural gas, pipeline and construction sectors provide thousands of jobs to hard-working West Virginians. Imposing unnecessary and costly regulations would jeopardize those jobs.
 
West Virginia brought on the legal challenge with Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin, along with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.