US land managers remove rules for oil and gas drilling, citing a new law

The US Bureau of Land Management has removed its existing rules for oil and gas drilling stipulations and mitigation measures. This means oil and gas companies will no longer have to follow these specific environmental protection requirements on federal lands.

For years, federal land managers required oil and gas companies to follow specific rules to reduce environmental damage from drilling. These rules covered things like protecting wildlife habitats or water sources. Now, those specific requirements are gone, replaced by a new law that is not yet fully defined. This could make it easier and cheaper for companies to drill on federal land, but it also means less direct oversight of environmental impacts.