CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A federal judge is merging two similar lawsuits that oppose upcoming new rules for oil and gas drilling on federal lands.
Wyoming U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl on Thursday granted a consolidation request filed by both sides in one of the cases.
That lawsuit filed by the Independent Petroleum Association of America and Western Energy Alliance against Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and others is now the lead case. The state of Wyoming along with Colorado and North Dakota filed the other lawsuit.
Rules set to take effect June 24 include new standards for well construction and for disclosing information about chemical products used in hydraulic fracturing on federal lands.
Both lawsuits claim the federal rules would duplicate state regulations and be burdensome for petroleum developers.