Bill Flores: “I thank Mr. Bishop for the time to discuss this rule and the important underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, everyone…”

“I thank Mr. Bishop for the time to discuss this rule and the important underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, everyone, Republicans and Democrats, like to talk about clean, affordable natural gas. Yet, the Bureau of Land Management has proposed duplicative Federal regulations on the very technology that has facilitated the shale energy revolution, and that is hydraulic fracturing. States have a proven record in regulating hydraulic fracturing for over 60 years. Obama administration officials are already on the record stating that hydraulic fracturing is safe and that States have a strong role in its regulation. The proposed BLM regulation of hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands appears to be a solution in search of a problem that does not exist. The legislation that I have cosponsored with Mr. Cuellar, H.R. 2728, would stop this Federal overreach by recognizing States' authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing and prohibit the Interior Department from enforcing its proposed regulations in any States that already have a regulatory protocol for this technology. There are already existing Federal regulations that apply to other energy activities on Federal lands. The tradition of States having a primary role in developing our onshore energy resources has contributed immeasurably to our shale energy revolution, however, and imposing another Federal one-size-fits-all-approach only hampers domestic energy production.…”