Creatures of Circumstance: Conflicts Over Local Government Regulation of Oil and Gas

Authors

Alex Ritchie, University of New Mexico - School of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Abstract

Scholars periodically note the impending upsurge in local oil and gas regulation, offering various reasons for increased local action. Papers written only a few years ago attribute greater local action in the West to population growth, increased urbanization, and increased demand for energy. Consider, however, more recent phenomena. First, population migration from more liberal states to more traditionally conservative producing states likely plays a role, as new residents [11-4] bring perspectives opposing drilling activity. Second, while the suburbs continue to expand into the oil patch, the oil patch has expanded into the suburbs and urban areas as well. Hydraulic fracturing may be an “old” technology, but it was little more than a decade ago that Devon Energy (shortly after its acquisition of Mitchell Energy) began large-scale commercial production in the Barnett Shale that kicked off the “shale boom.” As evinced by the Barnett Shale, operators may produce this prolific new source of production from underneath cities and towns. Third, “fracking” is now commonly accused of dangers ranging from groundwater contamination to promiscuity and drug addiction. Negative media reports8 and well-organized public awareness campaigns trumpeting these dangers have strongly influenced local residents and local politics.

Publisher

Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal

Publication Title

Proceedings of 60th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute

Volume

60

Recommended Citation

Alex Ritchie, Creatures of Circumstance: Conflicts Over Local Government Regulation of Oil and Gas, 60 Proceedings of 60th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (2014).
Available at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/law_facultyscholarship/316