U.S. Chamber of Commerce praises ruling that blocks fracking regulations

Following a recent federal district court ruling that blocked proposed hydraulic fracturing regulations from the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reiterated its stance that federal agencies are overreaching with their regulations.

 “It has become clear that this administration's legacy will be one of regulatory overreach,” U.S. Chamber Institute for 21st Century Energy President and CEO Karen Harbert said. “The Bureau of Land Management's fracking rule is yet another example of a federal agency over-stepping its legal authority -- in this case, on an issue that has been well-regulated by the states, and in an area that the agency does not have the expertise to regulate.”

Through the Institute for 21st Century Energy, which uses policy development, education and advocacy to promote security, prosperity and sustainability in America’s energy strategy, the chamber has railed against environmental regulations from several federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan.

 “The Obama-appointed judge was correct in his clear and firm ruling and agreed with the argument that the chamber has been making on this issue from the beginning,” Harbert said. “The government cannot simply regulate whatever it wants, whenever it wants.”