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Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a landmark case declaring that almost half the land in eastern Oklahoma belongs to five Native American tribes. The ruling has significant implications for oil and gas industry operators whose activities will now fall under the jurisdiction of tribal nations and potentially the federal government instead of the state of Oklahoma.
The court's 5-4 decision acknowledged that several unanswered questions remain, particularly related to taxation and the enforcement of environmental rules for oil and gas drillers. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion, “In reaching our conclusion about what the law demands of us today, we do not pretend to foretell the future and we proceed well aware of the potential for cost and conflict around jurisdictional boundaries, especially ones that have gone unappreciated for so long.”
Oklahoma shale producers have been hit hard by declining demand and falling prices amid the coronavirus pandemic layered on top of high extraction costs. One of the state's biggest producers, Chesapeake Energy, recently filed for bankruptcy.
Latino Conservation Week, July 18-26
The National Park Service and National Park Foundation are hosting virtual events this week in celebration of Latino Conservation Week from July 18th through the 26th. Launched by the Hispanic Access Foundation in 2014, Latino Conservation Week provides in-person and virtual events to honor Latino history and culture.
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Like many of us lucky to grow up in this special place, I spent much of my childhood and adult life visiting public lands to hunt, hike and explore. Our public lands tell the stories of our individual communities, our traditions and our heritage. More than ever, Congress must come together to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and pass the Great American Outdoors Act."
