The House Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday to discuss federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing, a controversial energy-processing technique that's commonly known as fracking.

In May 2012, the Interior Department proposed a draft rule to regulate fracking on federal lands. New Interior Secretary Sally Jewell plans to release a rewrite in the coming weeks, The Hill reported.

Some tribes criticized the draft rule because DOI has asserted authority to regulate fracking on Indian lands in addition to federal lands. They say they weren't consulted about the proposed change.

H.R.1548, the Native American Energy Act, bars DOI from regulating fracking on Indian lands without the "express consent" of the tribe or the individual Indian owner. The Obama administration opposes the bill, a Bureau of Indian Affairs official said at at hearing on April 26.

The fracking hearing takes place at 10am in Room 1324 of the Longworth House Office Building. A witness list hasn't been released.

Committee Notice:
Oversight Hearing on "DOI Hydraulic Fracturing Rule: A Recipe for Government Waste, Duplication and Delay" (May 8, 2013)

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Coalition of Large Tribes criticizes DOI regulation for fracking (5/10)