Senate takes up oil/gas pre-emption bill

The Senate is taking up HB 464, the controversial measure to pre-empt county authority on siting of new oil and gas wells. Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, told the Senate that oil and gas development is a new and growing industry for Idaho. “Our statutes and rules need to be brought up to date,” he said. “The state has previously made it clear that it, the state, retains the right to regulate the production of oil and natural gas,” he said. “The state retains the authority … not counties, cities, or any other legal entity. That is consistent with how other state resources are managed, such as timber, water and wildlife.”

The bill comes just as Washington County has enacted a new ordinance to regulate fast-growing oil and gas development there; the bill conflicts with the county’s move.