Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter maintains last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the existence of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian reservation and forced prosecutors to drop state criminal charges in some cases also does not affect oil and gas leases.
It’s what he told The Oklahoman.
“This decision has no impact on the ownership of real property and land titles, it has no impact on existing contracts and certainly no impact on oil and gas leases,” said Hunter in an interview with the newspaper.
Following the court decision, there had been speculation that perhaps the regulatory abilities of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the energy industry might be affected.
“I want people to not be concerned about commercial activity,” added Hunter who said his office continues to meet with U.S. Attorneys as well as attorneys for the Creek reservation and four other tribes—the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws and Seminoles.
He admitted the decision had created uncertainty about contracts, regulations and other civil matters. The attorney general’s office created some of that confusion when it argued to the Supreme Court that a ruling in favor of a reservation could upend long-established practices.
“I want people to not be concerned about commercial activity,” Hunter said Monday.
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