The 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned a state murder conviction in Oklahoma and left tribes in control of law enforcement now has resulted in the state no longer responsible for mining laws in the affected land.
Reports indicated the U.S. Interior Department informed the state last week that the federal government is now responsible for coal mine regulations, at least on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation. The Supreme Court ruling in effect reestablished tribal jurisdiction over a large part of eastern Oklahoma land.
A spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Mines said she could not comment and referred OK Energy Today’s inquiry to the office of Gov. Kevin Stitt. The governor’s office in turn referred our inquiry to Energy Secretary Ken Wagner who has yet to explain the development.
Still to be decided if whether the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has jurisdiction of oil and gas matters and other areas of control on the tribal land. A challenge to one oil and gas case went to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in December 2020.
As OK Energy Today reported at the time, weeks after Canaan Resources filed for bankruptcy, it challenge the Commission’s approval of Calyx Energy’s requests for multi-unit horizontal wells, well location exceptions, increased well density, pooling and exception to spacing requirements in Hughes County. The county was originally part of the Muscogee (Creek) Reservation.
Supreme Court documents indicated that proceedings in the case (No. CO-119245) were halted effective March 24, 2020 and stayed until Sept. 20, 2021.
