Ute Indian Tribe Issues Press Release on EPA Air Quality Plan

The Ute Indian Tribe issued a press release on Monday stating their support of the issuance of a Federal Implementation Plan to manage emissions from oil and natural gas sources on the land within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. EPA Region 8 Administrator Greg Sopkin signed the proposed plan on Monday and the EPA will now submit the proposed rule for publication in the Federal Register and a public comment period will begin. The press release states that the proposed rule is a reservation‐specific Federal Implementation Plan that seeks to control emissions from new, modified, and existing oil and natural gas facilities on the Uintah & Ouray (U&O) Indian Reservation to reduce air quality emissions while still ensuring sustainable development on Reservation lands. The Ute Tribal Business Committee issued the following statement: “This Federal Implementation Plan is long‐awaited by the Ute Indian Tribe, and the Tribe looks forward to working with the EPA on a government to government basis to finalize the reservation‐specific FIP. The Ute Indian Tribe is committed to effectively managing its airshed to protect the health and wellbeing of the Ute Indian Tribal Membership while maintaining continued economic development on the Reservation that allows the Tribe to provide essential government services to its members.”