The Ute Indian Tribal Business Committee issued a statement following the announcement last week that EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed the Amendments to the ‘Federal Implementation Plan for Managing Air Emissions from True Minor Sources in Indian Country in the Oil and Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas Processing Segments of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector’. The following is the official statement: “The Ute Indian Tribal Business Committee thanks EPA Administrator Wheeler and Region 8 for their work on these amendments and their commitment to protecting our Uintah and Ouray Reservation air shed. The Tribe believes the existing control requirements and the additional controls under the forthcoming reservation-specific FIP will help ensure that our Tribal air shed is effectively managed 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.” Basin Now will share a follow up news story with information on what the amendments are and what this means for local industry in the Uintah Basin. The Ute Tribe press release states that the amendments apply to Indian Country which reaches beyond the borders of the reservation and includes about 70 to 80 percent of all the wells in the Basin.
