"U.S. regulators are giving the oil industry and other stakeholders more time to weigh in on a controversial proposal to stiffen standards for wells drilled on federal lands, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell pledged Thursday."

"At issue is a proposed rule from the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management that aims to boost the integrity of oil and gas wells to prevent contamination, would force companies to disclose the chemicals they pump underground and would make drillers adopt plans for managing water at the sites.

Both environmentalists and oil industry leaders had pleaded for extra time to examine the 171-page proposal unveiled last month.

Jewell said she would allow an extra 60 days for stakeholders to vet the proposed rule, giving a full three months for review."

Jennifer A. Dlouhy reports for FuelFix June 6, 2013. [2]