Abt Associates is supporting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior in finalizing its regulations addressing oil and gas development on Federal and Indian lands.

In January 2016, the BLM issued a proposed rule, "Waste Production, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation." The proposed rule would reduce natural gas waste from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and natural gas production activities on onshore Federal and Indian leases.

Abt’s support for the finalization of this proposed rule includes managing and responding to public comments as well as revising regulatory documents such as the Regulatory Impact Analysis and the Environmental Assessment. Abt is also supporting the finalization of three BLM measurement orders, known as Onshore Orders 3, 4, and 5. The revisions to these orders would improve the measurement accuracy, reporting, and accountability of oil and gas produced from Federal and Indian leases. Abt is supporting the finalization of these three rulemakings by revising regulatory support documents such as the economic analyses and Environmental Assessments.