Appeals court sidesteps decision on US fracking regulations

DENVER – A federal appeals court has sidestepped a decision on whether oil and gas regulations enacted by the Obama administration are legal, noting that the current administration plans to rescind them.

A Denver-based appeals court said Thursday it would be a waste of time to rule on the regulations because the Trump administration has said they’ll be revoked.

The 2015 regulations govern hydraulic fracturing or fracking on federal lands.

The ruling left the status of the regulations unclear, and federal agencies didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Environmentalists say the fracking rules are in force until the Trump administration formally revokes them, and that could take months and get tied up in court.

Industry groups said the government won’t enforce regulations it plans to repeal.