Oil Drilling Paperwork Gets a Ho-Hum Renewal on Wildlife Lands
Published Date: 4/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing a paperwork form for companies doing oil and gas work on National Wildlife Refuge lands—no changes, just a fresh approval. This affects non-federal oil and gas operators who must keep submitting info to stay in the game. You’ve got until June 12, 2026, to share your thoughts, but no new fees or extra costs are coming your way.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 1 mixed.
Financial Assurance Cost Requirement
Before operations begin, operators must submit financial assurance in the amount specified by the Service and proof of liability insurance. The notice estimates Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost of $2,250,000 associated with financial assurances.
Paperwork Renewal — No New Fees
If you operate non‑Federal oil and gas on National Wildlife Refuge lands, the Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing the existing information collection (Form 3‑2469) without changes. The renewal keeps the current reporting and application requirements in place and the agency states no new fees or extra costs are being added by this renewal.
Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Disclosure
If your operations include hydraulic fracturing, you must report the true vertical depth of the well, total water volume used, and a description of the base fluid and each additive including trade name, supplier, purpose, ingredients, CAS number, and maximum ingredient concentrations (percent by mass).
Mandatory Incident and Wildlife Reporting
Operators must notify the Service within 24 hours of any injuries to or mortality of fish, wildlife, or threatened/endangered plants, and must notify the Service immediately of serious personal injury, death, fires, or spills. A written accident report must be submitted within 90 days after the accident.
Site Identification and Record Retention Rules
Operators must identify wells and related facilities with durable signs legible at 50 feet that show the well name, operator name, and emergency contact until the well is plugged and abandoned. Operators must also maintain withheld/confidential information records until the Service releases financial assurance or for 7 years after completion of operations.
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