Minnesota doesn’t have a single board or commission that regulates gas production. Regulatory oversight and rulemaking responsibilities are distributed amongst different state agencies according to their legislatively defined roles and responsibilities. The 2024 legislation that gave DNR rulemaking authority over certain gas resource development topics also gave the authority to adopt or amend rules to several agencies, as summarized in the following table:
| Agency | Rulemaking Topics | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MN Dept. of Health | Rules on groundwater and surface water protection, exploratory boring construction, drilling registration and licensure, and inspections as they pertain to the exploration and appraisal of gas and oil resources. | Limited rulemaking for exploratory borings that encounter gas. |
| Environmental Quality Board | Rules to establish mandatory categories for environmental review as they pertain to gas and oil production | Notice of intent to adopt rules scheduled for May 18 |
| MN Pollution Control Agency | Rules regulating air emissions; water discharges, including stormwater management; and storage tanks as they pertain to gas and oil production | MPCA has determined that its current permitting procedures and rules will apply to gas projects. |
| Department of Labor and Industry | Rules to protect workers from exposure and other potential hazards from gas and oil production. | DOLI has determined that its current rules apply to any worker exposure or other hazards from this sector. |