Federal fracking rule in hands of federal judge in Wyoming

Commonly called "fracking," the procedure involves injecting substances including water, sand and chemicals underground to increase production from oil and gas wells.

The BLM and other rule supporters also have appealed Skavdahl's decision to block implementation of the rules to a federal appeals court in Denver.

"The fracking rule interferes with the state petitioners' lawful exercise of their own sovereign power without congressional authorization for that interference," Wyoming, Utah and Colorado stated in their brief filed on Monday.

The Ute Tribe stated in its brief that it agrees with the states that the BLM lacks rulemaking authority and also has additional arguments that the BLM lacks authority to regulate fracking on land that the United States holds in trust for the Indian tribes and tribal members.