REGIONAL—The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is taking a key step in advancing the development of the state’s potential gas resources. The agency has issued a notice of intent to adopt rules governing the gas drilling and is seeking public comment on the proposed rules through July 2.
While Minnesota isn’t known to hold economcially viable deposits of methane, or natural gas, the 2011 discovery of a potentially significant helium deposit near Babbitt has fueled interest in exploration for both helium and hydrogen.
While the state and federal government have allowed surface exploration for these gases, primarily using seismic equipment, actual drilling will require permitting and the new rules are designed to spell out that process and the requirements that will go along with it.
In 2024, Minnesota enacted a moratorium on gas production in the state while the DNR worked to develop a regulatory framework to guide possible development of the resource.
That state action was a response to the discovery of a significant helium deposit that is currently under development by Pulsar Helium.
At the same time, interest has grown in natural hydrogen resources along a geologic formation known as the Midcontinent Rift System.  In Minnesota, the rift system extends from Lake Superior to the Iowa border. There has been no prior development of gas resources in Minnesota and the state currently lacks a regulatory framework for commercial gas production.
In 2024, the state Legislature directed the DNR to use the expedited rulemaking process to adopt or amend rules to address several gas production regulatory topics, including permitting, reclamation, financial assurance, siting and setbacks, and pooling and spacing. The Legislature gave the DNR a May 22, 2026 deadline to issue the notice of intent.
Public input
opportunities
The DNR invites anyone interested in the regulation of gas resource development in Minnesota to review the draft rules and provide comments. The 45-day public comment period, which is now open, will end at 4:30 p.m. on July 2.
Anyone may submit written comments on the proposed rules to GasRulesDNR@state.mn.us. Please visit the DNR website (mndnr.gov/input/rules/gas-rules.html) for more in-depth information and additional documentation on the draft rules.
After the closing of the comment period, the DNR will review and consider all comments prior to making a decision on whether to adopt the rules, with or without amendments.