CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — North Dakota is joining two states and two petroleum industry groups in seeking to postpone new rules for oil and gas drilling on federal land.

North Dakota is among the top oil-producing states and state officials said Wednesday the rules would be economically harmful.

The rules announced by the Obama administration in March will set new standards for constructing wells and for disclosing chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing.

Wyoming, Colorado and North Dakota along with the Independent Petroleum Association of America and Western Energy Alliance are suing the federal government, saying existing state rules are sufficient and federal rules would be burdensome.

A federal judge in Wyoming has scheduled a June 23 hearing on the plaintiffs' requests to postpone the federal rules set to take effect June 24.

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