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ByMatthewDaly TheAssociatedPress WASHINGTON The Obama administration on Wednesday decried a rul- ing by a federal judge that blocks rules for hydraulic fracturing, saying the de- cision prevents regulators from using "21st-century standards" to ensure that oil and gas operations are conducted safely on pub- lic lands. Jessica Kershaw, a spokeswoman for the In- terior Department, said "modernized fracking re- quirements" imposed by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell reflect best industry practices and are aimed at ensuring adequate well control, preventing groundwater contamina- tion and increasing trans- parency about the materi- als used in fracking. Kershaw's comments came after a judge in Wy- oming ruled late Tues- day that federal regula- tors lack authority to set rules for hydraulic frac- turing, also known as fracking. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl deals another setback to the Obama ad- ministration's efforts to tighten how fossil fuels are mined. Skavdahl said the Bu- reau of Land Manage- ment can't set the rules because Congress has not authorized it to do so. The judge, who was nom- inated by Obama in 2011, wrote that the court's role is not to decide whether hydraulic fracturing is good or bad for the envi- ronment, but to interpret whether Congress has given the Department of Interior legal authority to regulate the practice. "It has not," wrote Skav- dahl, who last year blocked implementation of rules drafted by the agency. The White House cast the ruling as a temporary setback while it awaits a decision from the Court of Appeals for the 10th Cir- cuit, which is also review- ing the rule. "We obviously believe that we've got a strong argument to make about the important role the fed- eral government can play in ensuring that hydrau- lic fracturing that's done on public lands doesn't threaten the drinking wa- ter of people who live in the area. It's a pretty sim- ple proposition," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. "We'll con- tinue to make our case in the courts." The states of Colorado, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming oppose the rules involving hydraulic frac- turing, which involves in- jecting a mixture of wa- ter, sand and chemicals underground to increase production from oil and gas wells. The Bureau of Land Management and a co- alition of environmental groups say the rules are necessary to protect the environment. The bureau's rules would have required petroleum developers to disclose to regulators the ingredients in the chem- ical products they use to improve the results of hy- draulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Neal Kirby, a spokes- man for the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said Tuesday he is pleased with Skavdahl's decision. "BLM did not have the authority to issue its rule in the first place," Kirby said. "Today's decision demonstrates BLM's ef- forts are not needed and that states are — and have for over 60 years been — in the best position to safely regulate hydraulic fractur- ing." Meanwhile, Rep. Cyn- thia Lummis, R-Wyo., called the ruling a victory for states' rights. "This rule undermined the careful and efficient regulation of fracturing that states have put in place, like the rules writ- ten by Wyoming," Lum- mis said. The states and other rule opponents, including groups representing the energy industry and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray, based in Utah, filed briefs with Skavdahl. Wyoming, Utah and Colorado worked to- gether on the case, while North Dakota filed its own brief. The Ute Tribe stated in its brief that it agrees with the states that the Bureau of Land Manage- ment lacks rulemaking au- thority. The tribe also said that the federal agency lacks authority to regu- late fracking on land that the United States holds in trust for the Indian tribes and tribal members. Tuesday 's r uling marked the latest setback for the Obama adminis- tration's efforts on envi- ronmental issues. Ear- lier this year, the U.S. Su- preme Court blocked the Environmental Protec- tion Agency from enforc- ing the Clean Power Plan, Obama's effort to slow cli- mate change by reducing power-plant emissions by one-third by 2030. The court said legal challenges to the rules had to be re- solved first. REGULATORS Obamaadministration decries fracking ruling FORMER PRESIDENT BOBANDRES—ATLANTAJOURNAL-CONSTITUTIONVIAAP Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter talk about their years together on Wednesday at the Carter Center in Atlanta. By Kathleen Foody The Associated Press ATLANTA When doctors told Jimmy Carter they had found four small tumors on his brain, the former pres- ident and his wife, Rosal- ynn, feared his life could end within weeks. "I didn't know what I was going to do," the for- mer first lady said Wednes- day. "I depend on him when I have questions, when I'm writing speeches, anything, I consult with him." Nearly a year later, the former first couple is pre- paring to celebrate their 70th wedding anniver- sary July 7. Jimmy Carter has said his doctors found no sign of cancer in recent scans and he has stopped receiving regular doses of a drug that helps his immune system fight the disease. The couple spoke with The Associated Press before heading to Maryland for an annual fundraising retreat for The Carter Center, the human rights organization they founded in 1982. "We expected my life to be over," Jimmy Carter, 91, said. "We had to accommo- date that crisis, and then I got treatment and it started working." "A miracle," Rosalynn Carter, 88, interjected. "We've been through that ordeal, and I'd say it's brought us even closer to- gether," the former presi- dent said. "And we've be- gun to think about the con- sequences of that, but now have a big sigh of relief." The Carters' work at the human rights organization has kept them in the pub- lic eye since the mid-1980s. They traveled the world to- gether to monitor elections and speak on health issues and human rights. Rosal- ynn Carter also maintained her focus on mental illness, hosting events and speak- ing about ways to reduce stigma of such diseases. But their private life is just that. Both say they are happiest at home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where they met as children more than 80 years ago. They plan to mark their anniversary date at the home built be- fore Jimmy Carter entered politics. "It's all too rare" to get time there together, Jimmy Carter said. "Maybe we'll have some champagne," Rosalynn Carter added. Jimmy's sister, Ruth, was one of Rosalynn Smith's best childhood friends. As teenagers, the girls tried to pair up shy Rosalynn with the future president when- ever he returned home on visits from the U.S. Naval Academy. They succeeded in 1945, when Jimmy Carter's planned date for the eve- ning was busy at a family reunion. He invited his sis- ter's friend to a movie. The next morning, he recalls telling his mother Rosal- ynn Smith is "the one I'm going to marry." Early the next year, he asked for her hand. She said no, according to Jimmy Carter's 2015 book "A Full Life," explaining that she promised before her fa- ther's death to finish col- lege. He persisted in let- ters and phone calls, and she eventually accepted. He wore his dress-white Navy uniform and she wore a black and white bib dress to the small wedding cer- emony. For several years, the young couple moved around the country at the Navy's direction. But when Jimmy's father died in 1953, he decided the couple, now with three young sons, would return to south Georgia to run the family's peanut business. Rosalynn was furious, writ- ing in her 1984 book "First Lady from Plains" that she believed "the best part of my life had ended." Their marriage wasn't an equal partnership in the 1950s, both said Wednes- day. Jimmy Carter said he can't believe some of the decisions he made unilat- erally, so "contrary" to the way they now live and work. Both Carters say the key to their long marriage is mutual respect and a will- ingness to give each other some space. They keep sep- arate offices at The Carter Center in Atlanta and at their house in Plains — hers in a converted bed- room and his in the garage. He prefers to work early in the day; she also rises early but tends to settle into work later. They reunite for afternoon exercise, tak- ing walks or riding three- wheeler bikes. They rely on each other to edit books, columns and speeches and share hobbies including tennis and fly-fishing. "Space and doing things together and respecting what each other can do are the things that have made it really special," Rosalynn Carter said of their seven- decade marriage. The Carters' marriage is second in length to one other former first couple. George H.W. Bush and Bar- bara Bush celebrated their 71st anniversary in Janu- ary. Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter mark 70 years 'even closer together' By Ricardo Alonso- Zaldivar and Stephen Ohlemacher The Associated Press WASHINGTON Millions of Social Security benefi- ciaries would get a tiny in- crease in monthly payments next year — less than $2.50, about enough to buy a gal- lon of gas. Meanwhile, Medicare is expected to go bankrupt sooner than expected — 12 years from now. And some beneficiaries could face higher monthly premiums next year. The annual report from the trustees of the govern- ment's two bedrock retire- ment programs warned that politically gridlocked Wash- ington needs to act sooner, rather than later, to shore up financesandavoidupending the lives of millions of retir- ees and their families. Social Security's trust funds are expected to be de- pleted in 2034, unchanged from the trustees' projec- tion a year ago. Medicare's trust fund for inpatient care will be exhausted in 2028, two years earlier than pre- viously projected. If Congress allows either fund to run dry, millions of Americanslivingonfixedin- comes would face steep cuts in benefits. "Lawmakers should ad- dress these financial chal- lenges as soon as possible," said the trustees' report. "Takingactionsoonerrather thanlaterwillpermitconsid- eration of a broader range of solutions and provide more time to phase in changes so that the public has adequate time to prepare." The projected 0.2 percent increase in Social Security payments would come a year after beneficiaries re- ceived no increase. By law, increases are based on a government measure of in- flation, which has been low. The official 2017 cost-of-liv- ing adjustment, or COLA, won't be determined until the fall. Advocates complained that the government's mea- sure of inflation — the Con- sumer Price Index for Ur- ban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — doesn't adequately reflect the prices that older Americans pay. "Seniors continue to see their modest Social Security benefitseatenaway bygrow- ing health care costs," said Max Richtman, who heads the National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare. More than 60 million re- tirees, disabled workers, spouses and surviving chil- dren receive Social Secu- rity benefits. The average monthly payment is about $1,232. After Social Security's trust funds are depleted, the program would collect enough in payroll taxes to pay only 79 percent of ben- efits. Medicare's problem is more immediate, and more complicated, because health care costs can change in un- predictable ways. MONTHLY PAYMENTS Trustees: Tiny rise in Social Security benefits next year "This rule undermined the careful and efficient regulation of fracturing that states have put in place..." — Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming 9 locations throughout California & Oregon 525 Antelope Blvd, Red Bluff (530) 527-5272 Mon.–Fri.8am-5pm Saturday by appointment Locally owned & operated ESCAPE WITH GREAT SAVINGS. *See redemption form for complete offer details. Offer expires 07/17/2016. Void where prohibited. The Reward Card expires six (6) months after issuance. No cash access. Fees apply. Reward Card issued by U.S. Bank National Association pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Incorporated. 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