BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State officials have appointed a hearing officer in what will be the first use of a new Idaho law that allows unwilling mineral rights owners to be included in a company's plan to drill for natural gas and oil.

The Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission appointed the hearing officer for two areas in western Idaho that a Texas oil company believes have profitable reserves.

The law says that when 55 percent of mineral rights owners want drilling to go forward, they can ask the state to integrate the other 45 percent.

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