Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

EPA hydraulic fracturing study may be prelude to new federal rules

Oil and Gas Journal: Oil and gas operations have historically been regulated mainly at the state level, though the expansion of hydraulic fracturing activities has brought with it an expansion in the number and sources of regulations facing operators. At the federal level, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched investigations into fracing activities in Wyoming, Texas, and Pennsylvania and is in the process of a multi-year study on the impact of hydraulic fracturing operations on drinking water, which will presumably set the stage for a new federal law. Meanwhile, at the local level, municipalities around the country have adopted limits or outright bans on fracturing operations that conflict with state rules.

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