"New Federal Rules Are Set for Fracking"

"The Obama administration on Friday unveiled the nation’s first major federal regulations on hydraulic fracturing, a technique for oil and gas drilling that has led to a significant increase in American energy production but has also raised concerns about health and safety risks.

The Interior Department began drafting the rules, focused on drilling safety, in Mr. Obama’s first term after breakthroughs in the technology, also known as fracking, led to a surge in the production of oil and gas.

The fracking boom has put the United States on track to soon become the world’s largest oil and gas producer. But environmentalists fear that the technique, which involves injecting a cocktail of chemicals deep underground to break up the rocks around oil and gas deposits, could contaminate surrounding water supplies and wildlife."
 
Coral Davenport reports for the New York Times March 20, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"New Federal Fracking Rules Draw Swift Response" (InsideClimate)

"Obama Administration Tightens Federal Rules on Oil And Gas Fracking" (Washington Post)

"Fracking: US Tightens Rules for Chemical Disclosure" (Associate Press)

"US Unveils New Rules To Govern Fracking on Federal Lands" (Guardian)

"U.S. Sets First Major Fracking Rules on Federal Lands" (Reuters)

"Obama Administration Puts Out Fracking Rules for Federal Lands" (McClatchy)

"Drillers File Lawsuit To Challenge Obama's New Fracking Rules" (The Hill)

"Green Movement Calls Obama Fracking Rules a ‘Giveaway’ To Oil And Gas Industry" (Washington Times)