The Interior Department will release a new proposal to regulate “fracking” on federal lands as soon as Thursday, a top industry official told The Hill.
“I expect they will be out tomorrow or Friday,” American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard said Wednesday.
The proposal would regulate the oil-and-gas development method known as fracking, in which water, chemicals and sand are injected at high pressure into rock formations to open up seams that enable trapped oil and natural gas to flow.
The rules are expected to include the required disclosure of chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process, along with regulations on well integrity and wastewater management.
Fracking and advances in horizontal drilling technology are enabling a natural gas and oil production boom in many states, but have raised concerns about air pollution and water contamination as well. The rules are likely to set off a debate among energy companies and environmental groups.
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