State Leaders Best Suited To Handle Fracking Regulations

State regulators and congressional leaders
say individual states are best suited to oversee how wastewater
from natural gas fracturing operations is handled. They say federal
interference could hamper the booming energy industry in several
states.
At a meeting Wednesday of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water
Resources and the Environment in Washington, members expressed
concern over a plan by the Environmental Protection Agency for new
regulations on wastewater from hydraulic fracturing. Also known as
"fracking," the technique involves pumping water, chemicals and
sand underground to break up oil and gas-bearing rock.
The EPA announced last month its plans to develop treatment
standards for fracking wastewater before it can be sent to
treatment plants.
Republican Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Bob Gibbs of Ohio says
he’s concerned the new guidelines will be "needlessly
restrictive."