Energy Advisers Suggest States Should Lead Improvements in Regulation of Shale Gas

Industry practices for extraction of natural gas from shale need constant improvement and a systematic spread of best practices to protect the environment, but states appear able to handle regulation of shale gas and the associated hydraulic fracturing, according to a group of advisers to the Energy Department.

The advisers, testifying Oct. 4 before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, reinforced the recommendations they had made in an August report to Energy Secretary Steven Chu (156 DER A-11, 8/12/11).

While their report explicitly avoided making recommendations on the role of federal versus state regulation, the four advisers ...