Additional regulations regarding hydraulic fracking appear headed for legislative approval in Frankfort. Supporters of the measure include members of the oil and gas industry.
A group of farmers, environmental activists, and members of the oil and gas industry have worked together on the bill for months. Andrew McNeil with Kentucky's Oil and Gas Association called it 'consensus legislation.' "They're regulations that we think meet the needs of protecting the environment, but it's not gonna be something that will create an impediment to investment," said McNeil.
McNeil says there is interest in deep shale development in eastern Kentucky. He says the job potential is significant.
Tom Fitzgerald with the Kentucky Resources Council says passage of this bill wouldn't mean a major increase in fracking. "The precipitous decline in the cost of natural gas means that that production will be slowing, not increasing," said Fitzgerald. "This will not pave the way for more hydraulic fracking."
Fitzgerald says the bill requires pre and post water quality testing, and extends the requirement for a reclamation plan to all oil and gas operations.
