GOP Lawmaker Working on Bill That Would Give Fracking Oversight to States

E&E Daily reports that Congressmen Lee Terry (R-Neb.), and Ed Whitfield (R-Ken.), want to introduce a bill that would strip the federal government of all oversight of fracking and leave it up to the states. Rep. Terry says he’s enlisting the help of Pennsylvania Congressman Bill Shuster. Terry spoke at a natural gas round table at the capitol on Tuesday. More from E&E:

Terry said the measure is targeted at providing the oil and gas industry with the certainty that can attract investments. It would, he said, head off questions from multiple federal agencies, particularly a U.S. EPA “one size fits all” regulation that could essentially ban fracking.
The bill, he said, “would just say something as simple as states have the explicit jurisdiction over fracking based upon their inherent higher knowledge of the geological formations” and clarify that states are in the best position to implement specific regulations.
Terry said he’s also discussing the measure with Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.).

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