Not everyone happy about tougher standards program
Mere days after an agreement that seemed to bring fracking forces and fracking foes together, some environmental groups are crying foul.
Under the program announced Wednesday, some major oil and gas companies agreed to comply with 15 initial performance standards designed to ensure safe and environmentally responsible development of the Appalachian Basin’s abundant shale gas resources. It will cover Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio and is expected to lead to a major expansion in fracking in those states. It could be extended to New York and other states, pending the approval of fracking there.