Regulations
In addition to stringent standards governing natural gas operations, there are federal, state and local government regulations that address oil and gas drilling and environmental protection for West Virginians.
These rules cover all aspects of the process, including well permitting, well materials and construction, air emissions, wildlife protection, safe disposition of used hydraulic fracturing fluids, water testing, chemical recordkeeping and reporting.
Federal
State
West Virginia Department of Environmnetal Protection Office of Oil and Gas Oil and Gas Regulations oversees regulations governing oil and natural gas drilling in order to protect the environment and citizens of West Virginia. They monitor and regulate all actions related to the exploration, drilling, storage and production of oil and natural gas
- West Virginia Legislature-West Virginia State Code
- Chapter 22. Environmental Resources. Article 1. Division of Environmental Protection
- Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training
- Chapter 22B. Environmental Boards
- Chapter 22C. Environmental Resources; Boards, Authorities, Commissions and Compacts
West Virginia Secretary of State-Code of State Rules
Safe Drinking Water Act
Questions have arisen regarding the regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The SDWA was enacted in 1974 to ensure that water supply systems serving the public met appropriate health standards, and was specifically designed to establish a federal-state partnership to "protect drinking water from contamination by the underground injection of waste," through the “Underground Injection Control (UIC)” program. UIC systems place, or “inject” waste fluids underground for storage or disposal. And since hydraulic fracturing fluids are not “waste”, but rather used to aid in oil and natural gas production, they were never included under the act. Therefore, the fracturing fluids were not “exempted” from the SDWA nor were they considered a “loophole” as some accounts convey.
To clarify the usage of hydraulic fracturing fluids, Congress included language in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 making it clear once and for all that underground injection fluids or propping agents were excluded from the SDWA.
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Office of Oil and Gas
- Federal Statutes Regulate Every Step of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process
