Legislative Background on Hydraulic Fracturing
Recent Action by Congress on Fracking and EPA's Pavillion Analysis
The 2005 Energy Policy Act, signed into law by President George W. Bush, provided tax incentives and loan guarantees to encourage the development and use of clean energy alternatives. It also exempted natural gas drilling from requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not have the authority to set conditions for hydraulic fracturing or to require States to regulate the process. With the growth of the natural gas industry, hydraulic fracturing has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, and Congress has started to take a new look at…
