The Future of Fracking: New Rules Target Air Emissions for Cleaner Natural Gas Production
نویسنده
چکیده
Natural gas is lauded as a cleaner-burning fuel than either coal or oil, but getting the fuel out of the ground can be a dirty process, especially given the widespread adoption of the technology known as hydraulic fracturing (" fracking "). Concerns about toxic air emissions from previously unregulated fracking sites led to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announcement on 18 April 2012 of new and updated air pollution regulations for these facilities and certain other elements of oil and natural gas production and transmission. Compliance with the new regulations is expected to result in major reductions in emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds, particularly from new fracked natural gas wells.
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