We do believe that many of these problems could be alleviated with stronger local, state and federal regulation and oversight. In WV, our state and local governments let drillers do whatever they want, without any regard for the impact fracking has on residents. Want to extract shale gas near a school? In WV, it's fine.
More regulation and oversight will make hydraulic fracturing or horizontal drilling a less cost effective way to access shale deposits.but it will help lessen the negative impact of fracking on WV residents. More regulation won't be appreciated by companies performing shale gas extraction but the cost of natural gas is low because there is a glut, with more gas than there is a demand for the gas. Although burning natural gas has less impact on the climate than other fossil fuels, once you take into account the damage done from extraction, it's clear natural gas is not America's savior.
