Bill > S1781

This bill, titled "To regulate hydraulic fracturing," proposes to amend existing law by adding a new section that defines "hydraulic fracturing" as a technique to extract natural gas by pumping fluid into shale formations to create fractures. It also defines "Class II injection wells" as those used for specific oil and gas production-related fluid injections, and "toxic chemicals" broadly to include substances identified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Toxic Release Inventory program, as well as chemicals known or anticipated to cause various health or environmental harms, listing specific examples. Crucially, the bill prohibits the construction, installation, operation, or maintenance of Class II injection wells in connection with hydraulic fracturing, and also forbids the use of toxic chemicals in the extraction of natural gas.