As interest grows in regulating fracturing operations, many states are seeking to preempt local government restrictions. Traditionally, states have been the primary regulators of oil and gas activities in the US, including hydraulic fracturing. However, as media attention and public concern have turned fracturing into a political issue, each level of government has sought greater control over its regulation. While the federal government continues to evaluate potential national regulation, another power struggle has taken center stage: Local government restrictions on hydraulic fracturing have led several states to attempt to curtail local involvement in the regulation of oil and gas operations.
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