COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Companies drilling for oil and natural gas in shale formations in Ohio might soon face new air pollution limits.
The new practice of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," in pursuit of gas can require multiple wells on a single site, creating a concentration of equipment that can leak hazardous airborne compounds. An Ohio Environmental Protection Agency spokesman tells The Columbus Dispatch that's causing concern about the pollutants the drilling operations might be releasing into the air.
The Ohio EPA has proposed permits that would set pollution limits.
An official for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association says the proposed regulations don't clash with industry interests.
Environmental groups say the rules contain loopholes that would still allow too many toxic emissions.