CHEYENNE — A former top environmental regulator said states should take the lead in crafting hydraulic fracturing rules.
“I’m a big believer in having just some overall guidance from the federal government,” said J. Winston Porter. “I believe the states are headed in the right direction.”
Porter, who is a former assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, spoke Tuesday morning to the Cheyenne Sunrise Rotary Club.
Porter is now the president of Environmental Strategies, a Georgia-based independent research and consulting organization. He has been addressing various organizations around the country about his outlook on the nation’s energy future.
He said hydraulic fracturing, which is a fast-growing and unconventional drilling practice, is here to stay.
But he said some issues need to be worked out before it becomes more culturally and politically acceptable. This includes deciding if the states or the federal government should create the regulations and safety measures. MORE …
