Besides the moral implications that can arise when a company decides to start drilling near a community, there are also ethical implications that these hydraulic fracturing companies need to into consideration. One of these ethical implacations that needs to be taking into consideration is if the oil and gas companies should be allow to be regulate by each state. Unlike most heavy industries out there, fracking companies regulations have been so far exempt from federal reach, leaving each state to implement their own regulations on these companies. (Warner & Shapiroy, 2013) Each state governs the day to day develpments of hydraulic fracturing and this can become a serious and major issue due to the fact that there will be interstate natures.
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There are federal regulations that are enforced, even at the state level, for example the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and so forth. The federal regulatory agency the enforces environmental protection is the EPA. (Clark, Burnham, Harto, & Horner, 2012) Also, there are many federal agencies that regulate oil and gas companies to make sure that the companies are complying to them, and within these federal agencies each state has their own agencies to further regulate policies. The federal government as of today lets each state take care of policy and regulations regarding their state and the hydraulic fracturing companies. Within those agencie there are even more agencies to govern even more regulations to make sure that all health, environmental, safety and any other regulations are being observed and followed. Even though there are federal acts that are being enforced and government agencies doing their part in regulating the fracking companies, federal governments hands are tied due to a loophole that was created when the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed causing the states to take control. (Miller, 2015) Some states have gone so far as to strip cities and localities of their rights to impose a ban on fracking in their towns. With this conflict in the states and between the states, one would conclude that the federal government needs to step up and find a way to regulate authority over the hydraulic fracturing companies. With so many rules, regulations and agencies and no clear mandate to follow, hydraulic fracturing companies are free to drill in communities causing damage. The fracking industry needs one governing body to enforce and make tougher laws and regulations for drilling companies to ensure that the environment is not being
There are federal regulations that are enforced, even at the state level, for example the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and so forth. The federal regulatory agency the enforces environmental protection is the EPA. (Clark, Burnham, Harto, & Horner, 2012) Also, there are many federal agencies that regulate oil and gas companies to make sure that the companies are complying to them, and within these federal agencies each state has their own agencies to further regulate policies. The federal government as of today lets each state take care of policy and regulations regarding their state and the hydraulic fracturing companies. Within those agencie there are even more agencies to govern even more regulations to make sure that all health, environmental, safety and any other regulations are being observed and followed. Even though there are federal acts that are being enforced and government agencies doing their part in regulating the fracking companies, federal governments hands are tied due to a loophole that was created when the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed causing the states to take control. (Miller, 2015) Some states have gone so far as to strip cities and localities of their rights to impose a ban on fracking in their towns. With this conflict in the states and between the states, one would conclude that the federal government needs to step up and find a way to regulate authority over the hydraulic fracturing companies. With so many rules, regulations and agencies and no clear mandate to follow, hydraulic fracturing companies are free to drill in communities causing damage. The fracking industry needs one governing body to enforce and make tougher laws and regulations for drilling companies to ensure that the environment is not being