Interior faces pressure to slow down fracking rule

The Interior Department is coming under fresh pressure to slow down planned rules to govern oil-and-gas “fracking” on public lands. The American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday urged Interior to extend the public comment period on revised draft rules to regulate the process called hydraulic fracturing. The industry group, which opposes the rules floated on May 16, wants the public comment period quadrupled to 120 days. Interior is already under pressure from the bipartisan leadership of the House Natural Resources Committee to extend the comment period...more