"Regulators charged with protecting the watershed for New York City and the Philadelphia region today backed off from their toughest restrictions on Marcellus Shale drilling, but still proposed measures stricter than existing rules in nearby areas.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) released proposed regulations that would allow gas drilling to start in eastern Pennsylvania, and also cover western New York state when its moratorium is lifted.

Under the proposal, drillers in those areas would need to post $125,000 bonds for each well to cover the costs of pollution and restoration. That's a steep drop from the $5 million in financial assurance that had been proposed earlier."

Mike Soraghan reports for Greenwire December 9, 2010.
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SEE ALSO:

"N.Y. Objects to Release of Multistate Fracking Rules" (New York Times) [3]