(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Interior said on Friday it finalized new rules to govern drilling on federal land using a process known as fracking, including new measures to protect groundwater.
The rules, the culmination of a four-year process, will affect over 100,000 oil and gas wells on federally managed lands, 90 percent of which use the hydraulic fracturing technique.
It requires operators to validate well integrity and maintain strong cement barriers to prevent oil leaks into water supplies; requires firms to disclose the chemicals they use; strengthens standards for storing waste fluids and requires companies to submit more information before drilling.
(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
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