Politics
Politics

Senate approves bill creating fracking regulations in Georgia

Feb. 23 2017 - Atlanta - House Rules Committee Chairman John Meadows, R-Calhoun, speaks from the House well in support of a bill to create new regulations for fracking. Legislation approved in the state House on Thursday would create Georgia’s first new fracking regulations in a generation. The 23nd day of the 2017 Georgia General Assembly. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

Feb. 23 2017 - Atlanta - House Rules Committee Chairman John Meadows, R-Calhoun, speaks from the House well in support of a bill to create new regulations for fracking. Legislation approved in the state House on Thursday would create Georgia’s first new fracking regulations in a generation. The 23nd day of the 2017 Georgia General Assembly. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM
By
March 24, 2017

A bill that creates new fracking regulations in Georgia gained unanimous approval in the Senate Friday.

House Bill 205, sponsored by House Rules Committee Chairman John Meadows, R-Calhoun, regulates an eight-county region in northwest Georgia prime for fracking — the process of drilling into the earth to extract oil and gas.

The bill, which was carried in the Senate by Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, provides the first updates to fracking regulations in Georgia since the state collected a $25 for the right to search for underground natural gas in 1975.

Because of changes made by a Senate committee, the bill now goes back to the House for review.

About the Author

Michelle Baruchman covers the Georgia House of Representatives and statewide issues. She is a politics news and enterprise reporter covering statewide political stories.

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