EPA Postpones New Air Standards for Fracking Natural Gas wells

Link to Rigzone here.

The delay is for two weeks.

The Environmental Protection Agency postponed its first rules aimed at reducing air pollution from oil and natural-gas wells drilled by hydraulic fracturing, following a last-minute push by energy companies to weigh in on the new standards.

The EPA said in a statement Monday it is postponing the rules by two weeks to April 17. The EPA said it needs more time to digest more than 150,000 comments submitted on the rule.

Earthjustice attorney Robin Cooley told reporters Monday that environmental groups are "disappointed that EPA hasn't gotten its act together," but said it is important for the agency to develop tighter standards.

Earthjustice sued the EPA to compel the agency to develop the rules, resulting in court-ordered deadlines for the EPA to do so.

As someone noted: this isn't even about Clean Water Act -- this is clean air. Will the madness ever stop?