Political SideTrack: The State of Fracking Bans; Future Outlook - Episode 7

Fracking bans are in force or being considered by several state governments. Our roundtable discussion with experts from Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania details the impact and likely outcomes of these campaigns and how the oil and gas industry can respond. The cost of state regulations that ban hydraulic fracturing are not borne by upstream drillers alone. Midstream operators are targeted by the forces that oppose the oil and gas industry, and the citizens of states that ban fracking miss out on jobs and tax revenue needed to support education and other government programs. In this episode of Political Sidetrack, a roundtable of three experts join host Len Vermillion to discuss the impact of these bans and concerns about future efforts to restrict fracking. Mike Hogan is an energy consultant in New York; Dan Weaver is executive director of the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association; and Drew Cobbs oversees the American Petroleum Institute’s activities in Maryland, which recently banned fracking. You can comment on this podcast in the comments section or by tweeting our host @LenVermillion. You may also email us at [email protected]. This and all episodes of Political Sidetrack are available via the podcast app and iTunes. Featured on this episode: Len Vermillion (host) is group managing editor for Hart Energy’s Digital News Group. Based in Houston, he manages editorial content development for Hart Energy’s upstream and midstream websites. He has worked in publishing for more than 20 years, having led several magazines and digital products serving various industries including engineering, retail and travel. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism from the University of Pittsburgh.