FRESH Act

The FRESH Act transfers regulatory authority over fracking (hydraulic fracturing) from federal agencies to state governments. It gives states sole power to create and enforce rules for fracking activities on both state lands and federal lands located within the state's borders. This directly affects oil, natural gas, and geothermal companies operating in states where the bill passes, as well as state environmental and energy regulators. The key mechanism is a provision requiring federal lands within a state to follow that state's fracking regulations instead of federal standards. The bill does not change federal oversight of other activities or address environmental impacts.