The Politics of 'Fracking' : Regulating Natural Gas Drilling Practices in Colorado and Texas

This paper focuses on the politics of regulating natural gas fracking operations in Colorado and Texas. Between state differences in the economic importance of natural gas production, political traditions, environmental impacts of drilling activities, and local governmental responses to risk reduction, and entrepreneurial activities are discussed in relation to policymaking initiatives. In the concluding section, I suggest that Colorado's regulatory approach offers a greater degree of environmental protection than Texas. Key reforms adopted in 2007-8 can be largely attributed to electoral victories that ensured unified party control over state government and the determined efforts of the pro-environmental governor to make changes in both the regulatory commission and in the substance of natural gas drilling policies