Industry groups are expected to censure the ruling, arguing that rules are unnecessary and excessive, while environmentalists will likely contend that the regulations do not go far enough.
The rule “adds unnecessary, duplicative red tape that will in turn make it more costly and arduous for our nation to pursue energy security,” Senator James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican and chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said.
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” now accounts for about 11% of U.S. natural-gas production and 5% of oil production. The drilling techniques are water intensives and require chemicals and sand to free oil or gas from shale rocks.
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Max Chen contributed to this article.