What lessons can hydraulic fracturing teach CCS about social acceptance?

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As with many technologies, carbon capture and storage (CCS) faces social acceptance challenges that can impact the pace of its development and deployment. Previous studies on the social acceptance of CCS have tended to rely on case studies of pilot projects or surveys of decision makers and the general public. Here, we take a different approach, using real world data about the social acceptance of hydraulic fracturing technologies to glean lessons for future carbon storage efforts. Hydraulic fracturing has many of the same operations, risks, and social narratives as carbon storage, making it a valid comparison. We conduct a statistical analysis on the relationship between various state demographic and economic factors and the stringency of state regulations governing the hydraulic fracturing industry. As a complement to this analysis, we conduct a comparative case study on the development of hydraulic fracturing regulations in New York and Pennsylvania. We find robust statistical evidence that familiarity with the oil and gas industry is associated with a decrease in regulatory variance among states where hydraulic fracturing takes place. Moreover, we identify a tension between regulatory control of hydraulic fracturing at the state level and regulatory control at the local level. This dynamic suggests that carbon storage policymakers and industrial leaders should emphasize local engagement in addition to state-level participation.

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MITEI Authors