The bill gives shale explorers automatic underground access to land for drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations on fully-permitted projects.
The measure was introduced as part of efforts to clear red tape for shale explorers, who would otherwise be required to seek landowners' permission and potentially embark on a lengthy legal challenge to secure drilling permission if a landowner refused.
The law also introduces a new set of conditions that must be met before hydraulic fracturing operations can be carried out, in most cases formalising existing industry best practice.
The
