This paper is primarily a report. The report portion should be objective and unbiased. The final section is an opinion section where you may include your own ideas on the subject. 
1.To understand the legal and environmental issues raised by hydraulic fracturing. To determine what you believe is the most important environmental issue. 

2. To be able to distinguish state and federal laws and regulations; to become familiar with proposed federal laws; to be able to compare and contrast state law approaches; to examine at least one other country's laws and regulations on the issue; to understand the scope of a recent executive order on hydraulic fracturing. 

3. To understand the place of hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas as that relates to U.S. energy needs. 

4. To form and state your own informed opinion on what hydraulic fracturing laws and regulations should be put in place; to describe with clear reasoning and supporting evidence why you think such laws are necessary. 

Your final paper should address each of these objectives. The report should include a discussion of the legal and environmental issues raised by hydraulic fracturing, including what you believe to be the most important issue; it should contain a discussion of federal and state regulations that address hydraulic fracturing. It should compare the varying approaches of at least two states. It should compare U.S. and foreign approaches to hydraulic fracturing regulation. It should address the scope of the president's executive order on hydraulic fracturing (see Doc Sharing). 

It should discuss the place of hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas in meeting U.S. energy needs; it should discuss economic impact (could be local, regional, or national) It should conclude with your own informed opinion on what hydraulic fracturing laws and regulations should be put in place, supported with clear reasoning and relevant facts.