Policies to keep fracking from harming health may be inadequate Policies aimed at protecting people from adverse health impacts related to unconventional natural gas development (UNGD), or fracking, may not work as intended, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, conducted with colleagues from the research institute PSE Healthy Energy and Duke University, looked at the effectiveness of a regulation in Pennsylvania that requires UNGD wells to be at least 500 feet away from non-industrial buildings. The researchers found that, in spite of the regulation’s intent, there was no significant change in where wells were positioned after the regulation took effect in 2012. The findings suggest that companies involved in fracking are frequently being granted exemptions from the regulation, according to the study authors.