CANTON, Ohio (AP): Ohio drillers will now have new state standards to operate under for the construction of horizontal-well pads and access roads.
 
The Canton Repository reports (http://bit.ly/1SqCJQj ) the rules took effect Thursday after nearly two years of development.
 
The standards are intended to make well pads and access roads stable for rigs and equipment and allow emergency vehicles to safely enter well sites. The rules also intend to help reduce erosion and protect surface water. 
 
Drillers are now required to submit detailed site plans for review by the state's Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management before building a well pad.
 
Under the new rules, well-pad designs need to account for local geology.
 
Construction costs are expected to increase by 10-15 percent due to the new standards.