The Nov. 14 episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" included a segment on natural gas drilling in a process called hydraulic fracturing, also sometimes called fracking. The report focused on the discovery of vast amounts of natural gas in the U.S., which could supply all of the nation's energy needs for years to come and the people who have become wealthy after allowing natural gas to be extracted from shale rock on their property. The report focused briefly on the potential harm to the ground water that this process causes.

by Jennifer A. Dlouhy

WASHINGTON — Energy companies and environmental groups have more often been adversaries than allies when it comes to hydraulic fracturing, the drilling technique used to unlock natural gas from shale rock nationwide.

But a handful of gas producers and environmental advocates are striving to change that dynamic by collaborating on a plan to step up the safety and regulation of hydraulic fracturing.