This thesis advocates for the federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing based on two fundamental arguments. First, I argue that natural gas will be the primary energy source in the United States over the next few decades focusing on the national security implications associated with climate change and foreign oil dependencies. Second, I argue that federal regulation is the only way to ensure the continued development of domestic natural gas due to growing public concern pertaining to groundwater contamination. Finally, the paper presents four policy recommendations to be carried out on the federal level.