DENVER (AP) -- A new study says water produced by coal-bed methane drilling can be treated for livestock, wildlife and farms to use, but costs and regulations are causing most of the water to be disposed of instead.

The study by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences was mandated by the 2005 federal energy bill.

It reviewed what is known about how coal-bed methane drilling affects water in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and North Dakota and what needs more study.

Pumping out water in some coal beds releases natural gas. A pre-publication of the research council's report says short-term environmental effects of this produced water are relatively benign, but more monitoring is needed to study long-term effects.

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Online:
Pre-publication version of report: http://bit.ly/aF5rCC

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