"The Laramie Energy Technology Center is conducting field tests of in-situ coal gasification, oil shale retorting, and recovery of bitumen from tar sands. In-situ processes involve several potential hydrologic impacts; the complex series of underground chemical reactions will affect ground-water quality, and heat from the reaction zone and fracturing necessary to improve reaction conditions will alter existing aquifer characteristics and ground-water flow patterns. Disposal and handling of solid and liquid wastes generated by the processes may also involve significant hydrologic impacts. The In-Situ Hydrology Task Force has been established by the Center to assess the need for research and information about these impacts. Five site-specific tasks and five generalized, technology-specific tasks have been outlined by the Task Force. Radian Corporation has participated in Task 6, which is a comprehensive effort to define the total hydrologic data requirements for regulatory compliance, resource characterization, and environmental and process studies. Specifically, this report presents a review of applicable federal and state regulations dealing with in-situ fossil-fuel extraction processes and develops a hypothetical worst-case, or ""straw-man,"" constructed as a composite of the most stringent state and federal regulations. Key uncertainties u\ the regulatory framework and their implications for in-situ processes are discussed."