PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chevron has become the first energy company to meet a new set of voluntary shale gas drilling standards that aim to go beyond existing state laws in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

The Pittsburgh-based Center for Sustainable Shale made the announcement Thursday morning. The center is a partnership between major energy companies, environmental groups and charitable foundations.

The certification process consisted of an independent review of 22 Chevron sites. The program is meant to work much like Underwriters Laboratories, which puts its familiar UL seal on electrical appliances.

The review was conducted by Bureau Veritas, an international testing company that also handles the LEED review process for the U.S. Green Building Council.

Some major environmental groups say the Sustainable Shale program is no substitute for tougher state and federal laws.

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