PITTSBURGH — A state environmental board has given preliminary approval to new rules covering the oil and gas industry.

The Department of Environmental Protection said that it’s recommending a 60-day public comment period on the new rules, with at least six hearings.

The regulations cover public parks and wildlife areas, waste management, the restoration of well sites after drilling, the construction of temporary pipelines, and other issues.

DEP said the proposed rules will be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office, and details of public hearings will be announced in the near future.

Shell seeks ethane suppliers for plantPITTSBURGH — Shell Oil is seeking ethane suppliers for its proposed petrochemical complex.The company said it will accept bids until Oct. 4.Shell is still a year or more away from making a final decision on whether to build the multibillion dollar plant at an industrial site about 40 miles north of Pittsburgh. It has an option to buy the property.The company said securing enough ethane for the so-called cracker plant is a key step. The plant would convert ethane from Marcellus Shale natural gas into more profitable chemicals such as ethylene, which is used to make plastics, antifreeze and other products.

Labor rules to help veterans find jobsWASHINGTON — Veterans and disabled workers who often struggle to find work could have an easier time landing a job under new federal regulations.The rules will require most government contractors to set a goal of having disabled workers make up at least 7 percent of their employees. The benchmark for veterans would be 8 percent, a rate that could change from year to year depending on the overall number of former military members in the work force.The new requirements could have a major impact on hiring since federal contractors and subcontractors account for about 16 million workers — more than 20 percent of the nation’s work force.But some business groups have threatened legal action, complaining that the rules conflict with federal laws that discourage employers from asking about a job applicant’s disability status.

Home prices rise 12.1% in JuneWASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose 12.1 percent in June from a year earlier, nearly matching a seven-year high. But month-over-month price gains slowed in most markets, a sign that higher mortgage rates may weigh on the housing recovery.The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index slowed only marginally from May’s year-over-year gain of 12.2 percent, the fastest since March 2006. And all 20 cities posted gains from the previous month and compared with a year ago.Home prices in Las Vegas soared 24.9 percent from a year earlier to lead all cities. Prices have jumped 24.5 percent in San Francisco and nearly 20 percent in both Los Angeles and Phoenix.