Author: Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales
Check out who made one of the three cities!
Big US cities like New York City and Los Angeles get a lot of attention from vacation seekers every year. However, such big cities aren’t always the perfect travel destinations for every occasion. So if you’re looking for a new place to visit sometime soon, check out the three under the radar cities in the US you need to see.
Garrett Commission votes to endorse findings on shale gas drilling
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to endorse the findings of the Garrett County Shale Gas Advisory Commission to further explore the impacts of drilling.
The commissioners also voted to forward the report to the incoming commissioners for a decision on how to best implement policies and procedures for Marcellus shale moving forward.
“There has been some selective follow-up discussion, but it is recognized that any definitive further action will logically await engagement of the new board of commissioners,” states the report.
SGAC recommends that the county further explore the fiscal impacts; public safety; public health; property owners’ safety; the county’s character and appeal to tourists as well as second home/retirement home owners; and minimization of the impact of industrialization, according to the report.
The report includes a compilation of seven smaller reports that have been delivered over the year, three of which deal with comments and input on the state’s safe shale drilling initiative studies, according to John Quilty, chairman of SGAC. The SDI studies were forwarded by the commissioners to both the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Read More Here: http://eaglefordtexas.com/news/id/141328/garrett-commission-votes-endorse-findings-shale-gas-drilling/
Some proposed ‘fracking’ rules in Maryland go too far
MARYLAND GOV. Martin O’Malley (D) plans to lift a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” next month, regulating rather than prohibiting a controversial drilling process that energy companies have used to retrieve massive quantities of natural gas from shale rock formations. But Western Maryland landowners looking for drilling royalties and local laborers looking for jobs should check their excitement. The rules that the outgoing governor plans to impose on Maryland fracking would be so tough that they would make it impossible for drilling to begin in the next two years and would diminish the likelihood that operations will happen in earnest after that.
Larry Hogan, the incoming Republican governor, has promised to review “every single one” of Mr. O’Malley’s regulations. That’s warranted — but his review should be based on the evidence. He must take care not to go too far in the other direction, scrapping many good proposed rules because some might be too strict.
Maryland Governor O’Malley is Ready to Allow Fracking in His State
Outgoing Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has frequently been mentioned as a top-of-the-list contender for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, should Hillary Clinton’s bid fail to materialize. But he just made himself more controversial within the party—and raised the ire of environmentalists—with his announcement that he is ready to allow fracking in the state, where it has so far been banned.
Natural gas companies have been casting a longing eye at Maryland since the fracking boom started. The state’s western panhandle sits on the natural gas-rich Marcellus shale formation, which has proved such a money-maker in Pennsylvania just to its north.
O’Malley said that energy companies that want to frack in the state will have to abide by restrictive environmental and public health regulations, including limits on drilling locations and oversight of risks to air pollution and water contamination. He said he will unveil the final regulations in mid-December before leaving office to be succeeded by Republican Larry Hogan in January. Hogan has made it clear he’s chomping at the bit to open the state to fracking, calling it an “economic gold mine,” and saying during the campaign “States throughout the country have been developing their natural gas resources safely and efficiently for decades. I am concerned that there has been a knee-jerk reaction against any new energy production.”
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/maryland-governor-omalley-is-ready-to-allow-fracking-in-his-state.html#ixzz3Kej6i3pt
MARYLAND MARCELLUS SHALE SAFE DRILLING
BALTIMORE, MD (November 25, 2014) – Reflecting extensive consultation with scientists, public health professionals, economists, industry experts, environmental and community advocates, and the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, today the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Department of Natural Resources presented a draft Final Report on Marcellus Shale drilling. The three-year-long study recommends that Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling be permitted provided that stringent comprehensive best practices are followed.
The draft Final Report – required by Governor Martin O’Malley’s Executive Order establishing the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative – concludes that the risks of Marcellus shale development can be managed to an acceptable level, similar to other industrial activities, provided that the State rigorously inspects sites and enforces compliance with applicable regulations and stands prepared to adjust policies and regulations as needed in the future. The report recommends best management practices that, taken as a whole, are at least as stringent, if not more stringent, than those required anywhere else in the nation.
“After three years of exhaustive study, we’ve compiled what many believe to be the gold standard for best management practices in the country,” said Governor O’Malley. “We’re committed to ensuring that Marylanders have access to the economic opportunities associated with fracking while also putting the most complete practices into place to ensure the highest level of protection for Maryland residents.”
“This report strikes the right balance, ensuring that Allegany and Garrett counties realize the economic benefits of fracking without sacrificing public health, the environment or the vibrant tourist economy of Western Maryland,” said MDE Secretary Robert M. Summers. “With these highly protective standards, and working with local governments to maximize investment opportunities and review Comprehensive Gas Development Plans, Maryland is better positioned to manage this new frontier in energy development.”
Read More Here: http://news.maryland.gov/mde/2014/11/25/md-report-recommends-permitting-marcellus-shale-development-under-health-environmental-safety-rules/
Area ski resorts open for winter season
Wisp, Seven Springs, Ski Roundtop, and Ski Liberty and Whitetail all opened Friday.
The people who run the ski resorts said the extreme cold and the combination of natural and man-made snow helps them create and maintain a solid snow base.
“The day after Thanksgiving is great for us, and we’ve done it two years in a row, so we’re really happy about that,” said Roundtop Mountain Resort spokesman Chris Dudding. “This probably happens once every five or six years, so having it happen two years in a row is great.”
The parking lot at Pennsylvania’s Ski Roundtop was packed Friday.
Read More Here: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/area-ski-resorts-open-for-winter-season/29970698
Firearm deer season opens in Maryland
Maryland’s two-week firearm deer season opens today as more than 40,000 hunters are expected head into the woods and get situated in tree stands across the state.
“This is our Super Bowl of deer seasons,” said Brian Eyler, deer project leader for the Wildlife and Heritage Service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “We’ll harvest in these two weeks probably about a third of our total deer harvest for the year. It’s still the main event.”
Read More Here: http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/firearm-deer-season-opens-today/article_1dde7ca1-ea81-5fdc-897c-f43627fa645d.html
Snow hampers holiday travel in Maryland
Posted: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014
HAGERSTOWN, Md. A snowfall of up to 7 inches across central and western Maryland is making travel difficult on the day before Thanksgiving.
Police reported minor accidents on slippery roads Wednesday in Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties.
The National Weather Service says 7 inches of snow were reported near Mountain Lake Park in Garrett County. Other snowfall amounts included 3 inches in the Harford County community of Jarrettsville and 2.5 in Carroll County near Manchester.
Fracking moves forward
A week ago, a failed switch in a home along the shores of Deep Creek Lake caused 1,700 gallons of raw sewage to accidentally spill into the water, enough that health officials had to monitor local water quality and post warning signs nearby after the cleanup. The episode was uncommon, but it demonstrated how much the Garrett County resort area depends on pristine water not only at Deep Creek but at the wild and scenic Youghiogheny River, which is considered one of the Mid-Atlantic’s best spots for kayaking.
