Sharing verbatim from my friends at Engage Mountain Maryland
When Maryland passed a ban on fracking in 2017, legislators, citizens, and nonprofit organizations let out a sigh of relief. At the time, it was the only legislative ban in the United States, making it a landmark achievement. The years-long battle also showed powerful gas and oil executives that citizens have the power to choose.
Three state Senators, including Mike McKay, who represents Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties, have cosponsored a bill to upend the ban and allow fracking in the state. Interestingly, none of the bill’s sponsors live in Garrett County. The Education, Energy, and Environment Committee will hear testimony on bill SB0878, “Oil and Natural Gas – Hydraulic Fracturing – Authorization,” at 1:00 PM on February 27th in Annapolis. Your opinion can greatly influence the outcome of the hearing, like it did in 2017.
The committee and the cosponsors of the bill need to know that people from Garrett County and beyond have not changed their minds about fracking. Horizontal gas drilling has been proven to cause significant environmental damage, negative health impacts, and disruption of businesses and residents. The technique uses massive amounts of water that is removed from local water sources during the drilling process.
When fracking was still a consideration, it was estimated that 438 wells would be drilled by 2025, which would require 3.5 billion gallons of water. That demand during the drought of 2024 would have been catastrophic. The process adds an undisclosed chemical cocktail to the water, turning it into toxic wastewater when it’s extracted from the well. The disposal of fracking waste is an ongoing quandary.
This is just one of many reasons to write to the committee. The button below will take you to a dedicated web page to walk you through the steps of submitting written and oral testimony, as well as submitting letters to the committee members in advance of the hearing. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert on natural gas development to know it’s not right for Garrett County. You’ll also find a list of talking points, expanded information on fracking, and a sample letter to get you started. What you think matters! Help your state’s representatives make informed decisions based on people who live in Maryland.
Thank you from your friends at Engage Mountain Maryland.
