Governor O’Malley today announced the formation of Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission to study how drilling in western Maryland can be done without impact to the environment and public health. Of most concern to the Governor and the state’s two environmental agencies, Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is the practice of “fracking,” where large volumes of water and toxic chemicals are pumped deep into the ground to release gas trapped in shale formations.
“I am mindful of the potential benefits that could come from Maryland’s Marcellus Shale gas reserves,” said Governor O’Malley in press release to the Spy. “There are, however, many legitimate public health, safety, environmental, and natural resource issues concerning exploration and extraction of gas from the Marcellus Shale in Maryland. The Commission will study the short-term, long-term, and cumulative effects of natural gas exploration and production in the Marcellus Shale, best practices, and appropriate changes, if any, to the laws and regulations concerning oil and gas. We look forward to their conclusions and recommendations.”
The practice of fracking has been blamed for wide spread contamination of river, streams, and private wells in New York and Pennsylvania; there is currently no technology to properly break down and dispose of the fracking waste once it is removed from the ground. Pennsylvania has been using sewage treatment plants that are ill equipped to break down the toxic chemicals, and the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania has been facing wide spread litigation for endangering public health. New York placed a moratorium on drilling last year, which is still in place.
“The Department currently has the authority in State law and regulation to place all reasonable conditions in permits necessary to provide for public safety and to protect public health, the environment, and natural resources,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Robert M. Summers in the joint press release with O’Malley. “What is lacking is a complete understanding of the risks inherent in deep drilling and fracking and consensus about how to protect against those risks.”
“These issues relate not only to the hydraulic fracturing itself and its possible effect on drinking water, but also the cumulative impact of multiple wells on natural resources and the environment, including air pollution and forest fragmentation,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin in the joint press release with O’Malley. “Maryland’s precious forests, parks, streams, and rivers must be protected.”
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation raised concerns back in March during the legislative session because fracking far away in western Maryland can have serious consequences down stream in the Chesapeake Bay.
“The Chesapeake Bay watershed includes all of Allegheny County and a significant portion of Garrett County where operators have already leased thousands of acres for possible drill sites. So depending on where the drilling takes place, contaminates from the fracking could very easily end up in the streams and rivers that flow to the Bay.” said Terry Cummings, Maryland Manager of Advocacy for CBF. “The Bay is fed by hundreds of streams and rivers across the 64,000 square mile watershed that reaches all the way to Cooperstown, NY. Anything entering that water system has the potential to eventually end up in the Bay. If we don’t protect local waterways, we will never save the Bay. We have more than enough problems with excess nutrients poisoning our waters. We need to make sure we don’t pollute these local waterways with more toxic substances.”
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