Maryland Senate voted 35-10 to ban fracking

Maryland lawmakers vote to ban fracking by Associated Press, March 27, 2017, WBAL

Maryland lawmakers voted Monday to ban hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas, a process better known as fracking.

The Senate voted 35-10 for a measure that already has been approved by the House. That sends the bill to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who supports the ban.

Fracking isn’t being done in Maryland now, but a moratorium on issuing permits ends in October.

… “Let the news go forth to Congress and the White House: Fracking can never be done safely,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

“The Republican governor closest to D.C. — Larry Hogan of Maryland — has joined scientists and health leaders in agreeing that fracking must be banned.”

… Drew Cobbs, executive director of the Maryland Petroleum Council, said the Maryland General Assembly’s decision to approve a statewide ban could hurt families, jobs and energy security.

“Denying Maryland consumers, businesses and job-seekers the benefits that come with in-state energy production through hydraulic fracturing shuts the door on an important share of the American energy renaissance and western Maryland’s future economic growth,” Cobbs said in a statement after the vote.

A portion of the western side of the state sits atop the Marcellus Shale, which runs underground from New York to Tennessee. Neighboring West Virginia and Pennsylvania allow fracking, while New York and Vermont have banned it. [Emphasis added]

[Refer also to:

2017 03 23: Frack ban advances to Maryland Senate floor

2017 03 18: Governor Larry Hogan announces support for frack ban in Maryland with what might be the strongest anti-fracking statement a Republican governor has ever made

2017 03 10: Another wow! Maryland House votes (97-40) to ban fracking by veto-proof margin

2016 09 26: Maryland’s new frac regulations to prohibit frac’ing within 2,000 feet of private drinking water wells and require companies to replace any water supply contaminated by frac’ing And that still wasn’t safe enough for the Governor and lawmakers!]

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