Maryland House passes fracking moratorium! Now on to the Senate

Huge news out of Annapolis: This morning, the Maryland House of Delegates voted by an overwhelming, veto-proof margin — 93 to 45 — to pass a three-year moratorium on fracking in our state!
This is a major step forward — and it’s thanks to your tireless emails, calls, visits to Annapolis, and actions in the streets. But we still have major hurdles ahead.
The Protect Our Health and Communities Act (HB 449) will now need to pass through the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs (EHEA) Committee* before it can be considered for a full Senate floor vote.
If your state senator is a member of this critical committee, tell them to vote “YES” on the fracking moratorium bill (HB 449), and pass it onto the Senate floor.
If your state senator does NOT sit on this critical committee,  you can help spread the good news — and keep the momentum going — by lighting up Facebook feeds across Maryland with visible support for the bill. Click here to share our House victory graphic on Facebook. (And make sure you follow CCAN on Facebook for all the latest updates.)
It was no small feat convincing 93 delegates — including Democrats and Republicans — to stand up to the gas industry and vote in favor of putting a hold on dangerous fracking for natural gas in Maryland. During a long floor debate last night, delegates voted down eight different amendments that would have weakened the bill. This is the first time in four years that a fracking moratorium bill has passed out of the Maryland House of Delegates.
Now our momentum hinges on the Senate EHEA committee. Help put pressure on the committee to act by sending an email to your Senator, and spreading the word on social media.
This swell of grassroots action against fracking is unlike anything we’ve seen before in our state. With the fate of drilling currently in Governor Hogan’s hands, a moratorium is urgently needed now to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the natural resources that are the foundation of so many Maryland livelihoods.
The support of every single delegate and senator matters — and every single action you take matters. We’ve made major progress, but we have major hurdles yet ahead, and we appreciate you pushing with us every step of the way. Click here to spread the news about our House fracking victory, and get ready to take action in the Senate in coming days.
*You can find information on the members of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs (EHEA) Committee here.

Maryland House Passes Three-Year Fracking Moratorium

CCAN applauds resounding 93-45 House vote, calls on senators to act swiftly in turn

ANNAPOLIS—Today the Maryland House of Delegates voted 93 to 45 to pass a three-year fracking moratorium—a resounding 2-to-1 margin that included bipartisan support. The bill, the Protect Our Health and Communities Act (HB 449), now moves on to the Senate.
Shilpa Joshi, Maryland Campaign Coordinator at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, had the following statement in response:
“The House made the right choice today to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the natural resources that are the foundation of so many Maryland livelihoods. As more than 100 Western Maryland businesses, more than 100 Maryland health professionals, and thousands of individual citizens have warned, we have a whole lot to lose and little to gain by opening our state to dangerous fracking.
“Senators should now act swiftly in passing this three-year moratorium. Polling shows that Marylanders want this moratorium, and the emerging science shows that this is the only way to safeguard our health.”
Click here to read the full statement from the “Don’t Frack Maryland” coalition. See the excerpt recapping the widespread grassroots support for the moratorium:

Business owners in Western Maryland have expressed growing concern that fracking will negatively affect the booming tourism industry in that part of the state, where fracking would occur in the Marcellus Shale. Over 100 Western Maryland business owners have signed a letter to the leadership of the General Assembly in support of the fracking moratorium. The Don’t Frack Maryland campaign has also sent over 25,000 messages supporting a moratorium. Letters signed by more than 100 health professionals, and over 50 restaurant owners, chefs, winemakers and farmers from across the state have also been delivered to the General Assembly. And last night, the Friendsville Town Council, whose city is the center of a thriving white-water rafting industry in the state, sent a letter supporting a moratorium to President Miller, urging him to encourage a vote in the Senate.

###

Maryland House Committee Advances Fracking Moratorium Bill

Bill would put a three-year hold on permits for high-risk drilling practice

ANNAPOLIS—Legislation that would institute a moratorium on fracking advanced today in the General Assembly, with the House Environment and Transportation Committee voting 16 to 6 to pass the Protect Our Health and Communities Act (HB 449) on to the House floor. As amended ahead of the committee vote, the bill will place a three-year hold on the issuance of drilling permits in Maryland.

Today’s vote followed an outpouring of grassroots and business support for the bill in recent weeks, along with polls showing a clear majority of Marylanders oppose fracking and want the General Assembly to take action to prevent drilling in the state.
Health professionals, Western Maryland landowners and environmental advocates applauded delegates in the House committee, including bill sponsor Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, for taking a critical first step today to prevent potentially irreversible harm to the state’s air and water and local tourism and agricultural economies:
“This is a vital step forward in protecting the health of Maryland residents. Given that health research is just emerging on this new extractive technology, and what we are seeing thus far is deeply concerning, today’s vote acknowledges the need for more time to assess impacts in neighboring states,” said Gina Angiola, MD and Board Member of Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility. “There would be little to gain and much to lose by allowing fracking to begin in Maryland at this time. We call on the full General Assembly to pass this legislation expeditiously and on the Governor to sign it.”
“It’s extremely gratifying that so many people and their representatives recognize the importance of uniting Mountain Maryland with those who surround the Chesapeake Bay. Today’s vote is a critical step toward protecting the clean air, pure water, and thriving small businesses that attract visitors and allow us to make a living in Appalachian Maryland,” said Paul Roberts of Citizen Shale and owner of Deep Creek Vineyards. “It’s essential that the General Assembly pass a fracking moratorium, and do it this year, to secure our local tourism economy and heritage.”
“Today’s vote responds to mounting evidence that fracking is dangerous to our health, and mounting public opposition to putting Marylanders in harm’s way of the gas industry. We applaud Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo, Chairman Barve, and committee delegates for their leadership, and we look forward to passing this bill out of the House and the Senate and onto the governor’s desk,” said Shilpa Joshi, Maryland campaign coordinator at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
Contact:
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
Shilpa Joshi, 503-998-8630, shilpa@chesapeakeclimate.org

###

Don’t Frack Maryland brings together a diverse group of public interest organizations, businesses, and faith groups from across Maryland and the United States. For more information on the statewide campaign for a moratorium on fracking in Maryland: http://www.dontfrackmd.org

Maryland Farmers, Brewers, and Restaurateurs Call on the General Assembly to Pass a Fracking Moratorium

Over 50 food professionals warn lawmakers: ‘clean water and healthy soil’ is vital to business

ANNAPOLIS—Warning that clean water and healthy soil are vital to their economic success, 56 Maryland food business owners and professionals are delivering a letter to the General Assembly today urging lawmakers to pass a moratorium on fracking in the state.
“Our livelihoods depend on pure water, healthy soil, and clean air and would be irreversibly damaged by hydraulic fracturing,” the letter states on behalf of farmers, chefs, restaurant owners, brewers, winemakers, cheesemakers, retailers, cidermakers, and more.
“Agriculture, fishing, restaurants, tourism, and food and beverage production make up a vital economic network in our state, and we rely on clean water and healthy soil to cultivate our local bounty and succeed in our business … Be our leader and pass the Protect Our Health and Communities Act (SB 409/HB 449) for the state of Maryland,” the letter concludes.
The Protect Our Health and Communities Act, which would put a long-term hold on fracking permits in Maryland, is currently awaiting action by House and Senate committees following recent bill hearings.
The food professionals signing today’s letter join more than 100 Western Maryland business owners who appealed to lawmakers last week to pass the moratorium bill. That letter warned that the highly industrial, polluting process of fracking could have “sudden and dramatic” negative impacts on the tourism-dependent economy of Mountain Maryland.
Businesses represented on today’s letter span the state, from FireFly Farms in Garrett County to Distillery Lane Ciderworks near Frederick to Hawks Hill Creamery in Harford County to Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen.
“Fracking near any Maryland farm or vineyard will compromise the safety of both the crop and the grower,” said Nadine Grabania, co-owner of Deep Creek Cellars Winery in Friendsville. “Many have heard by now the well-known risks to air, water and public health associated with fracking. But fracking will also harm our food and our lungs with road dust and diesel particulates as quiet country roads are turned into industrial traffic jams near Maryland farms. We’re proud to stand with fellow Maryland food growers and professionals to ask for a moratorium on fracking until we know for sure that this heavy industrial activity will not harm our health, our local food, and our thriving farm-to-table economy.”
“From the oysters in the Chesapeake to our bountiful farms, Maryland has long been known for its natural abundance,” said Spike Gjerde, founder of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore. “The purity of our food and farmland is unparalleled, and we have a strong community of local growers and food artisans dedicated to protecting our rich agricultural heritage from fracking.”
Fracking is a controversial natural gas drilling method that involves blasting millions of gallons of water, sand and toxic chemicals underground at extreme pressure to break up rock and release the gas. Maryland’s new governor, Larry Hogan, has said he wants to move forward with drilling—despite the growing evidence of its harm and the most recent polling, which shows a clear majority of Marylanders oppose the practice.
Last week, the “Don’t Frack Maryland” coalition, which includes more than 100 public interest organizations, businesses, health professionals and faith groups, delivered over 20,000 messages to lawmakers from residents across the state calling for a moratorium.
View the full text of the letter and all 56 signers at: http://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MD-Farmers-Food-Professionals-Fracking-Moratorium-Letter.pdf
Contact:
Shilpa Joshi, 240-396-2029, shilpa@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

###

After Four Derailments in Four Weeks, Maryland Legislators Take on Crude Oil Risks

In the past four weeks, there have been four train derailments, four explosions, and four terrifying examples of communities and lives at risk from crude oil trains. As a consequence, crude oil has spilled into waterways, potentially contaminating drinking water, hundreds of people have had to evacuate their homes, and fires have burned for days.
With so many derailments and explosions from crude oil trains, it seems like train car disasters are the new normal. But why? An exponential increase in oil extraction via fracking in North Dakota has led to a surge of crude oil travelling by rail in recent years. This extreme form of energy extraction produces highly flammable and explosive oil that simply can’t be transported safely, yet more and more is moving through our communities every day. A lack of publicly available information on crude by rail, weak federal oversight, and limited emergency planning only add to the problem.
However, there is good news: states and cities across the country are responding to citizens’ concerns, and taking action to shed light on this dangerous practice.
Now Maryland is joining in the fight. Delegate Clarence Lam (D-12) is the lead sponsor of House Bill 1073, which addresses some of the problems listed above. This bill was introduced in response to recent derailments and the potential threat of a new crude oil shipping terminal in Baltimore, proposed by Texas-based Targa Resources. If the terminal is approved, the city of Baltimore and rail communities throughout Maryland could face a new surge of over a million gallons of explosive crude oil every day, which you can read more about in my previous blog post. The bill would require Maryland state agencies to study risks and impacts in the event of a crude oil spill during rail transport. On top of that, the bill would also require rail companies to disclose the amounts and routes of crude oil transport throughout the state, something rail companies are currently suing the state of Maryland to keep secret.
The bill so far has received a broad array of support from community members, neighborhood associations, Democrats, Republicans, railroad employees, and environmental groups alike. Last Wednesday, during a hearing in Annapolis, I testified in favor of the bill, along with Delegate Lam, Ana Rule (a PhD researcher at Johns Hopkins), and Will Fadely from Clean Water Action. The bill garnered no testimony in opposition.
With oil train disasters happening on a seemingly weekly basis, it’s clear that urgent action should be taken. This bill is a common-sense first step forward to shed light on the risks in Maryland. It’s not a question of what to do “if” a crude oil train derails and explodes, it’s a question of “when” a train derails and explodes in Maryland, where would it happen, and how can we make sure all emergency responders are prepared.
Of course, we are continuing to work as hard as we can to make sure crude oil doesn’t flow through Baltimore. At a minimum, if passed, Del. Lam’s bill will give citizens, elected officials, and emergency responders basic information about the scope of the risks.
Click here to keep up the pressure on the Baltimore City Council and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: Keep Crude Oil out of Baltimore!

Poll: Strong Majority of Marylanders Oppose Proposed Exelon Takeover of Pepco

Strong voter opposition aligns with Maryland Energy Administration, state attorney general, and Office of People’s Counsel


BALTIMORE—As Maryland utility regulators near a decision on the proposed merger between Exelon and Pepco Holdings, Inc, new poll
results show that a strong majority of Maryland voters—61 percent—oppose the deal.
The poll, conducted by the public interest research firm OpinionWorks, found that:

  • Sixty-one percent of state voters oppose the merger, with only 22% expressing support and 17% unsure.
  • Opposition is bipartisan, with 63% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans polled stating opposition.
  • Notably, public opposition was strongest—with 73% opposed—in Baltimore City, where Exelon previously merged with BGE in 2012. City ratepayers have seen four rate hikes in three years since Exelon’s takeover.

“We now know that this merger is not only a bad deal for Marylanders, but a highly unpopular one as well,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Maryland voters do not want an Exelon monopoly in our state, and rightly so. This deal would harm ratepayers and harm our future ability to generate local, renewable energy. The Public Service Commission should reject it.”
The proposed merger, which would give Chicago-based Exelon control over 85 percent of Maryland ratepayers, is facing strong headwinds in the state. Last week, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and the Maryland Energy Administration filed a brief with the Public Service Commission (PSC) affirming the state’s outright opposition.
“The merger enjoys no support from the state or numerous affected stakeholders,” wrote Frosh and the Maryland Energy Administration. “This is not surprising. … There is nothing in this nearly $7 billion transaction that is of tangible benefit to customers or Maryland’s economy. Worse, the transaction poses significant potential harms.”
The deal is also strongly opposed by the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, as well as consumer and clean energy advocates. Opponents contest that Exelon is seeking to shore up its own shaky financial footing—as the nation’s largest owner of aging and increasingly expensive nuclear reactors—by taking over Pepco. The company also has a long track record of opposing clean energy policies at the federal and state levels, including legislation in Maryland to spur rooftop solar and local, distributed renewable energy.
The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) is charged with determining whether or not the proposed Exelon-Pepco merger is in the “public interest.” The PSC must rule on the merger by April 8, 2015.
The OpinionWorks poll, commissioned by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, surveyed 594 randomly-selected Maryland registered voters between February 26, 2015 – March 8, 2015 and carries a margin of sampling error no greater than ±4.0%.
RESOURCES:

CONTACT:
Mike Tidwell, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

###

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the biggest and oldest grassroots organization dedicated to fighting climate change in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. We’re building a powerful movement to shift our region away from climate-harming fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions.

 

Speaking Truth to Power (again)

For the third time in less than two years, I met yesterday with the Chair of FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. I was not alone. With me from the “good guys” side were Tracey Eno, leader of Calvert Citizens for a Healthy Community in Cove Point, MD, Jocelyn D’Ambrosio of Earthjustice and, via phone because her plane arrived late, Sandra Steingraber from We Are Seneca Lake.
On the “power” side were FERC Chair Cheryl LaFleur and literally eight other FERC staff from various parts of their bureaucracy.
My first time meeting with the then-FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff was in May of 2013. The second time was last June with Cheryl LaFleur. In both cases, as was true of this one also, the meetings happened after I and others had gone to one of FERC’s monthly Commissioners’ meetings and made our presence felt.
A month ago, after going to FERC with representatives of Green America for a meeting they had set up with Commissioner Phillip Moeller, I was “banned,” the security guard’s word, from the FERC building, escorted out of the meeting room on the 11th floor we had been taken to just as the meeting was about to start. However, several hours later, after contacting someone I knew in the press, I got a call from the Executive Director of FERC apologizing and telling me I was not banned.
The meeting yesterday was requested just before my temporary banishment. It was requested on behalf of Beyond Extreme Energy, which has been ratcheting up the pressure and putting a public spotlight on the many serious problems with the way FERC works. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called it “a rogue agency.”
What was our hope in requesting the meeting? Our hope, slim as we knew it to be, was that perhaps in the context of a “civilized” sit-down in this way, we could see some signs that the campaign that has been building over the last couple of years to make FERC work for the people and not the fossil fuel industry has had some impact.
There was little sign of that yesterday. After we raised (for me, for the third time) our well-reasoned criticisms of FERC, their rubber-stamping of proposed gas infrastructure expansion projects, their minimal efforts to prioritize wind and solar technologies, they didn’t have much to say. After we pushed it, LaFleur did reference some rule changes they had made to make it easier for those technologies to become part of the electrical grid, and another person did want to know more of our thinking about what they should be doing in the area of renewables. But as Sandra said afterwards, LaFleur’s main response was to say, in effect, “we’re trying to take it in, we are listening,” little more.
The one exception to this was in the area of FERC’s processes: their website, the meetings they set up, how they deal with administrative appeals after granting a permit for gas infrastructure expansion. There was a bit more, not much, back and forth with FERC staff in these areas. Perhaps, over time, we will see some modifications; time will tell.
The meeting made crystal clear that we need to seize the time and ratchet up the pressure. Fortunately, Beyond Extreme Energy is doing so, moving forward with its week-plus of action at FERC from May 21-29. That’s when our growing movement can show OUR power, speak the truth in powerful ways to those using theirs wrongly. Our children and grandchildren are calling upon us to step it up right now!

Marylanders come to Annapolis to say NO to fracking!

On Tuesday, March 3rd, dozens of anti-fracking activists gathered in Annapolis from across the state to say NO to fracking in Maryland.
Folks traveled from as far away as Garrett County to have their voices heard in support of the Protect Our Health and Communities Act (SB 409/HB 449), which would put a long-term moratorium on fracking.

State Senator Karen Montgomery

The day began with an energetic rally, despite the frigid temperatures.  Our legislative champions kicked off the rally with some inspirational words. We are excited to work with the bill’s sponsors, Senator Karen Montgomery and Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, to get this important legislation passed! Delegate Hidalgo has serious concerns about fracking and public health, “It would be irresponsible as legislators, as parents, to move forward on fracking.”
We then heard from health experts Dr. Gina Angiola and Dr. Annie Bristow on the dangers to our communities from the fracking chemicals that could travel into our land, air, and water.
JT Stanley, a student at University of Maryland, College Park, and Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food and Water Watch, fired up the crowd with stories of the anti-fracking movement across the country, and how students are building power on campus to fight climate change and fossil fuels.
The rally ended with a powerful message from the citizens of Western Maryland.  Tiffany Blackden, owner of The Alley Bowling Lanes and Nadine Grabania of Deep Creek Cellars reflected on how their businesses would be impacted if fracking came to their region. Tiffany and her family would have to relocate due to their son’s chemical sensitivity, and fracking would put the water source of Nadine’s winery at risk of contamination, potentially destroying the business.
16519292038_0b9a252ae8_zThe rally was just the first act in the anti-fracking day of action.  In the afternoon, the Protect Our Health and Communities Act was up for its first Senate hearing in the 2015 General Assembly.
With our cheers of “Don’t Frack Maryland” ringing in the ears of the 12 senators on the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs committee, we reconvened at for the Senate hearing nearly six hours later to testify on why we need a long-term moratorium on fracking.
Over 20 citizens testified in favor of the bill, including experts on health from the Maryland Nurses Association, as well as environmental advocates from Clean Water Action and the Sierra Club.  Marylanders already living with the effects of natural gas infrastructure testified on its harmful impacts on their community, including Ann Nau a citizen of Myersville, MD, where a new compressor station, is causing noise, climate, and air pollution.
Citizens from Garrett and Allegany Counties.

To close out the day, more folks from Western Maryland warned the committee about the disastrous effects fracking could have on the local economy and business in Garrett and Allegany Counties, which so heavily rely on tourism and environmental recreation.
All across Maryland people are coming together to say NO to fracking. Health leaders, business owners, students, and so many more agree: Don’t frack Maryland, pass the The Protect Our Health and Communities Act (SB 409/HB 449. Add your voice by sending a message to our legislators: Put a long-term moratorium on fracking!
To see more pictures, visit our Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chesapeakeclimate/sets
Want to get more involved in the campaign to keep fracking out of Maryland? Email Shilpa Joshi Maryland Campaign Coordinator at Shilpa@chesapeakeclimate.org.
 
 

Victory Alert: Solar Net Metering Bill Passes the Virginia Legislature!

On February 23rd, the Virginia legislature passed HB1950 and SB1395, raising the non-residential net metering project cap from 500 kw to 1MW- a concrete step to grow Virginia’s clean energy economy!
Here are the details of the bill:

  • Doubles Virginia’s Cap to 1MW. The bill raised the non-residential project cap for solar net metering customers from 500 kilowatts to 1 megawatts.

Thanks to the bills sponsors, Senator Rosalyn Dance and Delegate Jennifer McClellan for leading the way and carrying this critical legislation, and thank you to CCAN’s volunteers across the state who called in and emailed the legislature to help make this bill a reality.
Virginia is now comparable in terms of its non-residential solar cap with neighboring North Carolina (also 1MW cap). This legislation means that businesses across the state can now increase their solar usage!
Another victory came from HB 2267, introduced by Del. Tim Hugo, that will establish a Solar Development Authority for Virginia. The authority will smooth the way for the solar industry to expand in Virginia. Most importantly, the authority is tasked to bring online at least 400 megawatts of solar by 2020 — enough to power at least 100,000 homes!
We have more work to do to continue to expand the use of solar in Virginia!  Reach out to Lauren, Virginia’s solar campaign coordinator at lauren@chesapeakeclimate.org,  to help in the effort to amplify this good work and to join CCAN’s 2015 solar campaign.
Take Action: Click here to thank state senators and delegates who led the way on solar energy legislation in 2015.
Learn more: Fact Sheet – Non-residential Net Metering Project Cap HB1950/SB1395 (PDF)
 

Fracking Poll: Strong Majority of Marylanders Want the General Assembly to Put a Long-Term Hold on Risky Drilling

On eve of Senate hearing, polling shows sixty-eight percent of state voters support either a legislative moratorium or a ban on fracking

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Poll results released today show that a strong and bipartisan majority of Maryland voters—more than two-thirds—believe that the General Assembly should pass legislation to put a long-term hold on the practice of fracking for natural gas in Maryland. Advocates pointed to the poll as further evidence that 2015 fracking moratorium legislation, which is slated for a Senate hearing tomorrow afternoon, reflects the will of state voters.
In recent weeks, Washington Post and Goucher polls have also showed that a majority of Marylanders oppose fracking and are worried about major risks it would pose to water resources. The poll released today differed by specifically asking Maryland voters how they believe the state legislature should act on fracking.
The results of the poll, conducted by the nonpartisan firm OpinionWorks, show that:

  • Support for action is strong: Sixty-eight percent of Maryland voters believe the General Assembly should put either a long-term moratorium (43%) or an outright ban (25%) on fracking.
  • Support for action is bipartisan: A majority of Republican voters polled—56 percent—support a long-term moratorium or ban, alongside nearly three-quarters of Democrats.
  • Marylanders want the General Assembly, not Governor Hogan, to make the call: In fact, more Marylanders want the General Assembly to ban fracking outright (25%) than want legislators to leave the decision up to Governor Larry Hogan (20%).

“This poll confirms that Marylanders are looking to the General Assembly for leadership,” said Shilpa Joshi, Maryland campaign coordinator at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “By passing a moratorium on fracking in 2015, state legislators will be ensuring the health and safety of all Marylanders and responding to the will of voters.”
The Protect Our Health and Communities Act (HB 449/SB 409), introduced in early February by Senator Karen Montgomery, Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, and 51 legislative co-sponsors, will be heard Tuesday afternoon in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. The bill would place an eight-year hold on the issuance of drilling permits in Maryland. Scientists and health professionals have said that a long-term moratorium is required to fully understand the nature and severity of the long-term cumulative health risks of drilling and fracking.
“Dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies indicate inherent risks to public health and the environment from fracking wherever it occurs,” said Ann Bristow, PhD, a Garrett County resident who was a commissioner on the state’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission and is a cofounder of Concerned Health Professionals of Maryland. “The Maryland public is rightly worried about these risks. It’s time for the General Assembly to follow the lead of New York and take action to protect our communities from potentially irreversible harm.”
Ahead of tomorrow’s committee hearing, legislators, advocates, business owners, health professionals and scores of concerned state residents will hold a noon rally on Lawyers’ Mall in support of a long-term moratorium on fracking.
In February, more than 100 Maryland health professionals sent a letter to the General Assembly leadership in support of a long-term moratorium. Tomorrow’s rally is hosted by the “Don’t Frack Maryland” coalition, which includes more than 100 public interest organizations, businesses, health professionals and faith groups committed to passing a long-term moratorium on fracking in Maryland.
The OpinionWorks poll, commissioned by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, surveyed 500 randomly-selected Maryland registered voters between February 3, 2015 – February 11, 2015 and carries a margin of sampling error no greater than ±4.5%.
Advocates are using the hashtag #DontFrackMd to share updates and information on the legislation and related events.
View the OpinionWorks memo on the fracking poll results.
View the infographic on the poll results.
Contact:
Shilpa Joshi, 240-396-2029, shilpa@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org

###

Background: More than 425 peer-reviewed scientific studies on the effects of shale gas development now exist, and 75 percent of those have been published since January 2013. Of the 49 studies that investigated the health effects of fracking, 47 – over 96 percent – found risks or adverse health outcomes. Maryland’s Institute for Applied Environmental Health (MIAEH) also concluded that the likelihood of negative public health impacts was “high” or “moderately high” in 7 of 8 areas studied.