Federal Review of Atlantic Coast Pipeline Fails People and the Environment

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s flawed analysis of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline fails the public and the environment.
An analysis of environmental impacts for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline is completely inadequate and falls far short of legal requirements.  This is the overwhelming consensus of thousands of comments filed this week with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  The agency had issued on December 30 a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the proposed 600-mile natural gas pipeline that would go from central West Virginia, through Virginia and terminate in southern North Carolina.  April 6 is the deadline for public comments.
“FERC’s inability to provide a sound analysis of this project is a violation of the National Environmental Policy Act,” said Lewis Freeman, Chair and Executive Director of the Alleghany-Blue Ridge Alliance, a coalition of 51-organizations opposing the project. “What’s more, the Commission is poised to make a decision that will reverberate for decades based on inadequate information.”
The shortcomings of the DEIS are considerable because of its failure to:

  • Assess the true market demand for natural gas in the region of the proposed pipeline;
  • Take a hard look at the effects the proposed route planned through predominantly minority and low-income neighborhoods would have on communities;
  • Consider the devastation to mountaintops construction would have across steep, forested Appalachian ridges;
  • Provide adequate environmental information. The DEIS lacks sufficient information about the ACP and its potential environmental impacts on a wide variety of resources, including water resources, wetlands, cultural resources, threatened and endangered species and climate change implications; and
  • Identify, consider, and analyze all reasonable alternatives.

“The federal government is glossing over the massive impacts this 600-mile pipeline would have on neighboring communities and climate change,” said Alison Kelly, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Greenlighting this pipeline without a sufficient review of the damage it would cause is a disservice to the people who life in its path and treasure this part of Appalachia.”
Greg Buppert, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said: “FERC is only telling one side of the story, and that story fails to answer the critical threshold question – is this project even necessary?”  Buppert points out that recent energy demand forecasts have cast serious doubt on the need for the ACP.  Furthermore, two-thirds of new generating capacity being added in the United States is based on renewable sources, not natural gas. Building the ACP would be contrary to the future growth of the electric utility industry.
“ACP refused to do the necessary impact analysis, so we have had to hire engineers to find out what will actually happen,” said Ben Luckett, a senior attorney with Appalachian Mountain Advocates. “We’ve learned the pipeline would create millions of cubic yards of excess dirt and rock for which ACP has no disposal plan and will level many of our scenic ridgetops, much like a mountaintop removal coal mine. We fear the most likely resting place for all of that construction spoil will be in our rivers, lakes, and streams. It is truly a slap in the face to hear FERC dismiss these impacts as ‘insignificant’ or, worse yet, to see that they have failed to analyze them at all.”
“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline environmental review failed to adequately address the threats it poses to our communities and our environment. This dirty and dangerous pipeline creates concern for significant risks of adverse impacts due to the nature of the terrain that the line would cross. Based on multiple unresolved environmental issues and potential hazards, and the magnitude of this project, FERC must reject the application. The stakes are very high and the risks are far too great,” said Kirk Bowers, Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club.
Anne Havemann, Senior Counsel at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said: “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be a disaster for the climate. It will trigger a massive new wave of fracking, bringing climate pollution equivalent to 20 new coal-fired power plants. FERC’s own former chairman Norman Bay said that the agency should reconsider how it analyzes environmental impacts of pipelines like ACP, including analyzing lifecycle climate emissions. FERC should heed his advice and revise its analysis, or reject the pipeline.”
Peter Anderson, Virginia Program Manager for Appalachian Voices, noted: “A couple of months ago, the former Chairman of FERC raised significant doubts that the agency adequately analyzes pipeline need and climate impacts. This draft environmental impact statement is no different. FERC should rescind this DEIS and start over, this time with final route proposals, completed surveys, climate analysis that accounts for the entire life cycle, and a critical analysis of market demand and alternatives.”
“We know that projects like these are invariably placed near communities of low-income, people of color, or the elderly. In usual fashion, the ACP places a heavy burden on the poor and elderly, perhaps by design. These folks may not have the energy, stamina, and resources to fight, and that’s what these companies are banking on. This is an example of outside interests that plan to use our resources and toxify our land for their own benefit. It’s an old story that continues to play out the same way, despite the best efforts of local people to change our energy landscape,” said April Pierson-Keating Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance, Upshur County, WV.

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Contacts:
Lewis Freeman, Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance, 703-298-8107, lewfreeman@gmail.com
Greg Buppert, Southern Environmental Law Center, 434-977-4090, gbuppert@selcva.org
Ben Luckett, Appalachian Mountain Advocates, 404-645-0125, bluckett@appalmad.org

Maryland Fracking Ban To Become Law, With Nationwide Implications

Senate passes bill with GOP governor support, following six years of grassroots resistance across the state of Maryland

ANNAPOLIS – With game-changing support from Republican Governor Larry Hogan, the Maryland state Senate Monday night gave final approval to a bill to forever ban the practice of fracking in Maryland. This move culminates years of protests against fracking for gas from landowners, health leaders, and environmentalists. It also sets a nationally significant precedent as other states grapple with the dangerous drilling method.

Maryland will now become the first state in America with proven gas reserves to ban fracking by legislative action. New York has banned the drilling process via executive order. Vermont has a statutory ban but the state has no frackable gas reserves at present.

The Maryland ban is sending political waves across the East Coast and the nation. From Virginia (where leaders have imposed or proposed local bans at the county and municipal level) to the state of Florida (which is looking to follow Maryland’s statewide ban), the “keep-it-in-the-ground” movement is gaining new bipartisan steam even as President Donald Trump recklessly works to approve disastrous pipelines like Keystone XL.

“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 DC – Larry Hogan of Maryland – has joined scientists and health leaders in agreeing that fracking must be banned. This is a win for Marylanders and for citizens nationwide as we move away from violent fossil fuels and toward sustainable wind and solar power.”

With Senate passage late Monday night, the Maryland bill will now be sent to Gov. Hogan’s desk in the next few days for signing.

The push to ban fracking in Maryland began six years ago as gas companies swarmed into western Maryland to tap the Marcellus Shale basin. This is the same pool of gas that has been widely fracked in Pennsylvania and West Virginia with negative consequences. But then-Governor Martin O’Malley (D) imposed a temporary moratorium before any drilling occurred. Over the years, the movement for a permanent ban came to include farmers, doctors, students, faith leaders, environmental groups, and others – constituting the largest statewide grassroots movement ever seen in Maryland on an energy issue. Former member of the House of Delegates Heather Mizeur was a leading figure in sparking the statewide ban effort. With time, multiple counties and cities in the state banned fracking locally and public polling consistently showed growing support for a statewide ban. Finally, earlier this month, with overwhelming support among Democratic lawmakers, even the previously pro-fracking Republican governor saw the wisdom of a ban.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has been honored to play a leading role in this campaign along with our friends in the Don’t Frack Maryland Coalition, including Food and Water Watch, Citizen Shale, Engage Mountain Maryland, the Sierra Club, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Physicians for Social Responsibility and many others.

The Maryland fracking ban bill also could not have succeeded without the extraordinary leadership of Kumar Barve (D-Montgomery County) and David Fraser-Hildago (D-Montgomery County) in the Maryland House of Delegates. The same must be said of Bobby Zirkin (D-Baltimore County) and Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George’s County) in the Maryland Senate. But Senator Zirkin, more than any other legislator, fought tirelessly for the fracking ban and refused to compromise on the road to this historic victory.

CONTACT: Denise Robbins; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 608-620-8819

GOP Governor Supports Fracking Ban in MD!

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Today, Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland yielded to overwhelming scientific data and voter support by giving his support to a statutory ban on hydraulic fracking for gas in the state. He made the announcement at a press conference joined by Maryland Senator Bobby Zirkin, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 740. The bill would place a statewide ban on the drilling practice. Hogan’s announcement almost certainly assures that a fracking ban will become law in the state. The House of Delegates passed a fracking ban bill last week with bipartisan support, and the Senate could now do the same next week. Maryland would then become the first state in the country to ban fracking by statute. The ban has been supported by a huge coalition lead by the “Don’t Frack Maryland Coalition” with leadership from Food and Water Watch and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“Governor Hogan’s decision to support a permanent fracking ban in Maryland has created a day of historic importance for the entire nation. Hogan has joined a statewide bipartisan effort to prevent this dangerous drilling technology from ever polluting Maryland’s water, air, climate, and childhood health. In short, he has done the right thing. Most importantly, on climate change, Maryland is now poised to keep a dangerous pool of fossil fuels in the ground forever. Scientists say this is what states across America and countries around the world need to do to solve global warming. Instead of fracking, we need more solar energy. Instead of coal, we need wind power. Instead of oil, we need electric cars. Larry Hogan just took a big step for Maryland and the nation in moving us toward that goal.”

Western Maryland Residents, Faith Leaders Arrested In Civil Disobedience Action In Support Of Fracking Ban

Sit-in at State House calls on MD Senate to pass a permanent, statewide ban on fracking

ANNAPOLIS, MD- A group of anti-fracking advocates — including faith leaders and western Maryland residents — barred the entrance to the Maryland State House Thursday morning in a peaceful act of civil disobedience. The protesters demanded that the Maryland Senate pass a permanent ban on the controversial gas drilling technique, and were joined by dozens of faith leaders and supporters at a rally on Lawyer’s Mall.
The activists appealed to Senate leadership, including Senate President Mike Miller, to lead the way in passing a bill for a statewide fracking ban. Last Friday, the House of Delegates passed a ban bill by a bipartisan, veto-proof-majority of 97-40. Maryland voters overwhelmingly oppose fracking according to recent polls from The Washington Post and Opinionworks.
“Last week, the House passed a bill to ban fracking because it has become resoundingly clear that Marylanders oppose the drilling practice,” said Delegate Shane Robinson (D-39). “I am proud to have stood up for my constituents in protecting their water and climate. Now, it is up to the Senate to take us over the finish line for a statewide fracking ban.”
Supporters of a ban say that fracking would threaten the drinking water for all Marylanders and greatly harm public health. Over 80 percent of the peer-reviewed scientific studies that have been published on public health – examining asthma attacks, premature births, high-risk pregnancies, and more – show risks or actual harm to people living near active fracking operations. Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility concluded that no regulations on fracking can “adequately protect public health and the environment over time.”
“As stewards of God’s creation, United Methodists are opposed to hydraulic fracturing because of the serious consequences for the environment, including damage to water and geological stability,” said Reverend Julie Wilson, Chair for the Board of Church and Society for the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. “We support a ban on fracking.”
“Western Maryland would be targeted first by fracking, and western Marylanders overwhelmingly know that we can never allow it to take place,” said Ann Bristow, Garrett County resident and member of Gov. O’Malley’s Marcellus shale advisory commission. “The more we learn about fracking, the more we know we need a ban. Our water, health and climate are far more important than short term gain for the natural gas industry. Once free of worrying about fracking in Maryland, we can all turn our attention to a renewable and sustainable future.”
Fracking would also threaten the local economy of western Maryland, which relies heavily on tourism and agriculture. In Garrett County, which is likely to be the first area targeted if fracking is allowed, more than half the jobs and two-thirds of the tax base are derived from tourism-related real estate and business activity—all of which could be threatened by industrial fracking operations.
“Our mom-and-pop ecotourism business is run out of our house,” said Carol McMahon Calhoun, owner of All Earth Eco Tours. “Friendsville is a small valley community that would be destroyed by fracking. If fracking is allowed, it would pollute our water, air, and soil, because even though the Town proper has banned fracking, we cannot adequately protect ourselves from upstream pollution.”
“I am willing to be arrested in order to protect clean water, protect air quality, protect the people of Maryland, protect wildlife, and protect farms from the greed of the oil and gas industry, said western Maryland resident Carol Smith. “We must protect the earth since the earth cannot protect itself.”
 
CONTACT:
Denise Robbins; Chesapeake Climate Action Network; denise.sylvie@gmail.com; 608-620-8819
Jackie Filson; Food and Water Watch; 202-683-2538, jfilson@fwwatch.org

House Passes Bill to Ban Fracking in Maryland for First Time With Bipartisan Support

The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill to ban fracking by a vote of 97 to 40. Advocates now call on the Senate to pass the ban bill.

Annapolis, MD —  The Maryland House of Delegates passed a milestone fracking ban bill today with unprecedented bipartisan support.  House Bill 1325, which passed by a vote of 97 to 40, would ban hydraulic fracturing statewide.
Public opposition to the practice has grown over the past year, as over a dozen counties and cities across the state have already passed local resolutions and ordinances to ban fracking and more than 1,000 Marylanders marched through the state capitol last week to demand a fracking ban.
“We cannot afford to put our health, our ecology, or the growing economy of Western Maryland at risk for fracking.  That is why a total ban is necessary and supported by the people of Maryland,” said Kumar Barve, Chairman of the House Environment & Transportation Committee that put forth the bill.
“As a longtime proponent of legislative initiatives to protect Maryland from the dangers of fracking, I commend the Maryland House of Delegates for voting in support of a fracking ban,” said Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo who introduced the bill. “Across the country, fracking is polluting the air and water of countless communities and making people sick. The passing of this bill is a huge step forward in securing Maryland as a national leader in combating climate change and protecting our citizens.”
“Marylanders have made it loud and clear that they want to keep the reckless oil and gas industry out of our state. With this vote, the House has listened to our constituents and learned from the destruction that other states already face to avoid damage to our own precious natural resources,” said Shane Robinson, Montgomery County Delegate. “Our quest for economic opportunities and growth in Maryland will not come at the expense of safe drinking water, clean air, public health and a thriving tourism industry.”
Residents from across the state have sent more than 35,000 petitions and letters in support of a ban to the General Assembly. More than 200 businesses, the majority from Western Maryland, and over 200 Maryland health professionals sent letters to the General Assembly in support of the bill.
“The passing of the fracking ban bill through the House by a 57 vote margin is truly a watershed moment for Maryland,” said Mitch Jones, Senior Policy Advocate at Food & Water Watch. “The current overwhelming support from Maryland delegates shows an understanding that without a ban, public health and local businesses cannot be protected. We applaud this critical step towards preserving the resources and economy of Maryland and call on the Senate to follow the lead of the House.”
“This is a great victory for all of Maryland for our economic future, our public health, and preserving our natural resources for generations to come,” said Karla Raettig, Executive Director of Maryland League of Conservation Voters. “We applaud the Maryland General Assembly House for their bipartisan action in protecting their constituents from this dangerous practice and urge the Senate chamber to do the same.”
“Today, the Maryland House of Delegates stood up for the people of Maryland in passing a ban on fracking,” said Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “This bill’s passage is the culmination of an immense grassroots movement that has been growing for years. We commend the Maryland House for working to protect the health of their citizens and the climate over Big Oil profits.”

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Contact: Jackie Filson, Food & Water Watch; 202-683-2538; jfilson@fwwatch.org

CCAN praises landmark energy efficiency legislation

CCAN praises landmark energy efficiency legislation

Marylanders are expected to save $11.7 billion on energy bills over the next ten years with the passage of Senate Bill 184.

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Senate today gave approval to the strongest legislation in a decade designed to advance energy efficiency in the state. By a vote of 32-14, the chamber voted to pass Senate Bill 184. This bill would codify the “EmPOWER Maryland” program, ensuring that Maryland remains a national leader on energy efficiency in the electricity sector. The House passed a very similar version of this bill last week, meaning final legislation will likely be sent to Governor Hogan soon.

In July 2015, the Maryland Public Service Commission issued an order to strengthen the EmPOWER Maryland program, the state’s signature energy-efficiency program, by setting a 2 percent energy savings goal and updating the cost-effectiveness criteria. SB 184 would codify that order and ensure EmPOWER’s continued success in Maryland. The legislation would also make Maryland a top ten energy-efficiency state.

Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, released the following statement:

“Today, the Maryland Senate voted to fight climate change, create jobs, and save energy dollars for state ratepayers. SB 184 will ensure that Maryland remains a top ten energy-efficiency state. The least expensive way to meet Maryland’s future energy demand is to use less energy. On a dollar-for-dollar basis, it costs less to save energy through energy efficiency than it does to generate that same amount of energy from any type of power plant. SB 184 is common sense legislation, and its passage will help Maryland transition to a clean energy economy.”

MORE BACKGROUND: The current “EmPOWER Maryland” program has saved over 51 million megawatt-hours of electricity, resulting in more than $4 billion in total customer bill savings over the life of the measures. That’s the equivalent of enough electricity to power 850,000 residential customers for five years. The program has also created more than 2,000 Maryland jobs, and a new study from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that the program could create up to 68,000 new jobs in the state over the next 10 years.

With passage of SB 184, Maryland families and businesses are expected save $11.7 billion on their energy bills over the next ten years, and reduce the energy equivalent of closing 5 coal-fired plants over the next ten years, while cutting the carbon emissions of nearly 200,000 cars annually.

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819,
Chesapeake Climate Action Network

To Fight Back Trump's EPA Assaults, Join the People's Climate Mobilization

Come to March on April 29th to support action on climate and make your voice heard!
Washington, DC — To fight back the Trump administration’s reported attacks on the Environmental Protection Agency, the People’s Climate Movement is calling on the public to join the April 29 March for Climate, Jobs and Justice.
In undoing hard-won protections of the health of our communities and climate, the Trump administration plans to drastically slash the EPA budget by at least 20 percent, according to multiple sources. The administration’s plan to eliminate one-fifth of the department would put more than 3,000 people out of work. Just this morning, EPA chief Scott Pruitt scrapped the rule requiring the oil and gas industry to report methane pollution.
Before the EPA’s founding in 1970, urban cities from Los Angeles to New York City were plagued with heavy pollution, deeming them unrecognizable to the average person today. For nearly 50 years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been a crucial governmental tool in protection of the health and safety of people and planet.
Earlier this week, Trump signed an order attempting to roll back the waters of the United States rule adopted by the Obama administration, denying clean water to one out of three people in the US. Later that same evening, Trump gave his first address to Congress during which he paid lip service to clean air and water, but failed to mention the present risks of climate change.
The movements that turned out over 400,000 people into the streets of New York City for the 2014 People’s Climate March are bringing the fight to Washington, DC on April 29. Through this mobilization and beyond, our broad movement will demonstrate the mass resistance to the systems that attempt to divide us, while highlighting positive solutions needed to build the brighter future we know is possible.
 
Contact: Paul Gestos, paul@peoplesclimate.org, +1 (646) 732-0041
Lindsay Meiman, lindsay@350.org, +1 (347) 460-9082

Senators, Local Elected Officials, Business Owners and Activists Showcase Wide Support For Fracking Ban Before Key Legislative Hearing

200+ Maryland business owners call for statewide fracking ban

ANNAPOLIS — Elected officials, business owners and dozens of activists from across the state gathered today to demand a ban on fracking in anticipation of a Senate committee hearing on the bill. The group also delivered to senators a letter from more than 200 Maryland businesses owners in support of the ban. The letter states in part, ”Fracking follows a boom-bust cycle that leaves communities burdened with health problems, damaged infrastructure, and a weaker economy in the long term.”
Additionally, more than 35,000 petitions and letters from Maryland residents in support of a fracking ban were presented to the General Assembly today. The petitions were gathered by Chesapeake Climate Action Network, CREDO Action, Food & Water Watch, Maryland Sierra Club, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, and other grassroots members of the Don’t Frack Maryland coalition.
“We need to take a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to fracking in Maryland. We have one shot to prevent the pollution, local economic disruption and public health crises associated with dangerous drilling from destroying our state,” said Sen. Bobby Zirkin (D-11). “The type of damage that fracking causes is irreversible. You can count on me to honor the wishes of Maryland residents; that’s why I introduced a fracking ban.”
“Fracking needs to be banned in Maryland so that we can protect our tourism industry in Garrett County,” said Steve Green, owner of High Mountain Sports in Oakland. “People come here to experience the outdoors and enjoy our beautiful mountains, lakes and rivers. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure fracking and tourism are not compatible.”
Senators Anthony C. Muse (D-26), Bobby Zirkin (D-11), Barbara A. Robinson (D-40) and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (D-44) spoke at a press conference echoing support for a fracking ban and urging quick passage. About half of the entire General Assembly has already co-sponsored the fracking ban bill.
“We cannot allow fracking companies to come into our communities, poison our water, and pollute our air,” said Sen. Barbara Robinson (D-40). “We’ve seen what has happened to our neighbors in Pennsylvania, where drinking water contamination is the norm. I will stand by the people of Maryland in their overwhelming support for a ban on fracking. I strongly support the passage of Senate Bill 740 for a statewide ban.”
“I strongly support a total ban on fracking in Maryland,” stated Sen. Ron Young (D-3). “The oil and gas companies want to start fracking in October, despite the fact that fracking poses real threats to our citizens’ drinking water, environment, and health. Furthermore, fracking would jeopardize the tourism industry in Western Maryland, where the state has spent tens of millions of dollars on outdoor recreation. The risks are simply too great. To protect our public health, we should ban fracking once and for all.”
The fracking ban bill is supported by dozens of counties and municipalities, which together represent over two-thirds of Maryland’s population, that have passed local fracking bans or resolutions supporting a statewide ban.
“The Mountain Lake Park Town Council, of which I am a member, voted some three years ago to pass an ordinance banning fracking within our town limits, fearing that the practice could easily jeopardize our town’s water supply. The ordinance passed by a unanimous vote by the members of our council and our mayor, every one of whom are natives of Garrett County,” said Don Sincell, Member of Town Council, Mountain Lake, MD. “It is my great hope that the state legislature follows our lead in order to protect Maryland in general, and Garrett County in particular.”              
“The Western Maryland Delegation is doing democracy an injustice by turning a deaf ear to the growing mountain of public opposition to fracking and scientific evidence on the risks fracking poses to our communities and environment,” said Woody Getz, Frostburg Commissioner of Public Works. “Communities and businesses in Maryland deserve to be protected by their elected officials. It’s time for the General Assembly to ban fracking and heed the will of the people.”
The rally took place shortly before the Maryland Senate will begin debating two bills about the drilling practice. Attendees expressed concern that even “gold-standard” regulations would fail to adequately protect public health,the environment or the growing tourism industry in Western Maryland.
“More than 200 business owners across Maryland, including myself, have signed a letter supporting a ban on fracking because we know that fracking will never be safe,” stated Nadine Grabania, owner of Deep Creek Cellars in Garrett County. “If the General Assembly allows fracking to begin, thousands of jobs and western Maryland’s thriving tourism and agriculture industries would be jeopardized—and the value of both commercial and residential property will be threatened. Business owners know that we cannot afford the risks.
Polling shows that voters across party lines in Maryland support legislation to ban fracking by a 2-to-1 margin, according to a poll conducted by OpinionWorks. Polling from The Washington Post similarly found that 60 percent of Maryland voters oppose fracking.
Advocates from across the state in support of a fracking ban will gather for a mass mobilization in Annapolis on Thursday, March 2. The “March on Annapolis to Ban Fracking Now” is expected to draw hundreds into the streets, and will feature leaders from across the progressive movement, including Ben Jealous, former head of the NAACP, and Reverend Lennox Yearwood of Hip Hop Caucus.
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Advocates, Community Leaders Condemn New Pro-Fracking Legislation, Reaffirm Wide Support for Fracking Ban Now

Photo taken by Stephen Melkisethian

In response to the introduction of pro-fracking legislation, several leaders and advocates spoke out for the citizens of Maryland in favor of a ban on fracking.
ANNAPOLIS – With the introduction late last week of legislation in the state Senate that would pave the way for fracking in Maryland, a wide array of advocates and community leaders are condemning the bill and reaffirming broad statewide support for a permanent ban on fracking now. On Friday, Senator Joan Carter Conway introduced SB 862, legislation that would enable the extreme gas drilling and extraction method known as fracking to begin in Maryland as early as 2019. Senate Bill 862 was co-sponsored by Senate President Mike Miller along with ten Republican senators. Meanwhile, SB 740, a bill that would permanently ban fracking in Maryland, has been introduced by Senator Bobby Zirkin with strong initial support in the Senate.
Marylanders want a fracking ban: a Washington Post poll in October 2016 revealed more than 60 percent of Maryland voters are opposed to fracking in the state.
In response, members of the Don’t Frack Maryland coalition made the following statements:
Paul Roberts, President of Citizen Shale in Garrett County said, “The pro-fracking bill introduced by Democratic Senate leadership, with support of Republican fracking proponents, is not supported by those of us in western Maryland who would be immediately impacted. No Marylander should ever be asked to support a law that condemns others in our state to the health and economic harms that fracking has done in neighboring states.”
“You can’t be an environmental champion and also support fracking- period,” said Thomas Meyer, senior Maryland organizer with Food & Water Watch. “Senator Conway’s bill is just another attempt by so-called environmentalists to fit the camel that is fracking through the eye of a needle. Fracking will never be safe and should never be allowed. Senators should oppose Conway’s gift to the oil and gas industry, and vote to ban fracking in Maryland once and for all.”
“By promoting yet another set of fracking regulations and a referendum, the Senate leadership is evading its responsibility to protect public health.  No regulations can adequately protect. And no one should be asked to vote on whether or not to poison neighbors,”  said Gina Angiola, MD, Chesapeake PSR.
“Maryland voters overwhelmingly support a ban on fracking, NOT another moratorium,” said Brooke Harper, Maryland Field Director at Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “No regulations will ever be able to protect our economy, our climate, or our health from the harms of fracking. We applaud Senator Zirkin and the 22 other senators who stood up for their constituents by introducing a permanent, statewide fracking ban — and we hope our legislators won’t compromise our well-being by supporting a moratorium.”
“Sierra Club believes that all Marylanders have the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Fracking should not be part of Maryland’s energy future,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club. “Maryland should continue to focus on bringing clean energy to the state and not be distracted by the fracking’s false promises.”
Dr. Ann Bristow, former commissioner on the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative, said, “SB 862’s county-by-county referendum attempts to take a toxic industrial practice and pretend that it’s harmful effects will remain in Garrett and Allegany counties, leaving the rest of the State untouched — as if the production of natural gas in Garrett County will get to market without being compressed and piped through most of the State, as if the polluted air will stop at the the county border, as if the contaminated water won’t flow all the way down the Potomac to the Chesapeake bay, as if destruction of the State’s 2nd highest producing tourism economy won’t affect the State’s coffers, as if we’re not all somehow connected.” 
Karla Raettig, Executive Director of Maryland League of Conservation Voters said, “We strongly support Senator Zirkin’s fracking ban bill. Leadership requires taking a firm stance on tough issues and we applaud Senator Zirkin and his co-sponsors for stepping up.”
“We can’t sacrifice our clean water resources to a boom and bust dirty energy industry. Waterkeepers and their thousands of members throughout the region strongly support a bill that bans fracking in Maryland,” said Robin Broder, Waterkeepers Chesapeake Board Member. “We thank Senator Zirkin and the 22 senators who recognized the need to protect our drinking water resources and public health and introduced a bill banning fracking statewide.”
“The proposed referendum bill is a thinly disguised pro-fracking bill. This referendum would also invite copious amounts of fracking-industry cash for a divisive and misleading ad campaign,” said Elisabeth Hoffman of Howard County Climate Action. “To promote a stable climate and ensure the health of all Marylanders, we stand wholeheartedly behind Sen. Zirkin’s fracking ban bill.”
“The delegate for the area that is most likely to be fracked says that property values are already falling because people are afraid of fracking. Why would you prolong this question any longer and wait for property values to fall even more?” said Dale and Jackie Sams, co-founders of Don’t Frack Western Maryland.
 
Contact: Paul Roberts, paulr@deepcreekcellars.com, 240-580-4008
Jackie Filson, jfilson@fwwatch.org, 202-683-2538

CCAN Praises Historic Override of Hogan’s Veto on Clean Energy Jobs Act

The Clean Energy Jobs Act will be enacted, helping to create over 1,000 jobs, improve air quality, and encourage new clean energy in the state.
ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland Senate voted 32-13 to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2016 (SB 921/HB 1106), legislation that will accelerate the state’s transition to clean energy.
The bill raises Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requirement to 25 percent by 2020, including boosting the solar “carve-out” to 2.5 percent by 2020. It will create incentives for roughly 1,300 megawatts of new clean energy in Maryland and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 2.7 million metric tons per year, which will significantly improve the state’s air quality while preventing 25 to 50 premature deaths per year. The legislation will create over 1,000 living-wage, family-sustaining jobs annually through 2020 in the state’s growing clean energy sector, and increase net economic growth by up to $600 million per year due to better health outcomes and new solar construction. Hogan’s veto put all of those jobs at risk and would have forced many existing clean energy companies to leave the state.
Mike Tidwell, director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network, released the following statement:
“Today, the Maryland Senate put the final touches on a clean energy bill of true national significance. While President Trump appoints the CEO of Exxon to obstruct global climate efforts, states like Maryland will fight back here at home for good jobs, cleaner air, and truly responsive government. Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland thought he could confuse state voters by siding with polluters over good-paying solar and wind jobs. Today, the people of Maryland have spoken and Hogan should listen.”
 
Contact:
Mike Tidwell, Chesapeake Climate Action Network
240-460-5838; mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org
Denise Robbins, Chesapeake Climate Action Network
240-396-2022, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org