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
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