County Council Urges State of Maryland to Ban Fracking
The Montgomery County Council has approved a resolution, introduced by Councilmember Marc Elrich, urging the Maryland General Assembly and Governor Larry Hogan to enact a statewide ban on hydraulic fracturing and other types of “Unconventional Gas Development and Production.”
“We have banned fracking in Montgomery County. But that is not enough,” said Elrich. We have an obligation to work with our state leaders and convince them that fracking is a disaster for the environment and bad news for the economy, both locally and globally.”
Read Elrich’s complete statement, below:
“We have banned fracking in Montgomery County. But that is not enough. We have an obligation to work with our state leaders and convince them that fracking is a disaster for the environment and bad news for the economy, both locally and globally.
“It has become increasingly clear that Unconventional Gas Development and Production, done through hydraulic fracturing known as ‘fracking’ poses grave public health and environmental hazards. In 2015, the General Assembly passed a two-year moratorium on fracking, which will expire this year. Without further action, fracking could begin in Maryland as soon as this fall.
“Many of the disastrous effects of fracking are irreversible. Methane, a primary component of natural gas and a potent contributor to climate change, leaks from fracking industry sites. Additionally, studies have shown a clear association between fracking and premature births, high-risk pregnancies, migraine headaches, asthma exacerbations and more. Fracking also uses toxic chemicals which can contaminate water, and worsen air quality.
“There are no safeguards (or regulations) that can be enacted to allow fracking while also adequately protect human health and the environment. Our focus needs to be on alternative energy sources to generate green jobs, which are good for the environment and good for the Maryland economy. We need to resolve this issue once and for all and ban fracking in Maryland.”
Dear council member Elrich,
Thank you so much for passing this bill together with your collegues. We are grateful, Chris Graham
Council member Elrich,
Thanks for your leadership on the fracking issue. Those of us in the fracking sacrifice zone in Garrett County appreciate support from other Marylanders.
Bravo Marc, thanks for your energy, sanity, and deep caring for the health of our children. I continue to be amazed how much people are willing to sell out for a bowl of porridge the future of innocent people too young to understand what is happening. It is exciting to live in this county with you and be able to say to little ones that we are doing something serious to leave a world they will be excited to live in and transform into a cleaner, healthier place than what they inherited.
Thank you Marc for standing strong for a fracking ban. Along with the numerous health risks, fracking would cause irreparable damage to the pristine environment in Western Maryland, a recreational paradise. Don’t forget, many depend on the tourist trade for subsidence. Imagine 100 heavy trucks driving along mountain roads carrying toxic chemicals. The noise from fracking sites can be heard 24/7. I think Maryland should learn from the debacle in Pennsylvania. The damage cannot be reversed.
Great work Marc and Council! Now with the overwhelming support from the House- on to the Senate.
MCA has testified in Annapolis regarding possible effect on groundwater. We support full ban and were proud to have spearheaded the effort to put ban in place in Montgomery County with help of Roger Berliner.
C Taylor – Montgomery Countryside Alliance