Fracking
ban moves forward in Maryland House, fate in Senate unclear
Fracking
ban moves forward in House, fate in Senate unclear.
The House of
Delegates is poised to approve a bill to ban fracking for
natural gas, but the measure won't move forward in the state Senate unless
supporters can get a veto-proof majority, a key senator said Wednesday.
Sen. Joan Carter Conway, chair of the Senate Education, Health
and Environmental Affairs Committee, said she supports a fracking ban but it
doesn't make sense to pass one if Gov. Larry Hogan is
going to veto it.
Hogan has said he supports fracking if it can be done safely. He
has not weighed in on the bill before the General Assembly. Conway said if
Hogan were to veto the bill, supporters don't have enough votes to override.
"People can't add," she said. "I'm saying
veto-proof your bill, and I'll let you do whatever you want."
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Conway, a Baltimore Democrat, said she has no plans to schedule
a committee vote on the fracking ban bill until then.
Otherwise, she supports pushing for another moratorium —
something she's confident can win enough support to overcome any veto.
"You have to be careful what you ask for," she said.
If a ban or moratorium is not enacted, fracking is set to become
legal in Maryland later this year, after being delayed for years due to
concerns over the safety of the drilling practice.
The gas-rich Marcellus shale formation extends from New York
through Western Maryland and to Ohio and West Virginia.
Opponents of fracking — which is technically called hydraulic
fracturing — have raised concerns that the drilling could lead to contamination
in groundwater and local streams, and could also spur earthquakes.
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Hogan's administration has proposed regulations that would
govern the gas drilling industry if drilling goes forward. Maryland Department
of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles said they are the "most
protective and comprehensive" regulations in the country.
"If hydraulic fracturing ever comes to western Maryland,
these rigorous regulations will be in place beforehand to help ensure safe and
responsible energy development," Grumbles said in a statement.
Advocates for the fracking ban say they're getting close to
securing the 29 votes necessary to override a possible veto. The bill has 23
co-sponsors among the 47 members of the Senate.
"We have 24 votes at least. We are close to, and believe we
can get, 29 votes," said Josh Tulkin, director of the Sierra Club's
Maryland chapter. "We believe that we have the momentum and she will bring
the bill out of committee."
Jackie Filson, a spokeswoman for the advocacy group Food and
Water Watch, said the momentum from the House of Delegates could help win over
senators. The House is poised to approve a fracking ban by the end of the week
after a preliminary vote on Wednesday.
"There is overwhelming support from Maryland delegates and
that can help sway the Senate side," Filson said.
Supporters of drilling continue to hope that they can block any
moratorium or ban on fracking.
Drew Cobbs, executive director of the Maryland Petroleum
Council, said the proposed regulations will put more than 90 percent of Garrett
County off-limits to fracking. And where fracking could take place, the
regulations will ensure the work is done safely.
Cobbs said it's no surprise that the House is likely to ban
fracking. He's focused on the Senate, where he said "at least they were
open minded and more willing to listen."
If fracking isn't banned, it's not clear if companies will apply
to drill in Maryland. Many drilling leases in Western Maryland have expired as
the state has wrangled with whether to allow the practice and how to regulate
it.
The market for natural gas also is not strong, leading some
companies to put off plans to drill in Maryland, Cobbs said.
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