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Jan. 6, 2011
Maryland District 1 Sen. George Edwards and Del. Wendell Beitzel joined forces this week to pen a letter directed toward their co-legislators, which was published in Tuesday’s Baltimore Sun, criticizing the discussion and possible plans to pass a moratorium on Marcellus shale drilling. Del. Heather Mizeur, a Democrat representing Montgomery County, is currently drafting legislation for a statewide moratorium on drilling to provide time for more study and regulation. Edwards and Beitzel apparently feel that she and other “downstate” officials should not be involved.
“Just shortly before Christmas, the op-ed section of this fine newspaper was used to perpetuate a message of fear and to spread half-truths regarding a real opportunity for Maryland,” the letter states. “Del. Heather Mizeur, our esteemed colleague from Montgomery County, implied, as her central thesis, that if Maryland does not follow New York’s lead and pass a ‘moratorium’ on a certain technique for natural gas drilling in the state, then the Chesapeake Bay would likely be set ablaze.
“Putting a moratorium on natural gas drilling for fear that some may eventually find its way into the Chesapeake Bay would be akin to eliminating Maryland’s burgeoning bio-tech industry as a way to prevent bio-terrorism,” the letter states.
The prospect of Marcellus shale drilling has become a “hot button issue” in Garrett County over the past many months with elected officials and residents alike. Two major gas companies have made plans to drill within Garrett County, with some of those plans scrapped and others still in progress.
To review, the process consists of hydraulic fracturing of rock in order to reach new reservoirs of natural gas. The drills go down to the shale, which is located 7,000 to 9,000 feet below the surface, and horizontally through it. Then drillers pump water, sand, and chemicals into the rock at high pressure to crack it and release the gas so it can be pumped out. The process has been dubbed “fracking.”
Persons in favor of the process have lauded the economic boon that could take place, should drilling be successful in the county. Landowners can lease their property to gas companies and receive payment for all gas extracted from their land. The potential income is significant, according to gas company representatives.
However, concerns about the actual process, chiefly the fear of contaminated ground water, continue to be voiced. Critics point to Pennsylvania, where Marcellus shale drillers have committed more than 1,600 violations of state regulations in the past two years. According to a database of violations kept by the University of Pittsburgh, two gas companies have accrued a total of 210 violations at 85 wells. Company representatives maintain that the offenses are minor, but reports of serious damages to homeowners’ properties have also been reported.
However, Edwards and Beitzel have asserted confidence that the process is safe, and that it should be left to the Western Maryland lawmakers and residents to decide whether or not to pursue it.
“The Marcellus shale rests under our homes, our family’s homes, and the homes of our constituents. It is not present in any other part of Maryland and is only found in Garrett and Allegany counties,” the letter states. “Natural gas has been drilled in Garrett County since the 1950s. Though hydraulic fracturing technology has not yet been used, other more traditional methods of natural gas extraction have, to our knowledge, not caused any environmental damage. Further exploration into the Marcellus shale could have a positive impact on our local economy by providing much needed jobs and added revenue.”
Beitzel himself has noted that he owns property that he hopes to lease to a gas company for drilling. He discussed this during a public forum held before last year’s general election.
The legislators expressed in their letter that local farmers could benefit greatly from the process, and this is especially key since many have struggled with the farming industry for years.
“Many of our local farmers are beginning to find they can no longer make a living selling their crops. They are often left with two options. They could either sell their land to developers, or just ‘keep on keeping on’ and hope for the best. Yet, with increased governmental regulations and interference, these desperate farmers may never see that brighter day for which they hope.
“A report released by the U.S. Department of Energy asserts that the Marcellus shale ‘is the most expansive shale gas play’ in the nation. It covers 95,000 square miles across six northeastern states. Within this shale formation, there is an estimated 262 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. To give you a basis of comparison, according to Department of Energy’s figures, the United States consumed 22 to 23 trillion cubic feet annually between 2004 and 2009,” the legislators wrote.
