maryland – Page 17 – Jay's Real Estate Blog

Look who made the list!!!!

http://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/g2566/best-leaf-peeping-in-america/?slide=15

Md. geologists to boost seismic monitoring ahead of 'fracking'

Given that seismic activity is rare in the ancient rock of the Appalachians — and damaging earthquakes even rarer — there is only a single apparatus measuring underground rumblings within Maryland borders. But geologists are about to put another ear to the ground.

The Maryland Geological Survey, anticipating the possibility that hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” for natural gas in the Marcellus shale deposits could increase seismic activity, plans to install a seismometer in Western Maryland.

Geologists want to gather more data on natural seismic activity before a state moratorium on hydraulic fracturing ends in 2017 and what are known as “induced” earthquakes might begin.

Justin Berk began his second Trek across Maryland yesterday to raise money for the Cool Kids Foundation. He left from Wisp yesterday and here’s a littleof his Garrett County trip.

GOOD LUCK JUSTIN!!!

Hogan shifts money to roads, but not everyone's a winner

hen Gov. Larry Hogan pulled the plug on Baltimore’s Red Line last month, he rolled out $2 billion in spending on road projects, giving the state’s toll-free highway system its largest infusion of cash in decades.

In shifting Maryland’s transportation priorities from transit projects to roads, the Republican made clear that as long as he is governor, asphalt will flow freely.

But not necessarily evenly.

The list of major new projects that Hogan funded includes big-ticket highway improvements for rural Maryland, from Garrett County in the west to the Eastern Shore. There are projects costing $100 million or more in Prince George’s, Montgomery and Frederick counties.

In Baltimore City? Nothing.

In Baltimore County? Less than 1 percent of spending for new projects.

…..

•Garrett County: $90 million, or more than 10 percent of the new project money, to realign U.S. 219 between Interstate 68 and the Pennsylvania line.

Garrett County takes the right approach to fracking

Unlike some other states, Maryland refused to jump willy-nilly on the hydraulic fracturing bandwagon. Instead, Maryland has proceeded slowly and deliberately, preferring, if it errs, to be on the side of caution. Considering how the story of fracking has developed in recent years, the cautious approach has proved valuable.

As we said in a past editorial on this subject, Maryland can live without fracking, which is the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks to force open fissures that then release oil and gas. However, the matter of whether the state will eventually permit this method of recovering deeply buried natural gas and oil has not yet been settled.

That’s exactly what Garrett County is doing. A federal grant announced last week will help that county evaluate the wisdom of permitting fracking there. According to The Associated Press, the federal government, via the Appalachian Regional Commission, has awarded Garrett County a $37,500 matching-funds grant to “explore potential impacts on tourism, property values and outdoor recreation if the state allows fracking in western Maryland.”

50 most beautiful places in Maryland

From the beaches of the Eastern Shore to the mountains of Western Maryland, our state is teeming with picturesque spots to visit. It’s hard to choose just 50, but we gave it a shot. Here’s our list of Maryland’s most beautiful places.

Check out who made #38 here: http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/bal-50-most-beautiful-places-in-maryland-20150706-photogallery.html

NRP Urges Safe Boating During Busy July 4th Holiday

After a weekend in which three people died on Maryland waterways, the mission for the Maryland Natural Resources Police this July 4^th holiday is simple: fewer boating accidents.

The game plan is direct: officers will be going all-out on the state’s waterways, from the Atlantic Ocean to Deep Creek Lake.

“Maryland has seen eight boating fatalities so far this season and that’s eight too many,” said Col. George F. Johnson IV, NRP superintendent. “Our officers will be aggressively targeting reckless and negligent boaters, and those whose judgment is impaired by alcohol or drugs.”

Historically, more than half of Maryland’s annual total of boating accidents occur in July and August. Last year, Maryland recorded 130 boating accidents that killed 12 and injured 96.

As a dress rehearsal for July 4, NRP took part last weekend in Operation Dry Water, a nationwide campaign to curb alcohol- and drug-impaired boating.

8 New Laws That Go Into Effect In Maryland On Wednesday

New laws approved in Maryland’s last legislative session are taking effect on July 1.

Here are eight things to know about them:

STORMWATER FEES

State-mandated stormwater management fees will end, but nine counties and the city of Baltimore will need to show they are paying to meet federal mandates to clean polluted stormwater.

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan campaigned against the state-mandated fees, which were approved in the last hour of the 2012 legislative session, and he made repeal a priority of his first session. Critics referred to the fees as “the rain tax.”

The repeal measure that passed earlier this year by wide margins in both houses of the Maryland Legislature has the approval of environmentalists, because it creates greater accountability for the state’s 10 most populated jurisdictions in preventing pollution in stormwater from entering the Chesapeake Bay.

Maryland governor to announce almost $2B for roads and bridges statewide

“This investment not only will move long-awaited highway projects into construction, so that Maryland families and businesses will benefit from safer, smoother roads, but also it will address every single structurally deficient bridge in the state”. Critic argued it would be too expensive and soak up too much money from other needs.

Wearing a green cancer awareness pin and a purple tie, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan officially gave the go-ahead for the Purple Line this afternoon.

GRAPHIC: Katherine Shaver – The Washington Post. “Meanwhile, we look forward to working with the Maryland Transit Administration to ensure that this light rail-line is built quickly and offers the best possible service within these limitations”.

In announcing his favorable decision on the Purple Line project on June 25, Hogan also delivered disappointing news to advocates of a second light-rail project, saying he isn’t endorsing a proposed 14-mi. line in Baltimore.

Category: maryland

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