Citizen Shale issues response to state’s Marcellus report
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — Citizen Shale has completed its on the Governor’s Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative draft report on Best Management Practices for Marcellus Shale Development in Maryland.
“Many of you realize that the cart was placed in front of the horse in the development of the BMPs,” wrote Eric Robison, president of Citizen Shale. “The state of Maryland’s decision to compile BMPs before many other studies were completed seems to suggest that the state is moving forward with development of regulations without specific facts regarding the outcome of those studies.”
Robison suggested that a comprehensive way to form the BMPs would have been to fund a risk analysis, which would have guided the studies and scope for each. After those studies were completed, then the BMPs should be compiled, noted Robison.
The report is the second of three reports requested by Gov. Martin O’Malley’s safe drilling initiative. The primary focus of the report regarded environmental protection of potential drill sites.
“There are many areas within the BMPs that have what many would suggest are gold standards, but equally there are areas that lack informed decisions or have established industry guided recommendations,” wrote Robison. “Due to the complexity of the BMPs, Citizen Shale attempted to compile on areas that appeared to lack the gold standard approach to development of natural gas in the state of Maryland.”
Should hydraulic fracturing come to the state, one regulation to be implemented will be a mandatory Comprehensive Gas Development Plan to be done by any energy company applying for a permit to drill in the state.
“Though limiting clustered development to certain areas, Comprehensive Gas Development Planning requirements will ultimately create more intensive ‘sacrifice zones’ in the areas where this highly concentrated development takes place,” stated Citizen Shale in its .
The CGDP will cover a report on the location a company wishes to drill, how it will construct the well, materials that will be involved in drilling and other aspects in the production of the gas.
During a previous public forum, Christine Conn of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources explained the purpose of the CGDP is to allow the DNR and Maryland Department of the Environment, as well as other stakeholders, to recommend any changes to the company prior to drilling. Maryland would be the first state to mandate a CGDP by a government agency as a prerequisite for applying for a permit.
“There needs to be an external review process from MDE and DNR for permitting, siting, construction and operation of all pipelines and ancillary development outside of the CGDP process,” states Citizen Shale in its . “This can be addressed in the 2014 legislative session as a bill for the PSC (Public Service Commission) to adopt permitting for rural gas gathering lines within the state.”
As an organization, Citizen Shale hasn’t taken a position on fracking but has tried to stay within its mission of encouraging dialogue and supporting comprehensive efforts to protect individuals and communities from the wide-ranging impacts of shale gas development, said Robison.
The public comment period for the BMP draft report has been extended through Sept. 10. The report can be found at www.mde.state.md.us and a copy of the draft report is available at the Ruth Enlow Library in Oakland and the Frostburg Community Library.
On behalf of MDE, the Regional Economic Studies Institute of Towson University as part of the Maryland Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative is conducting a survey and it can be found at http://resisurvey.resiusa.org/surveydata/ContingentValuation.htm
on the BMP can be made to the MDE at msac@mde.state.md.us
To view Citizens Shale’s in their entirety, visit http://citizenshale.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Citizen-Shale-BMP-.htm.
3 make short list for Garrett judge
Governor to have final say
From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for Commission District 5 has chosen three names to forward to the governor for consideration for the position of Garrett County District Court judge.
Stephan Moylan, Raymond Strubin and Daryl Walters were found to be legally and most fully qualified for the appointment to district court, according to a letter from the Administrative Office of the Courts to the governor.
The commission selected the nominations via a secret written ballot Aug. 20. Prior to the vote the commission conducted extensive interviews and reviewed all available information on the candidates.
Moylan is assistant public defender for the state of Maryland. Strubin is with the Garrett County District 12 Office of the Public Defender and Walters is master for the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Maryland.
The names will be forwarded to Gov. Martin O’ Malley, who will make the final appointment. There is no time frame for O’Malley to make the appointment, according to Kathleen Stafford, administrative clerk for Allegany County District Court. Hopefully, he makes the appointment soon, she said.
The district court judge position was left vacant following Judge Leonard Eiswert’s mandatory retirement, effective March 21.
GC Solid Waste & Recycling Public Informational Meeting - Apartment & Condominium Recycling Requirements
Press Release
August 27, 2013
The Garrett County Department of Solid Waste & Recycling announces a public informational meeting to discuss apartment and condominium recycling requirements
Owners of apartment buildings or condominiums that have 10 or more units are reminded that they will be required to provide recycling to their tenants by October 1, 2014. House Bill 1 that was passed during the 2012 legislative session requires owners or condominium councils of owners to provide for the recycling of metal containers, plastic containers, glass containers and paper. They are also required to provide for the removal of these materials for further recycling.
Garrett County Solid Waste and Recycling will need to adopt an amendment to its 10 year Solid Waste Management plan in order to comply with this recently passed legislation. As part of that process an Informational meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday September 18, 2013 in the Commissioner’s meeting room at 7 pm. The purpose of the meeting will be to provide a review of the proposed amendment, discuss the impact on owners and tenants, and to offer the opportunity for questions.
A copy of the draft language for the amendment is available on-line at garrettcounty.org/solid-waste-recycling, at the landfill office, and at the Grantsville branch of the Ruth Enlow Library.
Concerned citizens or owners are welcome to attend the meeting, send e-mail to dwbaker@garrettcounty.org or contact Garrett County Solid Waste by phone at 301-387-0322.
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Franchot Releases Economic Report Of Schools Starting After Labor Day
Citing the benefits to Maryland families, small businesses, and tourism overall, Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot released this week an economic impact report completed by the Bureau of Revenue Estimates regarding a post Labor Day start date for all Maryland public schools.
Alongside Ocean City mayor Richard Meehan, Senator James N. Mathias Jr., and numerous members of the local business community, Franchot announced that a delayed school start in Maryland would result in an additional $74.3 million in direct economic activity, including $3.7 million in new wages, and a separate $7.7 million in state and local revenue.
“The chance for families to spend precious time together and to build lifelong memories during that final, end-of-summer vacation has been lost by the decision to begin school a week, or even 10 days, before Labor Day,” said Franchot. “Not only does this cut into the opportunity for Marylanders to spend more time together as a family, but it also has a negative impact on small businesses. In these tough economic times, we need to do all that we can to support small businesses and promote economic activity, not cause unnecessary harm to them for no apparent reason.”
With Maryland having nationally renowned vacation destinations like Ocean City, Deep Creek Lake, and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, tourism is the fourth largest industry in the state. With Maryland welcoming over 32 million domestic travelers annually in recent years, the tourism sector employs more than 340,000 Marylanders.
While Labor Day weekend in Maryland is most commonly associated with family trips to resort destinations, it also coincides with other major events occurring throughout the state, including the Maryland State Fair in Timonium, the Grand Prix of Baltimore, and four weeknight home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Instead of reducing the 180-day school year, Franchot says he is confident that the state’s school systems would be able to adjust their calendars throughout the academic year without losing time for instruction in the classroom. The flexibility of adjusting winter and spring breaks or eliminating some of the school closure dates scattered throughout the school calendar would be left to each of Maryland’s 24 school systems, he said.
“This isn’t just necessary because of the $7.7 million in state and local tax revenue it would create for the priorities we care about, or the $74.3 million in direct economic activity it would generate in the midst of a sluggish recovery,” said Franchot. “Beyond the money or economic impact, it’s about Maryland families who save up a little each paycheck in order to spend one week each year in Ocean City or Deep Creek Lake, or catch an Orioles game, or visit the Maryland State Fair before the children return to school.”
Commissioners Approve Updated Floodplain Management Ordinance
The Garrett County commissioners approved updates to the county’s Floodplain Management Ordinance and related maps, following a public hearing on the issues Tuesday afternoon at the courthouse in Oakland. Also during their regular public session, the commissioners awarded bids and heard an update report from the Garrett County Department of Economic Development director.
Director John Nelson, GC Department of Planning and Land Development, said the updates to the Floodplain Management Ordinance and Flood Insurance Rate Maps were necessary to keep the county in compliance with National Flood Insurance Program regulations. The revised documents and subsequent revised flood insurance rates become effective on Oct. 2.
Nelson noted that, overall, there was a reduction in the number of designated flood plains in the county’s new ordinance and maps, compared to previous documents. The reduction is mainly the result of new mapping tools.
Permits and Inspections chief Jim Torrington noted the county has been in the process of studying and revising its ordinance for about four years. The county first joined the National Flood Insurance Program in 1976 under emergency status and became a part of the regular program in June 1985. Local, state, and federal officials created the county’s first floodplain study and maps at that time, using national data from 1929.
“Many of those maps are still in place today,” Torrington said.
He added that the county’s first Floodplain Management Ordinance was adopted in 1989 and was readopted in 1991. The document was reviewed again in 1994.
Economic Impact of Post Labor Start for Maryland Public Schools
Currently, all Maryland school districts begin the school year earlier than Labor Day.While the majority of Maryland’s twenty-four school districts begin one week prior to Labor Day,some begin even earlier. After weighing the number of additional school days by affected households, Maryland school districts would average an additional 8.7 days of summer vacation if the next school year began on September 3,the day after Labor Day…
…Under Maryland law,schools are required to be open for at least 180 actual school days and a minimum of 1,080 school hours.In order to adhere to the statute, this report assumes additional summer vacation days added to an individual school district would be accounted for during each school district’s current school year calendar.Thus, the school calendar change would allow for an expansion in the number of summer vacation days, as opposed to a shift from one part of the summer to another.
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Man charged in Deep Creek boat crash
Operator reportedly runs vessel aground at dam
Michael A. SawyersCumberland Times-News
MCHENRY — A 20-year-old Fallston man was tracked down and charged Wednesday morning after a wrecked and abandoned motorboat was discovered aground on the dam at Deep Creek Lake.
“Employees of the Brookfield Power Company were making their morning rounds when they saw the boat and called,” said Maryland Natural Resources Police Cpl. Walt May.
Using the registration number on the 20-foot Bayliner, police identified Michael Shawn Shannon as the owner. “Officer (A.) Felsecker found Shannon at his parents’ home (near the lake) about 9:30 a.m. He was charged with operating while under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation and underage possession of alcohol,” May said. Officer Glenn Broadwater worked the accident scene.
May said Shannon, who was accompanied in the boat by a friend, apparently operated the boat at full throttle in a very dark area of the lake. There were no injuries.
“We believe the accident took place about midnight,” May said. The boat was fully out of the water and had significant damage including a cracked fuel tank.
May estimated the boat was traveling 20 to 40 mph.
Director John Frank said he was the first responder at 8 a.m. after an alert that originated with the Maryland Department of the Environment downstate was transfered to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and then to Garrett County.
“Some fuel spilled into the lake, but was dissipated by wind and wave action. Floating absorbant booms were placed as well.”
Hazardous incident response teams from Garrett and Allegany counties arrived and drained the remaining 20 gallons of fuel from the boat’s tank.
Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Proposed Off-Road Vehicle Trail System Expansion
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing to expand its off-road vehicle (ORV) trail system. Three new ORV Trails are being considered: (1) one ORV Trail in Garrett County on the Savage River State Forest, in the general vicinity of St. John’s Rock-Red Dog Road, (2) two ORV Trails in Washington County, on DNR managed lands on Sideling Hill north and south.
Public Meeting
In accordance with Maryland COMAR 08.01.03.10, ORV Trail Designation Procedure and Criteria, The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be holding a public meeting on September 4, 2013 at the New Germany State Park Lake House from 7:00-9:00 p.m. to discuss the management and designation of these new ORV trails. This meeting is a preliminary review to gather public input prior to final designation.
Submit
Public will be taken at the September 4th meeting following a presentation by DNR staff.
will also be received via email or hardcopy through October 4, 2013.
may be sent to:
Jack Perdue
Maryland DNR
Tawes State Office Building, E-1
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401Or by email to: jperdue@dnr.state.md.us
Introduction
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the management of approximately 450,000 acres of public land distributed throughout the State. These lands have traditionally been used for a wide array of recreational activities including hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating and nature appreciation. However, in recent times, the Department has seen an increasing demand for diversified activities such as geocache, mountain biking and off road vehicle (ORV) trails. Of particular interest is the request for designated ORV trails. In the mid-1980s a number of ORV trails were developed within the western region’s State Forests. Three trails were particularly popular with the general public and experienced an ever-increasing demand. Unfortunately, some of these trails were located in environmentally sensitive areas and had to be closed in 2011. The Green Ridge State Forest ORV trail, Chandler trail and Poplar Lick trail included approximately 36 miles of ORV trail and remain closed today. As a result, the Department undertook a comprehensive review of its various landholdings to assess the probability of developing other sustainable areas for ORV trail development.
Criteria for Assessing Suitability for ORV Trails
The three sites were identified as the result of a two-year process of systematically reviewing all DNR lands for suitable ORV locations. In addition, the Department participated with an ORV stakeholder workgroup in identifying potential private land locations for other ORV trails. The most highly ranked sites were then selected for closer review by an internal team of DNR resource managers.
A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model was used to filter and select potentially suitable locations to host new ORV trails. Areas were rated based on soil suitability, avoidance of Maryland Historical Trust sites, human populations, conservation areas, and sensitive watersheds.
ORV Proposal Descriptions
The descriptions below describe the trail locations in general. Additional details for these trails will be determined during the design and construction process. Architectural and engineering firms will be solicited for the final design and construction of these trails.
