READER COMMENTARY Cumberland Times-News August 3, 2014 First, a word of thanks for the objective updates/concerns the Cumberland Times-News has provided on hydraulic fracturing. Secondly, the Maryland Board of Public Works, which includes Gov. Martin O’Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, recently approved a tidal wetlands license for Dominion Resources. This brings Dominion Resources one step closer as it seeks to create a Liquefied Natural Gas export facility at Cove Point in Lusby. Before the vote, the Washington Post reported a constituent asked O’Malley why he opposed a similar proposal at Sparrows Point in 2006. The Post reported the governor temporarily left the meeting with coffee cup in hand and never answered the question. In a Baltimore Sun article in September 2013, O’Malley called the proposal at Sparrows Point “a threat to national security.” In a 2006 edition of the Baltimore Sun, then-Baltimore Mayor O’Malley called the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas facility a “potential bomb” threat to the Baltimore area. Any reasonable person would have to ask why such a proposal would be considered a “threat to national security” and a “potential bomb” threat in 2006, but not a threat to national security in 2014, when Cove Point is located in a residential area, adjacent to Calvert Cliffs State Park and a few miles from Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. Where does western Maryland fit into the Cove Point scenario? A liquefied natural gas facility cannot exist without natural gas. As noted in the Post article, “The gas would be extracted from shale rock layers elsewhere in the region using hydraulic fracturing — a controversial technique better known as fracking — and then liquefied and loaded onto tankers at Cove Point to be taken overseas, likely to India and Japan.” Maryland has yet to approve or disapprove of hydraulic fracturing. If approved, the two primary sites in Maryland for this practice would be Allegany and Garrett counties. To Maryland’s credit, it is proceeding with caution and should continue to be pressured to do so. I strongly urge Maryland citizens, especially those of voting age, to become educated on hydraulic fracturing. It is only through education that citizens can argue against paternalistic attitudes often presented by politicians. I would encourage the Times-News to provide a detailed analysis on three studies commissioned by O’Malley: Recommended Best Management Practices for Marcellus Gas Development in Maryland mde. state.md.us/programs/Land/mining/mar cellus/Documents/Eshleman_Elmore_ Final_BMP_Report_22113_Red.pdf Impact Analysis of the Marcellus Shale Initiative mde. state.md.us/programs/Land/mining/mar cellus/Documents/RESI_Marcellus_Sha le_Report_Final.pdf Marcellus Shale Public Health Study Final Progress Report marcellushealth. org/detailed-scoping-report.html I left the presentation of the Public Health Study Final Progress Report at Garrett Community College on June 28, knowing there are still many questions that simply cannot be answered because 1.) questions asked were not related to the specific scope of the public health study; and 2.) there is no research related to specific questions. For example, how does leaking hydraulic fracturing fluid impact the food chain? Perhaps the lack of peer reviewed research is the reason why Germany recently placed a seven-year ban on hydraulic fracturing and Bulgaria, France and Ireland also banned the practice. Additionally, the state of New York and several communities throughout the U. S., including Pittsburgh, have banned hydraulic fracturing while communities in Colorado and Texas are currently in litigation to ban the practice. Until the unanswered questions can be answered with peer reviewed research, perhaps it would be in Maryland’s best interest to also place a ban on hydraulic fracturing. George D. Brown Cumberland
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 12:54:50 +0000
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