Last month, I had the privilege of attending the P.A.C.E. conference in Annapolis [Positive Attitudes Change Everything]. As a new second home owner in Garrett County, and lover if its people, heritage, and natural God given beauty, I have found the P.A.C.E. conference to be a wonderful experience.
This year, I spoke with Delegate Carolyn Howard, from Prince Georges County. She is one of the most respected, and most tenured legislators in Annapolis.
I asked about her position on fracking. She said that she felt that fracking was very dangerous and she cited the earthquakes in Oklahoma as an example of the very real danger of fracking. I told her that I believed a majority of the residents of Garrett County are equally opposed to fracking.
She said that she thought that 100% percent of the people in Garrett County were in favor of fracking. Not 55%, or 75%, but 100% percent of us were in favor of fracking. Now who would tell a fib like that?
At the 2015 P.A.C.E. conference, I had opportunity to talk with Senator George Edwards. I expressed my concern about the rush to start fracking. That seemed to set George off. He said we have waited long enough, and that fracking was safe. He then explained about how he was raised Grantsville, had gone to Grantsville Elementary, and Northern JHS/HS. He said he loved Garrett County, and would never do anything to harm the county. Really?
It’s time to tell George and Wendell, that we can’t say, “Oops”, not if, but when things go terribly wrong. Poison our water, and it stays poisoned for a long time. Foul our streams, and the fishermen will cast no more. Tear up our roads, and we all suffer the consequences. Upset nature, and nature’s habitat, and it is our children who will pay the price for our mistake, long after we are gone. We are being thwarted by the very people elected to represent us. This is one of the clearest examples of representative Government at it’s very worst. I don’t know who has our representative’s ears, I just know they are not listening to us, and they don’t care to. It is time that we all call the Governor, and tell him we are coming down on 03/02, to set the record straight. He has been bamboozled for too long, just like Delegate Howard. It’s time for Maryland to say No to Fracking. Not now, Not Ever.