My e-mail to the senators who are not yet supporting a ban, under the header... Western Maryland is not the only shale gas field in the state. Fracking Garrett County is only the tip of the iceberg in this destructive industrial operation. I truly believe that many or most Marylanders are not aware of the potential for additional fracking downstate.
In addition to the Appalachian fields, which includes the Marcellus shale in Western Maryland, other shale fields are throughout our state, including large parts of the Eastern Shore. Mid-state are the Gettysburg and Culpepper fields, and the Taylorsville and Delmarva lie on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay.
The possibilities of fracking throughout the state are very real. Add the pipelines and compressor stations that would be needed, all headed to the LNG EXPORT plant at Cove Point, and life in our state could become a nightmare. Once this industry has a foothold — watch out, as evidenced by what has happened in other states.
It is not just Garrett County— it is the whole state that is at risk. Keep in mind that Garrett County is the High Point, so anything that happens here will flow downhill.
As a homeowner and resident of Garrett County, I ask that you consider supporting SB740 for a ban on fracking in Maryland and keep this mess out of our state.