The Youghiogheny watershed is in trouble. A new bill, just introduced in Maryland, could repeal the state’s ban on hydraulic fracturing. SB0878 threatens Garrett and Allegany Counties, Deep Creek, the Wild and Scenic Yough, and the people who live, work, and recreate there.
In 2017, Maryland residents and advocates established a permanent ban on fracking to protect their environment. But Senators Hershey, Folden, and McKay have introduced SB0878 to repeal the ban, allowing shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing.
Based on USGS Marcellus and Utica Shale formation maps, Garrett and Allegany Counties would likely be the most heavily fracked regions in Maryland. That means some of the stateā€™s most pristine and treasured wild places are in danger, and residents’ health is at stake.
What effect does fracking have on communities?
A quick glance over the state line into West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania reveals communities living with contaminated groundwater supplies, forced to use water buffaloes for months on end. Endless trucks on their rural roadways haul hazardous, potentially radioactive materials, well pads flare and pollute the air, and long-term public health impacts have occurred, ranging from poor birth outcomes to rare cancers in people of all ages.
A compendium of research compiled by doctors and public health experts identified major trends in areas impacted by shale gas extraction, including the inability of regulations to prevent harm, acceleration of the climate crisis, severe health and safety risks for workers, harm to wildlife, and exacerbation of public health risks (Physicians for Social Responsibility, 2023).
People over profits
Hazardous waste, radioactive material, polluted air, contaminated water, and increased truck traffic are all common outcomes of the fracking industry. Is it worth the economic gains promised by the industry?
Maryland is at a crossroadsā€“ it can either choose to remain a regional leader in environmental protection, or suffer the same pitfalls in water quality, air quality, and public health that plague its neighbors.
Donā€™t frack with Maryland – sign on, and urge the state legislature to reject SB0878!