Maryland

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD | Taxation

MD Marcellus Shale Commission’s First Report Issued
January 10, 2012January 10, 2012

The first of three reports due from the Maryland Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative Advisory Commission has just been issued. A copy of the 46-page report—about how to tax and sue the drilling industry—is embedded below. It’s interesting reading.

On June 6, 2011, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed an Executive Order establishing the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative, which includes an Advisory Commission with 13 members to assist the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in a multi-year study of potential Marcellus Shale drilling in the state. “In the state” actually means just two western counties where there is Marcellus Shale: Allegany and Garrett.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Continues Down the Path to No Gas Drilling
December 15, 2011December 15, 2011

Maryland continues to skip down the primrose path to no shale gas drilling. Earlier this year, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley appointed a Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission to study whether or not the state should even allow shale gas drilling (see this MDN story). The committee is due to turn in a preliminary report by the end of this year, but the final report is not due until 2014. All indicators are that if Maryland allows shale gas drilling, it will be so restrictive and so heavily taxed, it will be stillborn. No drillers will even bother.

The latest evidence of that comes from the commission’s recommendation that drillers be presumed to be guilty of certain environmental “crimes” until proven innocent. To wit:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD | Taxation

Maryland Politicians on Gas Drilling – Dumb & Dumber
November 28, 2011November 28, 2011

It’s really kind of funny to watch lawmakers and “leaders” in the state of Maryland talk about drilling in the Marcellus Shale, which, if it were to happen in the state, would happen in two western counties: Garrett and Allegany. Earlier this year Gov. Martin O’Malley appointed a 14-member commission to study the drilling issue, with a final report not due until 2014.

It’s a really big “if” that shale drilling will even be allowed in the state, but just in case it were to be allowed, politicians from Washington, D.C. suburbs (like Montgomery County, Maryland) want to tax the living daylights out of it:

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Maryland | Statewide MD

The Future of Gas Drilling in Maryland? What Future?
November 23, 2011November 23, 2011

Will Maryland ever allow shale gas drilling in the Marcellus-rich western part of the state? The honest answer—at this point in time—is that it’s very doubtful. In June, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed an executive order requiring the state to study the issue until 2014, which means drilling in Garrett and Allegany counties would likely not begin before that time (see this MDN story).

Gov. O’Malley also created a 14-member advisory commission to develop recommendations. Here’s the prejudicial views of one of the committee members, a member of Maryland’s House of Delegates:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Holds First Meeting – Sparks Fly
August 5, 2011August 5, 2011

The kick-off meeting for Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s recently appointed Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission happened yesterday at Rocky Gap State Park in western Maryland. It was the first meeting in what will be a three year process—a final report from the Commission is due in August of 2014. Such a long delay puts Maryland at the back of the pack for Marcellus shale drilling (see MDN’s comments here)—a fact that rankles landowners and energy companies interested in moving forward.

The first meeting saw a few sparks as issues of timing and taxation came to the forefront:

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Allegany County | Garrett County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Marcellus Shale Commission to Have First Meeting This Week – One Meeting Down, Three More Years of Meetings to Go
August 2, 2011August 5, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has effectively taken his state out of consideration for Marcellus Shale drilling. How? He’s appointed a commission to study that which has already been studied to death, to have meetings, to issue preliminary reports, have more meetings, and issue a final report in August 2014, years after drilling will already be firmly established in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and (perhaps) New York. A relatively small area of Maryland sits atop the Marcellus—two rural counties in the panhandle of Maryland: Allegany and Garrett counties. Both counties have high unemployment and would greatly benefit from Marcellus gas drilling, but the landowners and the people who could be employed by the drilling industry in those communities will not benefit from drilling for many years to come because of Gov. O’Malley’s delays.

So it’s of note, but of little consequence, that the kick-off meeting for Gov. O’Malley’s recently appointed Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission will happen this Thursday at 9:30 am at the Lakeside Visitors Center at Rocky Gap State Park. The meeting is open to the public. Below is a recent press release announcing the people appointed to O’Malley’s Commission.

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Allegany County | Garrett County | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Gov. O’Malley Issues Order to Study Marcellus Shale Drilling – State Will Not See Drilling Until 2014 Earliest
June 7, 2011June 7, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley yesterday signed an executive order requiring two Maryland agencies—the Department of of the Environment (MDE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to conduct a study on the impacts of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

Gov. O’Malley’s order is called the “Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Initiative” and it sets up a board to work with both the MDE and DRN during the process. The board will be composed of representatives from both the environmental community and the drilling industry, as well as a private citizen from Western Maryland. The Marcellus Shale region only touches a small portion of Maryland, running through the “panhandle” counties of the state—underneath all of Garrett County and much of Allegany County.

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Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Public Opinion | Statewide MD

Maryland Landowners in Marcellus Shale Region – energyNOW! TV Show Wants to Speak with You
May 4, 2011

energyNOW! is a weekly half-hour television program on Bloomberg TV and ABC-7 in Washington DC covering energy and environmental stories. MDN recently received a request from energyNOW! producer Shawn Shepard to see if we can help locate landowners in Maryland willing to talk on-camera for an upcoming energyNOW! segment. Here is Shawn’s request:

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Accidents | Bradford County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Pennsylvania | Statewide MD

Maryland AG Sues Chesapeake Energy Over Spill in Pennsylvania
May 3, 2011May 3, 2011

Maryland’s Attorney General, Douglas F. Gansler, has filed an “intent to sue” on Chesapeake Energy because of the accidental spill of fracking fluid in April in Leroy Township, PA (read MDN’s story about the spill here). Mr. Gansler’s rationale for his litigiousness is that the fluid reached a small stream that feeds the Towanda Creek, and the Towanda Creek in turn empties into the Susquehanna River, and the Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Therefore, according to Gansler, several federal statutes have been violated, including the Clean Water Act. Also, the City of Baltimore uses the Susquehanna as a backup source of water “in times of drought.”

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Allegany County | Garrett County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Maryland Governor Makes Surprise Visit to Allegany County, Shows Interest in Marcellus Drilling Using Alternative Method
March 22, 2011March 21, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley surprised Allegany County commissioners Sunday evening when he showed up at a meeting to discuss Marcellus Shale drilling in Maryland.

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Maryland | Statewide MD

Will Maryland Start Issuing Marcellus Shale Drilling Permits Soon?
March 15, 2011March 15, 2011

It’s tough to get a read on whether Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley will allow drilling in the Marcellus Shale to move forward any time soon, or not.

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Energy Companies | Garrett County | Maryland | Samson Investment Co | Statewide MD

Maryland Legislature Will Consider Whether or Not to Approve Hydraulic Fracturing
February 10, 2011February 10, 2011

Looks like we have dueling pieces of legislation before the Maryland legislature, one bill that would force the state’s Department of the Environment to either officially approve or deny permits by Samson Energy to drill in Western Maryland. The other bill would put a hold on drilling until “further studies” can determine whether or not it’s safe.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Lawmaker Proposes Legislation to Ban Drilling in that State
February 7, 2011February 7, 2011

It appears the constant drumbeat that hydraulic fracturing is evil (coming from extremist environmental groups) is having the desired effect. At least on Democrat state politicians. Now it looks like Maryland may ban drilling in the Marcellus Shale that runs under a tiny section of that state:

Maryland state Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County), is preparing legislation to ban drilling in the state until it is determined that it will not taint water. “We expect robust support,” she said. “The fuel source isn’t bad, we’re just concerned about the extraction method.”*

*The Washington Post (Feb 6) – Maryland county caught up in fight over energy extraction method
Garrett County | Maryland

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley Looking at Issuing Permits for Hydraulic Fracturing
January 31, 2011January 31, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley indicates his administration may issue new permits for drilling in the Marcellus Shale in western Maryland. O’Malley maintains that Maryland will protect the natural environment “to a greater degree than other states” and he “makes no apology” for that.*

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