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Maryland Dems Pass Energy Plan that Restricts New Gas-Fired Power

In February, MDN told you that the Democrat leadership in the Maryland state legislature was pushing a bill that would rechristen gas-fired power as “green” and make it easier to build new gas-fired power plants in the state (see Maryland Dems Open Door for Gas-Fired Power Plants, Call it “Green”). We had high hopes that maybe, just maybe, Maryland Dems had seen the light regarding gas-fired power. Nope. Somewhere during the journey to enlightenment, the Dems fell off the turnip truck. A comprehensive energy package passed the General Assembly with about 10 hours remaining in the 90-day session. The Dems neutered the bits that would have made more natural gas-fired power easier to build. Read More “Maryland Dems Pass Energy Plan that Restricts New Gas-Fired Power”

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Maryland Public Service Comm. Kills Free Speech for Gas Utility

WGL service map (click for larger version)

If you’re a natural gas utility company operating in the People’s Republic of Maryland (a non-free state), your right to free speech just ended. The Washington Gas Light Company, now known as WGL Holdings, is a utility company that provides natural gas service to customers in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, dating back to 1848. Essentially, the company services the D.C. swamp and surrounding counties (see the map). In 2021, WGL had the temerity to send an advertising flier to customers claiming that natural gas is “clean energy” and that using gas instead of all-electric would save “acres of trees.” The high and mighty of the Maryland Public Service Commission ruled last Thursday that WGL misled its customers and is not allowed to say such things. Free speech just died in the so-called “Free State.” (There’s a bit of irony for you.) Read More “Maryland Public Service Comm. Kills Free Speech for Gas Utility”

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3 State Senators Intro Bill to Allow Fracking in….Maryland!

Something is going on in the State of Maryland. Last week, we told you that the Democrat leadership in the Maryland state legislature was pushing a bill that would rechristen gas-fired power as “green” and make it easier to build new gas-fired power plants in the state (see Maryland Dems Open Door for Gas-Fired Power Plants, Call it “Green”). Now comes word that three Republican State Senators have introduced a bill getting serious attention in committee, a bill that would overturn the state’s ban on shale fracking. Read More “3 State Senators Intro Bill to Allow Fracking in….Maryland!”

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Maryland Dems Open Door for Gas-Fired Power Plants, Call it “Green”

The environmental left is panicked that it may be losing one of its bluest strongholds—the State of Maryland—with the introduction of a new bill by state Democrats (!) that would make it easier to build new natural gas-fired power plants. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, along with other Maryland Democrats, held a presser on Monday in the state capitol of Annapolis. Without revealing the actual language, the pair unveiled a new plan (bill) to reduce energy costs “while furthering the state’s clean energy ambitions” by building more “dispatchable” power. The enviro-left rightly assumes dispatchable means building gas-fired power plants. Read More “Maryland Dems Open Door for Gas-Fired Power Plants, Call it “Green””

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Maryland Congressman Wants to Dump Power Line, Build NatGas Pipes

It’s alarming! Common sense is breaking out all over. In January, we told you about a Maryland Democrat, General Assembly member C.T. Wilson from Charles County, who is attempting to get the rules changed in the Old Line State to redefine natural gas as “green” energy (see Maryland Democrat Flips, Wants to Use NatGas to Fire Power Plants). Now comes word that a Maryland Republican Congressman (Republicans in Maryland are mostly of the RINO type) wants a 70-mile power line project canceled and instead wants the state to expedite the development of natural gas power generation. Read More “Maryland Congressman Wants to Dump Power Line, Build NatGas Pipes”

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Maryland Democrat Flips, Wants to Use NatGas to Fire Power Plants

This is another in a series of observations that we (fossil fuel advocates) are winning. Finally, we are having an impact. The official party line of the Democrats has been to block the use of any and all fossil fuel energy by amping up regulations and passing laws to limit or eliminate its production, transportation, and even usage (witness the Dems trying to outlaw gas stoves, furnaces, and water heaters over the past couple of years). Those efforts have failed spectacularly. And now, some Dems admit their failure, like Maryland General Assembly member C.T. Wilson from Charles County. He told Baltimore’s Fox affiliate that the state “should be open to using natural gas to meet its green energy goals.” There you go. A Dem just redefined natural gas as “green” so he and his party can save face. Whatever. At least they’re beginning to admit what everyone else already knows: The use of natural gas isn’t going away. Read More “Maryland Democrat Flips, Wants to Use NatGas to Fire Power Plants”

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Builders, Utility Co. Sue Maryland re New Reg Blocking NatGas Use

Maryland is a sad state. It’s completely ruled by leftists who seek to impoverish its residents by forcing them to use expensive and unreliable renewable energy. There is actually some Marcellus/Utica shale under Maryland (in a couple of far-western counties), but the state outlawed shale fracking nearly 10 years ago when then-Gov. Larry Hogan (a RINO and Trump-hater) allowed a Maryland bill to become law that bans fracking in the state (see Maryland’s Pusillanimous Gov Allows Frack Moratorium to Become Law). The latest attack against fossil energy is a new state regulation that phases out gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, and other appliances at big residential and commercial buildings to “fight climate change.” Not so fast. Builders and one utility company have sued to block the new reg from taking effect. Read More “Builders, Utility Co. Sue Maryland re New Reg Blocking NatGas Use”

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PJM Begs Talen to Delay Shutting Down O&G Power Plants in Maryland

On Wednesday, PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. power grid operator, asked (more like begged) Talen Energy to delay retiring several fossil fuel-powered plants in Maryland by three years. Why? PJM is afraid of blackouts due to unreliable “renewables” like wind and solar. Talen notified PJM last October that it intends to retire three oil-burning units and one natural gas-burning power unit at its Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station outside of Baltimore by June 2025.
Read More “PJM Begs Talen to Delay Shutting Down O&G Power Plants in Maryland”

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Drought Over? SRBC Approves New Shale Water Withdrawals in PA

Just two weeks ago, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) told all water users in the basin that have withdrawal permits, including shale drillers, they should review those permits, and if there are restrictions for withdrawals during low streamflow conditions, they need to make alternative plans (see SRBC Advises Water Permit Holders to Consider Alternative Sources). The concern is an ongoing drought in the Northeast. However, at the same time the commission was issuing its warning, it was also approving new water withdrawal projects!
Read More “Drought Over? SRBC Approves New Shale Water Withdrawals in PA”

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SRBC Advises Water Permit Holders to Consider Alternative Sources

At the end of May, MDN told you about water withdrawal restrictions from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) affecting 42 Pennsylvania oil and gas operators due to ongoing drought conditions (see SRBC Water Withdrawal Restrictions Hit 42 PA Oil & Gas Operators). Earlier this week, the SRBC notified all water users in the basin that have withdrawal permits, including shale drillers, they should review those permits, and if there are restrictions for withdrawals during low streamflow conditions, they need to make alternative plans…now.
Read More “SRBC Advises Water Permit Holders to Consider Alternative Sources”

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Maryland Gov. Moore Withdraws Nomination of Gas Official to PSC

That was fast. Yesterday we told you that newly-elected Maryland Gov. Wes Moore had nominated someone who actually knows something about the energy industry, from the American Gas Association, to be a member of the Maryland Public Service Commission (see Big Green Torqued with Maryland Gov Over Appointing Gas Official). As we reported, Big Green had a cow. We speculated on whether or not Moore would withdraw the nomination–whether or not Moore has any male anatomy. Now we know the answer…he doesn’t.
Read More “Maryland Gov. Moore Withdraws Nomination of Gas Official to PSC”

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Big Green Torqued with Maryland Gov Over Appointing Gas Official

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

This past November, the uber-leftist state of Maryland elected a true-blue Democrat as its governor, instead of the previous governor, Larry Hogan, who was a Democrat-lite (Republican in Name Only). The new governor, Wes Moore, made all sorts of campaign promises about forcing Maryland to dump reliable fossil fuel energy and switch to unreliable renewables like wind and solar instead. A month into his term, Gov. Moore has just nominated the senior director of energy analysis at the American Gas Association to be a member of the state Public Service Commission. Predictably, the lunatic left is having a cow.
Read More “Big Green Torqued with Maryland Gov Over Appointing Gas Official”

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Maryland Issues Permit for Natural Gas Pipe Under Pocomoke River

Pocomoke River State Park

The Pocomoke River runs 66 miles from southern Delaware through a series of relatively inaccessible wetlands called the Great Cypress Swamp in southeastern Maryland, eventually emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. In something of a surprise (for us), the three-member Maryland Board of Public Works yesterday approved issuing a permit to Chesapeake Utilities that allows the company to install a natural gas pipeline by horizontally drilling under the Pocomoke River. This is the same three-member Maryland Board of Public Works that has, for years, blocked Columbia Gas from installing a pipeline the same way under the Potomac River (see Fed Judge Upholds Maryland Decision to Block Pipe Under Potomac). Does anyone else smell big, fat, corrupt hypocrites in Maryland?
Read More “Maryland Issues Permit for Natural Gas Pipe Under Pocomoke River”

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Maryland Gov. Celebrates Del-Mar Energy Pathway Pipe Going Online

Gov. Hogan joins Chesapeake Utilities staff to celebrate pipeline project (click for larger version)

A short 19-mile pipeline project called the Del-Mar Energy Pathway project, crossing both Delaware and Maryland, is finally online and operational. In addition to building 19 miles of pipeline, Del-Mar constructed new meter and delivery stations in Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware, and Wicomico and Somerset counties in Maryland, to carry more natural gas to locations in Delaware and Maryland. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (RINO) visited one of the locations of the new pipeline on June 14 to celebrate with Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, the builder of the project.
Read More “Maryland Gov. Celebrates Del-Mar Energy Pathway Pipe Going Online”

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WV Legislators Look for Solution to Maryland Blocking Potomac Pipe

Columbia Gas, a subsidiary of Canada-based TC Energy (formerly TransCanada), wants to build a tiny 3.37-mile, 8-inch pipeline under the Potomac River from Maryland to West Virginia. The Eastern Panhandle Expansion, as it is called, is being blocked by the lefties in Maryland (see Fed Judge Upholds Maryland Decision to Block Pipe Under Potomac). West Virginia House of Delegates members recently debated what could be done to overcome Maryland’s illegal blockade of the pipeline.
Read More “WV Legislators Look for Solution to Maryland Blocking Potomac Pipe”

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Del-Mar Energy Pathway Pipe in Dela./Md. Now Two-Thirds Complete

A short 19-mile pipeline project called the Del-Mar Energy Pathway project, crossing both Delaware and Maryland, began its final phase of construction earlier this year after receiving approval from Maryland for traversing a wetland area (see Maryland Bd of Public Works Approves Wetlands Permit for Gas Pipe). In addition to building 19 miles of pipeline, Del-Mar is constructing new meter and delivery stations in Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware, and Wicomico and Somerset counties in Maryland, to carry more natural gas to locations in Delaware and Maryland. The good news is that some 60% of the pipeline is now built and in the ground.
Read More “Del-Mar Energy Pathway Pipe in Dela./Md. Now Two-Thirds Complete”