In 2017, residents, business owners, and advocates in Maryland worked endlessly to protect the sanctity and health of their land, air, and waters by officially establishing a permanent ban on fracking in the state. Unfortunately, Senators Hershey, Folden, and McKay have introduced SB0878 to repeal the ban. This would authorize the exploration and development of shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking.

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 Maryland's most pristine and treasured places are in danger. Deep Creek, the Scenic and Wild Youghiogheny River Corridor, the forested hillsides that surround the rural communities of Western Maryland, the area’s abundant groundwater, and residents' health are all at stake.

So what exactly does fracking look like in your community? 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 ranging from poor birth outcomes to rare cancers in people of all ages stunt positive growth in fracked areas. 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).

When it comes to public health, the harsh realities of fracking include children in nearby communities having up to 7x higher risk of cancer (PA DOH/Pitt Health Study 2023), disproportionately poor health in gas workers (National Library of Medicine, 2022), and an increased risk for adverse health effects in elderly residents of fracked areas (Lancet Planetary Health, 2023).

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 crossroads– 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.

Don’t frack with Maryland - sign on and share today to keep the 2017 ban in place and urge the legislature to reject SB0878.