Maryland takes hardball approach to fracking policy
Monday, October 17, 2016
Maryland introduced some of the country’s strictest regulations on hydraulic fracturing at the end of last month, according to The Daily Caller.
The new restrictions would prevent fracking within 1,000 feet of a private drinking water well, require four layers of steel casings and cement around wells and require energy companies to replace contaminated water.
State officials expect the regulations to be formally proposed in mid-November, followed by a 30-day public comment period. Legislators will then have until the end of the year to adopt the regulations.
Learn more: The Daily Caller > Maryland Proposes America’s Strictest Fracking Rules
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.