The Maryland General
Assembly recently put a two and a half-year temporary ban on hydraulic
fracturing for shale gas extraction in response to public concerns on the
environment and public health.
The Maryland General
Assembly enacted the new
Senate Bill No. 0409 prohibiting hydraulic fracturing on May
29th, 2015. The new bill requires the Maryland’s Department of the
Environment to adopt regulations to provide for the hydraulic fracturing of
natural gas wells in the State on or before October 1, 2016. It also prohibits
the Department from granting fracking permits until October 1, 2017, and regulations
for hydraulic fracturing to be adopted by the Department will not be effective
until the same date.
Prior
regulations for fracking were drafted under former
Governor Martin O’Malley’s governance. Introduced one month before Governor
O’Malley’s term ended, these regulations are still pending for approval.
In accordance to Article
II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution,
“[a]ny bill presented to the Governor within six days (Sundays excepted), prior
to adjournment of any session of the General Assembly, or after such
adjournment, shall become law without the Governor’s signature unless it is
vetoed by the Governor within 30 days after its presentment”. It has been reported
that Governor Logan declared that he neither would allow it nor would veto it.
Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
06/02/2015
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