April 4, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sierra Club Statement on Governor Marry Hogan signs Fracking Ban into Law
Monday, April 4, 2017
Contact: Josh Tulkin, (650) 722-3171, josh.tulkin@mdsierra.org
Annapolis, MD - Today Maryland Governor Maryland Larry Hogan signed HB 1325, which places a permanent ban on hydraulic fracking within the state of Maryland. The bill previous passed the Senate and House with bi-partisan veto-proof margins.
In response, Josh Tulkin, Director of the Maryland Sierra Club, issued this statement:
"Today marks a significant step on Maryland's path to a clean energy economy. We commend Governor Hogan for signing the bill into law, but the real heroes here are the thousands of Marylanders, particularly those in Western Maryland, who stood up for their beliefs, who organized, lobbied, and rallied to get this legislation passed.
Along with the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act and the EmpowerMD program, Maryland had renewed its commitment to addressing climate change, and its commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy like wind and solar.
The Sierra Club applauds their efforts and is proud to continue to supporting Western Maryland as it pursues a thriving and sustainable economy and community.
However, fracking is not the only environmental risk posed by natural gas. It is time for Maryland to take a hard look at the Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas export terminal in Lusby and the construction of several new gas power plants like the one proposed in Brandywine, which are driving demand for new pipelines and compressor stations throughout Maryland.
Along with the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act and the EmpowerMD program, Maryland had renewed its commitment to addressing climate change, and its commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy like wind and solar.
The Sierra Club applauds their efforts and is proud to continue to supporting Western Maryland as it pursues a thriving and sustainable economy and community.
However, fracking is not the only environmental risk posed by natural gas. It is time for Maryland to take a hard look at the Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas export terminal in Lusby and the construction of several new gas power plants like the one proposed in Brandywine, which are driving demand for new pipelines and compressor stations throughout Maryland.
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About the Sierra Club
Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is America’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. We have more than 14,000 members in the Maryland Chapter along with an additional 30,000 supporters, and there are over 650,000 Sierra Club members nationwide.