Maryland Board of Public Works Approves Another Dirty Fracked Gas Pipeline

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Today, the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) granted a wetlands license for the construction of another controversial fracked gas pipeline. The vote was made over the objections of community members, and clean water and climate action advocates. 

While Maryland banned fracking in 2017, state leaders have recently incentivized its expansion in neighboring states by approving the construction of fracked gas pipelines. Fracking is linked to negative health effects like premature births, breathing problems, and even cancer. Methane, the primary component of fracked gas, is a greenhouse gas 87 times more potent than carbon dioxide over its first 20 years in the atmosphere. Continued use of fracked gas will exacerbate the climate crisis, causing stronger hurricanes, higher sea level rise, and more flooding. With its extensive coastline, Maryland is one of the most vulnerable states to sea level rise. 

The fracked gas and fossil fuel pipeline industries have been in decline recently, a trend that was exacerbated by the pandemic. The $8 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline was slated to run over 600 miles from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina before it was cancelled last year, and with the Biden administration nixing the Keystone XL pipeline, the fate of fracked gas pipelines has only gotten worse. 

In response, Director of the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club Josh Tulkin released the following statement:

"Maryland is one of the states that is most threatened by sea level rise, and yet our leaders voted today to pour gasoline on the climate crisis. These dirty, dangerous fracked gas pipelines unnecessarily threaten the health of our water, people, climate, and communities and have no place in our state. At a time when clean, renewable energy is affordable and abundant, it makes no sense to throw money at dirty fossil fuel projects when we could be investing in a safer, healthier future for all Marylanders.”

John Groutt, speaking on behalf of the Wicomico Environmental Trust:

“The Wicomico Environmental Trust regrets this decision by the Maryland Board of Public Works. It seriously undermines past efforts to build a vibrant job-producing new renewable energy industry in the most needy area of Maryland.”

Jorge Aguilar, Southern Region Director for Food and Water Watch released the following statement: 

“Maryland residents will remember that Gov Hogan, Comptroller Franchot, and Treasurer Kopp approved the permits for a fracked gas pipeline at a time when the state needs to be transitioning rapidly to renewables. This failure in true leadership under the guise of care for Shore residents will only look worse over the years.”

Anthony Field, Maryland Campaign Coordinator for Chesapeake Climate Action Network released the following statement: 

“CCAN is disappointed in the Board's decision. This infrastructure will disproportionately endanger minority and low-income communities. By approving this pipeline, the Board has elected to ignore numerous climate and environmental justice concerns. Coupled with a flawed procurement process where Eastern Shore communities were denied an opportunity to thoroughly consider alternatives to gas, this decision is nothing less than an injustice.”

###