WAMU 88.5 : News

Activists March For Fracking Tax In Maryland

Play associated audio
Critics of fracking point to instances of drinking water contamination.
Sandy Hausman
Critics of fracking point to instances of drinking water contamination.

Opponents of fracking, the controversial drilling technique that extracts natural gas from rock, are rallying in Annapolis. The activists are marching in support of a bill that would assess a $10 per-acre fee on land leased for extracting gas in the Marcellus Shale.

Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, involves blasting through layers of rock with a combination of water and chemicals. The process includes the potential for contamination of ground water in the blasted area, and environmentalists are concerned about the long-term effects on the surrounding ecosystems as well as the residents that inhabit them.

The bill, sponsored by Delegate Heather Mizeur of Montgomery County, would use the fee to pay for a safe drilling study commissioned last year by Governor Martin O'Malley. 

The Senate version of the bill will be heard in that chamber's Finance Committee today. 

The only portion of the Marcellus Shale that lies in Maryland is in the western part of the state.

NPR

Meet London's Master Architects In Jell-0

London duo Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have made names for themselves with their wild, experimental food installations. From pineapple islands and banana vapors to re-creations of famous architectural monuments, their work playfully pushes the boundary of how we experience food.
NPR

Meet London's Master Architects In Jell-0

London duo Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have made names for themselves with their wild, experimental food installations. From pineapple islands and banana vapors to re-creations of famous architectural monuments, their work playfully pushes the boundary of how we experience food.
NPR

Stunned By Military Sex Scandals, Advocates Demand Changes

As the nation prepares to mark Memorial Day, outrage has been building on Capitol Hill and beyond over the military's failure to repair a system that has placed service members in more danger of sexual assault than of battlefield injury.
NPR

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.