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Fracking is banned in Maryland, but mineral rights remain to befuddle heirs – Maryland Matters

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Fracking is banned in Maryland, but mineral rights remain to befuddle heirs – Maryland Matters


If you watched the Harris-Trump debate in Philadelphia recently, you probably learned more about fracking and suddenly asked yourself, “Fracking in Maryland?”

The answer could be Yes and No!

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a method for extracting natural gas or oil from shale and other “tight” rock forms.

YES, between 2006 and 2017, fracking was conducted in two Maryland western counties, Garrett and Allegany, under the Marcellus Shale, the second-largest natural gas reservoir in the world.

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NO, on April 4, 2017, Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill to ban fracking in Maryland, the first state with natural gas reserves where a legislature has voted to bar the practice.

Only five states have banned fracking, including Vermont (2012), New York (2020), Maryland (2017), Washington (2019), and California (effective October 2024). The governor’s executive order issued the New York ban, which means a future governor (possibly a Republican) can reverse it.

This guest commentary is brought up to date from my 2020 commentary, “What do Biden’s Fracking Views Mean for Maryland?”

Since Joe Biden became president in 2021, no fracking has impacted Maryland.

Is this nuclear power’s moment in Maryland?

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Now, it is a race between Donald Trump (R) and Kamala Harris (D). The Republican candidate has always supported hydraulic fracturing, while the Democratic candidate has always flipped on the fracking issue.

Last week, Harris told a Pittsburgh television station, “That’s where I stand, period. As president of the United States, I will not ban fracking.”

The reason for that is simple: as of July 2, 2024, records of 220,175 drilled and proposed wells exist in Maryland’s neighboring state of Pennsylvania. The Keystone State’s natural gas sector supports around 123,000 jobs.

The top five fracking counties in Pennsylvania are:

  1. McKean, with 37,275 wells, where 72.3% of its votes in the 2020 presidential race going to Trump.
  2. Warren, with 21,433, and 68.9% for Trump.
  3. Venango, with 19,887, and 70% for Trump.
  4. Indiana, with 14,565, and 68.2% for Trump.
  5. Armstrong, with 11,801, and 75.6% for Trump.

Garrett County voted 77% for Trump, while Allegany County voted 68.5% for Trump.

So, the Harris-Walz campaign team is working hard to reduce the Trump percentage in the fracking counties over the USA.

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While campaigning for the seat of Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, which includes Garrett and Allegany counties, April McClain-Delaney (D) and Neil Parrott (R) have yet to mention fracking.

If your ancestors lived in Garrett or Allegany counties, you might have mineral rights, although you know nothing. Supposedly, the Maryland Democratic legislators might exempt these counties from the 2017 law banning fracking statewide. In that case, you might receive a call from a company landman who would negotiate directly with you to acquire leases for the exploration and development of minerals. So I recommend reading “He Said I Was a Fracking Heiress. I Went to West Virginia to Find Out.”

In late 2013, I received an email from my Gorrell cousin, who asked me to prepare to receive an email from a landman. At first, I did not understand what my cousin meant. After contacting the landman, I learned that all of my Gorrell first cousins and I are fracking heirs, although our Gorrell parents never told us, as well as we did not know our great-great-grandfather had bought mineral rights to two Appalachian tracts in late 1890.

A decade later, in 2024, the county where my ancestors lived ranks first among 55 West Virginia counties in gas production.

I have predicted that the Maryland legislature will do nothing if Trump gets re-elected. If Harris wins, the legislature will likely not change unless Garrett and Allegany countians need to improve their economics badly due to more extended wells and advancements in fracking techniques. Also, the legislature will entitle Marylanders who are mineral rights owners and landowners to receive royalties, which will increase Maryland’s revenue. Your vote could make a difference in this crucial decision.

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As singer Taylor Swift said, “Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make.” I encourage you to Google or research “fracking in Maryland” to gain a deeper understanding of this important issue.

If the Maryland ban continues after the election, most mineral rights owners might get tired of being harassed by leasing agents for selling the mineral rights to them.



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Severn scratch-off makes player a millionaire as Maryland Lottery pays $31.8M in prizes

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Severn scratch-off makes player a millionaire as Maryland Lottery pays .8M in prizes


A scratch-off ticket sold in Severn turned one Maryland Lottery player into a millionaire, leading a week in which the Lottery paid out more than $31.8 million in prizes statewide.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming said it paid more than $31.8 million in prizes from Feb. 23 through March 1, including 36 tickets worth $10,000 or more.

The top scratch-off prize claimed during that period was a $1 million winning $1,000,000 Crossword ticket sold at the Walmart at 407 George Clauss Boulevard in Severn. Another top winner was a $100,000 Red 5’s Doubler ticket sold at the Carroll Motor Fuel station at 2535 Cleanleigh Drive in Parkville.

Other scratch-off prizes claimed Feb. 23 through March 1 included two $50,000 winners: a 200X the Cash ticket sold at the Wawa at 7501 Pulaski Highway in Rosedale, and a $5,000,000 Luxe ticket sold at the Spring Hill Lake Mini Market at 9240 Spring Hill Lane in Greenbelt. A $30,000 Diamond Bingo 6th Edition ticket was sold at Tempo Lounge at 402 Back River Neck Road in Essex.

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The Lottery also reported three $20,000 scratch-off winners, all on $1,000,000 Crossword tickets sold at Geresbeck’s Food Market at 8489 Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena; Hillandale Beer and Wine at 10117 New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring; and Paddock Wine and Spirits at 7627 Woodbine Road in Woodbine.

The Lottery reminded players to sign the backs of tickets and keep winning tickets in a safe location.

The Lottery said the last dates to claim scratch-off tickets are posted on the scratch-offs page at mdlottery.com.

More information is available at mdlottery.com.

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SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned

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SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned


Advocacy groups are raising concerns over a warehouse in Washington County that is slated to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility after dozens of black SUVs were moved to the warehouse’s parking lot on Sunday.

“When federal enforcement vehicles begin lining the warehouse lot, it sends a clear message about what’s taking shape in our community,” said the organizer of Hagerstown Rapid Response, Claire Connor. “We refuse to let ICE quietly plant roots in Washington County without transparency, accountability and community consent.”

The 825,620-square-foot warehouse is located at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport. Access to the facility was blocked by orange traffic barriers and signs outlining regulations and “governing conduct on federal property” with the Department of Homeland Security emblem at the top of the page.

In late January, Washington County issued a news release stating that on Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to the county’s historic district commission and department of planning and zoning regarding the property.

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Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun’s website.



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Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia

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Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia


An adult man was killed in a police-involved shooting in Columbia early Sunday, prompting an investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division.

Howard County police said officers were called on March 1, at about 12:09 a.m., to an apartment building in the 6400 block of Freetown Road for a report that involved an adult male threatening to harm himself.

According to police, at about 12:22 a.m., officers encountered the man outside the building. The man approached officers while holding a knife and ignored commands to drop the weapon, police said. Officers then shot the man.

ALSO READ | Gas leak explosion, fire in Prince George’s County leaves 1 injured

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Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officersrecovered a knife near the man.

No officers were injured, and the officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.

The Independent Investigations Division is investigating.

Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576–7070 or by email atIID@oag.maryland.gov.

The IID willgenerally releasethe name of the decedent and any involved officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary,pursuant toIID protocol.

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TheIID willgenerally releasebody-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.



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