Maryland’s House of Delegates voted 102-34 to pass legislation that will prohibit fracking permits in the state until October 2017. Previously, the Maryland State Senate passed the legislation, voting 45-2. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk. While the governor’s stance on fracking is unknown, the Senate and the House passed the bill with a veto-proof majority. This moratorium comes shortly after we partnered with Food & Water Watch to meet with a group of Maryland state legislators for a preview screening of clips from Dear President Obama. In regard to the moratorium, Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter said:
“This is a testament to the growing movement to protect our communities from the dangers of fracking. Conventional wisdom in the state was that we could never get a moratorium passed in Maryland, just as we were also told we could never get a ban in New York. But naysaying just inspired us all to work harder in bringing the voice of the people to Annapolis in this grassroots initiative. Now it is time for Governor Hogan to heed the call of the people and sign the bill that gives Marylanders more time to examine the impacts of fracking.”
Many have expressed concerns that fracking would negatively impact Maryland’s environment and tourism economy. Maryland native, actor Edward Norton lent his voice to support the fracking moratorium, recording a radio ad paid for by Food & Water Watch. We know how vital it can be to have celebrities brave enough to speak out and bring visibility to the issue of fracking. Fellow actor Mark Ruffalo, who narrates Dear President Obama, was on the front lines of the fight to ban fracking in New York.
Don’t Frack Maryland has sent more than 25,000 messages supporting a moratorium, and letters have poured into the governor’s office from across the state. The passing of the Maryland moratorium just goes to show how media can help mobilize people, and how we really can make a difference in our states and local communities.