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Residents Urge St. Mary’s County and State to Ban Hydraulic Fracturing
Summary
Multiple residents and local groups urged commissioners to support a local and statewide ban on hydraulic fracturing, citing groundwater contamination, property‑value declines and risks to the Chesapeake Bay; Farm Bureau and others urged caution and noted regulatory differences.
Dozens of residents used a public forum in Leonardtown to press St. Mary’s County commissioners to support a local ban on hydraulic fracturing and to urge the county’s delegation in Annapolis to back statewide action.
Speakers representing conservation groups, watermen, educators and faith communities described fracking as a threat to local groundwater and the Chesapeake watershed. Rosa Hance of the Southern Maryland Sierra Club described fracking’s wastewater and said, "Fracking would destroy all of those efforts and add a whole new level of uncertainty to our environment, public health, economy, and, of course, cultural recreation." Several speakers noted that St. Mary's sits downstream and argued even inland operations could harm county water supplies.
Residents raised studies and local examples. Lily Sheeline, a licensed realtor, cited research showing property‑value declines near fracking sites and warned that because more than half of recent home sales in nearby counties are on well water, many local properties could be vulnerable.
Other speakers read testimonials from communities that experienced rapid economic cycles and long‑term local impacts. Irene Duffy read a statement from a Garrett County real estate broker describing declines in tourism demand and land values following industry activity.
Not every speaker urged a ban. Jamie Raley, president of the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau, said the Maryland Farm Bureau’s policy supports shale development and noted that Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) draft regulations would include substantial restrictions; he referenced proposed legislation including Senate Bill 740, which seeks to ban fracking in the state.
No formal vote or resolution was taken at the forum. Commissioners heard requests that they either adopt a county resolution opposing fracking, coordinate regionally with neighboring counties, or press the state delegation for stronger protections. The forum provided a public record of both environmental concerns and economic arguments as the legislature considered competing measures on fracking.
