February 25th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

The Allegany County Commissioners received a presentation during the regular business meeting with a map showing how the proposed fracking regulations for Maryland might impact local opportunities for drilling. A commission, appointed by former Governor Martin O’Malley completed its three year study in December, and proposed what would be the most stringent regulations in the nation for hydraulic fracturing. The commissioners, on record as supporting moving forward with fracking, say the two areas of greatest concern lie with the cumulative restrictions of the setbacks, which exclude approximately 96 percent of the land area from consideration for well sites and the Comprehensive Development Plan that is complicated, expensive, litigious and time consuming to create.  Commissioner Creade Brodie Jr. says he is becoming frustrated with what he calls “propaganda” being disseminated by anti-fracking organizations: