HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — A state commission on natural gas drilling is taking a look at the regulatory landscape.
The panel that is helping the state devise rules for safe drilling in the Marcellus Shale meets Monday at Hagerstown Community College.
The agenda includes a review of current gas-well permitting procedures and a presentation about bills in General Assembly regarding the Marcellus Shale.
One bill would outlaw storage or treatment of wastewater from gas drilling operations in other states. Another would establish a tax on gas production to offset the cost of any environmental impact from gas drilling.
The Marcellus Shale is a gas-rich geological structure underlying parts of western Maryland. Gas is produced by fracturing, or “fracking,” the rock with high-pressure fluids.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
