Bill to pause fracking gains ground in Md. General Assembly

Associated Press//April 7, 2015//

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The Statehouse building. (The Daily Record File photo) — The State House. (The Daily Record File photo)

ANNAPOLIS — A bill establishing deadlines for the adoption and implementation of fracking regulations is making its way through the General Assembly.

Maryland Senators on Tuesday voted 45-2 in favor of a House version of the bill, which also stops the issuing of hydraulic fracturing drilling permits until October 2017.

The Senate approved its own version of the bill on Monday night, also in a 45-2 vote.

The bill was originally proposed as an eight-year moratorium on fracking in Maryland. Currently there is no fracking in the state, but certain portions of western Maryland have been identified as potential drilling sites.

Gov. Larry Hogan has said he’ll take a hard look at any fracking legislation that passes.

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