K.J. Rodgers
Crownsville, Maryland  

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Maryland’s Senator Bobby Zirkin is just a schoolyard bully trying to strong-arm the future of gas development into his own courts.

I have mentioned Senator Bobby Zirkin of Baltimore County a number of times. Over and over again, he proves to be the schoolyard bully. Zirkin is the kid from the next block over who mettles in everyone’s business and picks fights. He is Back to the Future’s Biff Tannen.

So far, the battle for fracking in Maryland has been a complete farce. Even from the beginning, falsehoods and ideologies have continued to get in the way. We as a state implemented a completely ridiculous moratorium and as it is set to come to end, Maryland has implemented some of the strictest regulations. Yet, we are still facing the threat of an out-right ban or another moratorium. The latter, I am afraid may be more of a possibility than moving forward.

As this Washington Post article mentions, Zirkin is willing to consider a new moratorium as a [cough, cough] compromise. But, he is looking into steering the ban through the Senate Judicial Committee – which he chairs. This is an overreach, as the Judicial Committee should have no say on this issue. According the Maryland.gov website, the following is its role:

The Committee is assigned legislation relating to civil rights; constitutional amendments; correctional facilities and services; criminal and civil laws, penalties, and procedures; family law; judicial administration and court structure; juvenile justice; law enforcement organizations; the legal profession; legal rights and immunities; public safety; real property, including landlord and tenant law; trusts and estates; and vehicle laws.

Looking at this laundry list of items, nowhere does it mention energy or even the environment. In fact, based on this list and the state’s history of failures in these areas, perhaps they need to reduce the scope of the committee – not increase it.

There also may not be one politician in Maryland not being bombarded by the Food and Water Watch cronies. Their little, over-rated protest they held in front of Democratic Senator Joan Carter Conway’s office before the County’s rubber stamping ceremony may have back fired as Conway said she felt “insulted.” Still, that is not stopping them from going after others. Every other leader in this state is following party lines and discussing proposals for bans or extended moratoriums.

Conway has, surprisingly, been in support of fracking. Maybe she is trying to buy political capital with our Republican, gas-friendly Governor Hogan. I’d like to think, though, she understands natural gas production in Maryland will lead to significant jobs and much needed revenue to the state. Zirkin, on the other hand is just playing the system to divert the decision into his domain.

Zirkin of Baltimore County, keeps coming into his neighbor’s back yard to lure the fight into his own. He must figure that having a home field advantage is his way of winning the fight. Meanwhile, activists continue to stretch truths and unsuccessfully apply pressure onto Conway into supporting a fracking ban.

I am beginning to think the county and city bans popping up throughout the state are gaining momentum. If Conway gives into pressure or if Zirkin can wrangle the vote into his red zone, then an extended moratorium will surely be considered.

I would really like to know what Zirkin believes are his alternatives here. Obviously, he we spout off how the state needs to invest in renewable energy, but what is the real, unspoken alternative in his mind if he does succeed? What is the future of Maryland’s energy? If we, as a state, let ourselves be mired in never-ending fracking bans and ignore the significance of what we have, then we are, effectively, going back 10 years or more back to the future where coal is king (again).

Arrogantly asserting we can provide for our state’s energy needs with renewables alone and no gas is ignorant. The future is heading backwards. If we stay on this course, it will only be when our blue collar labor force in Western Maryland is non-existant and energy prices are through the roof with higher pollution that we come back to the real future: the future of clean dependable natural gas.

If you would like to encourage Sen. Conway to stand strong against the ideology-based thugs trying to bully her, then let her know. Thank her for making sense, standing strong and looking out for Marylanders and not some ideological politically correct cause. Below is her information.

Joan Carter Conway
Democrat, District 43, Baltimore City
Miller Senate Office Building, 2 West Wing
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3145, (301) 858-3145
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3145 (toll free)
e-mail: joan.carter.conway@senate.state.md.us