Fracking 2017, Shaking The Political Ground By Grassroots

2017 saw major political and legal shifts in fracking restrictions around the nation. This follows a growing change over the years in public opinion and voting on this hotly debated environmental issue.

Last year ended with what was the first large-scale health study showing a statistical linking of natural gas extraction (fracking) sites in Pennsylvania to significantly lower birth weights. This added to growing scientific studies and public concerns about the effects of fracking. Monterey, California passed a measure to ban fracking that was brought about by the voters in late 2016. This was a first for a major oil producing county in the US.

Yet, what happened in Maryland was perhaps the biggest story of the year, as an historic statewide ban was passed. This was a first for a state with sizable natural gas reserves. The 2015 New York state ban on fracking was by an executive order. Vermont also has a state ban passed by legislation, but it lacks known gas reserves.

Environmentalists have raised alarm for years about fracking's negative affects: water contamination, air pollution and the releasing of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Fracking has even been linked to earthquakes. The process of fracking involves injecting fluids under high pressure to break up, fracture ("frack"), rock deep underground in order to release natural gas and oil. It takes a lot of pressure to crack rock layers and change embedded public perceptions.

For years there have been grass roots protests against fracking. This has pitted environmental concerns against business concerns, the latter being a strong argument in western Maryland's economically depressed counties (where most of the state's gas reserves are).

Brooks Harper, of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said the focus of the efforts was to "deal with public perception" (that fracking was wanted), then to show in fact "... that western Maryland didn't want fracking."

This grassroots lobbying involved many participants: environmentalists, landowners, health leaders, tourism, and small business. They were able to overcome the western Maryland delegation and built a consensus on the issue of environmental safety, the fault line of public concerns. They steadily exerted pressure that kept building until finally the political shift happened.

Delegate Jason Buckel, (R-Allegany) spoke of the environmentalist lobby and others who," put a tremendous amount of political pressure upon legislators." The coalition power was so widespread even Governor Hogan acknowledged seeing "the power of grass roots" efforts.

Maryland's ban adds to the political shockwaves across the U.S. as other states continue debating restrictions on fracking in 2018.