The University of Maryland's Extension's lecture series on Marcellus shale education will continue at the Eastern Garrett County Fire Department, Finzel, on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. The topic will be safety policies implemented by the industry since drilling began in 2007 in Pennsylvania.
Since last fall, the University of Maryland Extension has provided educational programs related to natural gas extraction from the Marcellus shale to citizens of Garrett and Allegany counties. With the potential passage of Maryland’s Safe Drilling Act, Marcellus shale drilling may be delayed until an interagency study concludes that adequate regulations are in place to minimize potential adverse environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
"University of Maryland Extension (UME) plans to continue offering educational forums throughout this regulatory development process," noted Dr. Jennifer Bentlejewski, area extension director. "UME plans to continue to compile and share research related to drilling so that citizens of western Maryland may make informed decisions about their natural resources in an environmentally responsible manner."
Drilling is currently taking place in neighboring West Virginia and Pennsylvania, with several Garrett County businesses being affected. These businesses include local motels and restaurants and excavating and engineering firms. Job opportunities created by this industry are increasing, according to Bentlejewski.
"In fact, we just lost our Marcellus shale program assistant Mikal Zimmerman to the industry," noted Bentlejewski She has been a great asset to our outreach program over the last several months, and we wish her the best in her new career." Zimmerman resigned her position at UME effective April 8 to take a public relations position in the industry.
"Our plan is to hire a qualified individual for this position as soon as possible so that programming can continue. We have already reached more than 500 residents, but the need for additional education still exists," said Bentlejewski. "The slower pace enables us to work with Garrett County government and concerned citizens to identify specific needs then develop and implement long-term educational goals to meet those needs."
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