Western Md. Town Council Votes On Gas Drilling Ban
MOUNTAIN LAKE PARK, Md. (AP) -- The western Maryland town of Mountain Lake Park is considering a ban on drilling for natural gas within its boundaries.
The Town Council was set to vote Thursday evening on the proposed measure.
The town of 2,100 sits atop the Marcellus Shale, a geological structure that is yielding natural gas in other states through a process called hydraulic fracturing that's been blamed for contaminated water and reduced property values in parts of Pennsylvania.
Mayor Leo Martin says he introduced the proposal to protect the town.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley says he wants assurances the practice is environmentally sound before his administration approves any drilling.
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