Three members of the Calvert County Delegation to Annapolis attended the local League of Women Voters’ (LWV) “legislative evening,” which was held Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Calvert Pines Senior Center. The lawmakers—Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. [D-District 27], Delegate Mark N. Fisher [R-District 27B] and Anthony J. “Tony” O’Donnell [R-District 29C]—listened to remarks from several organizations and individuals.
Calvert’s hottest issue—the proposed expansion of the Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant in Lusby—was prominent during the discussion. The three legislators made it clear they support the project.
“It means $40 million in taxes,” said Miller of the projected annual revenues if a liquefaction facility for exporting gas from the plant is permitted. Miller added that he does support requiring Dominion to submit an environmental impact statement (EIS) to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission before final approval is granted. “The fracking issue is very important,” said Miller. The controversial hydraulic drilling procedure—fracking—would initially occur in the Appalachians. Opponents of the plant expansion project have affirmed that fracking will subsequently occur in a broader area, including portions of Southern Maryland.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” said O’Donnell.
Fisher said he favored “common sense environmentalism.” He said the bigger threat to the health of the Chesapeake Bay was not an expanded LNG plant but the many government-run wastewater treatment plants that were dumping nitrogen and phosphorus into the waterways.
Several citizens spoke out against the expansion plan. Scott Hertzog criticized the Calvert County Commissioners for “turning a deaf ear” on citizens who have expressed worries about the potential noise pollution increase and other issues should the project go forward.
Lusby resident Sue Allison said the expanded plant would be the release of tons of greenhouse gases. “I don’t want the fourth-highest polluter [in Maryland] to be something I can see from my kitchen window,” she said.
Another issue surfacing during the meeting was a campaign by the local Humane Society to expand the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Hughesville. Huntingtown High School student Erin Dix said the current facility is inadequate to handle its rising population.
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