Maryland is a land of innovation and possibilities. Its people are always striving for better communities, better businesses and better lives.
Affordable and reliable energy can support all these ambitions, and there is perhaps no greater opportunity for progress than increasing the production and use of natural gas in Maryland.
Natural Gas lowers the cost of energy for Maryland.
Since 2006, natural gas use in Maryland has increased by nearly 18 percent. And during that same period, the price of natural gas for residential consumers fell 26 percent.
This translated into significant energy savings compared to other energy sources. The average Maryland household savings for 2015 were:
- $806 compared to households using heating oil
- $1,172 compared to households using electricity
- $1,705 compared to households using propane
Maryland commercial and industrial consumption has also grown by 12 percent over the past decade, and in 2015, the companies using natural gas saved on average:
- $12,615 compared to entities using heating oil
- $10,730 compared to entities using electricity
- $25,650 compared to entities using propane
Natural gas is good for economic growth in Maryland.
It’s been shown, particularly in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, that the environmentally responsible expansion of local natural gas production can not only further lower energy prices, but create jobs.
A report by the Sage Policy Group found that natural gas drilling in Maryland would support more than 1,800 jobs annually, with a labor income impact of more than $85 million. The value added to the economy is estimated at well over $316 million.
Additionally, a recent Towson RESI study concluded that new pipeline construction would add 7,318 jobs with a combined $349.7 million in wages each year over the next ten years.
We can make environmental progress with responsible development.
Increased U.S. natural gas production has led to remarkable technological advances in hydraulic fracturing. These continually improving industry practices, along with federal environmental statutes, allow for the essential development of the nation’s natural gas resources while protecting people and the planet.
In Maryland, the increasing number of households powered by natural gas is a prime driver in helping bring U.S. emissions from electrical production to their lowest levels in 25 years. The effect on pollutants and greenhouse emissions has been dramatic.
EPA reports show that between 2006 and 2014:
- Nitrogen oxide emissions are down more than 78 percent
- Particulate matter emissions are down more than 80 percent
- Sulfur dioxide emissions are down nearly 92 percent
- And CO2 emissions from electric power generation in Maryland fell by nearly 13 million metric tons, or 39 percent
Natural gas offers a unique opportunity for Maryland to improve air quality and the environment while also saving consumers and businesses money.