The CCAN Action Fund, dedicated to fighting climate change in Maryland, is staunchly opposed to the construction of a proposed $3.8 billion facility at Cove Point in Calvert County to export fracked Appalachian gas to Asia. In the wake of mounting public opposition to this project, proposed by Virginia-based Dominion Resources, Maryland gubernatorial candidates have begun to weigh in. Here is a summary of what the candidates are (or aren’t) saying.
Where do Maryland Democratic candidates for governor stand on the Cove Point issue?
Delegate Heather Mizeur (Montgomery County) has declared her firm opposition to the construction of the Cove Point facility. “If we are serious about climate change, the Cove Point export facility must be stopped,” she said in December 2013. Mizeur has urged Dominion Resources to instead dedicate its $3.8 billion toward investing in wind and solar projects in Maryland.
Attorney General Doug Gansler has not committed to opposing the Cove Point facility. Instead, he has said that he “believes that the environmental impact of a project of this magnitude should always be fully assessed prior to its construction.” He has not, however, committed to asking the federal government to require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposal.
Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown likewise has not taken a side in opposition to the Cove Point proposal. His campaign has said, “The Lt. Governor would not oppose the (construction) of this facility if the environmental concerns that have been raised can be mitigated appropriately.” Yet Brown, too, has failed to commit to asking the federal government to require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposal.
Where do Maryland Republican candidates for governor stand on the Cove Point issue?
Republican candidates have either remained silent on the issue or expressed general support for the proposal.