Fracking Western Maryland is the most divisive issue in the state since the Civil War. There are 2 distinct world views competing for primacy. We have been documenting this debate for over 18 months and have released a 67 minute documentary about the political process in 2015 that resulted in a 2 year moratorium that will expire in 2017. New fracking regulations are being proposed and commented on now. This campaign will allow us to continue documenting this debate and provide continuing social media coverage and journalistic support to the Oakland Republican Newspaper. This is a report shot June 27 at an MDE presentation in Baltimore.
The Impact
The people most affected by this debate in Western Maryland are the most removed from the Annapolis statehouse debate by their isolation from Baltimore media sources. This project keeps them informed and up to date.
Risks & Challenges
We have been covering the Maryland Fracking debate for 18 months. We stretched a $10,000 Kickstarter campaign into a 67 minute documentary that is available via DVD & Social Media and has been shown in theatres and at a film festival. We can’t afford to do that again. It takes too much time and resource to accomplish properly. If we fall short of the $25,000 goal we will provide as much coverage as possible on the budget we have. If we exceed that goal it will go toward editing and distributing “Fracking Western Marylnad? 2” before the 2017 legislative session begins in Maryland.