A short Daily Record video (2017-01-11) highlighted some of the environmental questions Governor Lawrence “Larry” Hogan, House Speaker Michael Busch, and Senate President Thomas Mike Miller fielded from audience members at the 2017 Annapolis Summit. The Summit has become an annual tradition where legislative and executive leadership discuss the key budget and policy issues of the pending Session. WEAA 88.9 FM radio host Marc Steiner hosted and moderated the Summit.

Key among the environmental issues in the video were regulation of the poultry industry and natural gas hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as “fracking”). Hogan called agriculture “one of our most important industries in Maryland” and stressed his support of farming, particularly on the Eastern Shore. Miller also defended agriculture, rejecting an audience proposal to bring agriculture under Maryland’s Clean Air Act.

Miller stressed that the poultry industry and fracking can both provide jobs to areas of the state that desperately need them. Miller noted that local jurisdictions have the right to ban fracking and if the people of Western Maryland wanted such a ban, they should elect State and local representatives who would support such a measure.