Gas Or Oil

Undeterred by an apparently dry well in northeastern Virginia, Texaco wants to cross the Potomac River into Maryland to continue its search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region.Texaco officials say the company and a new partner plan to seek permission to drill an exploratory well 10,000 feet down in a cornfield less than 1 1/2 miles from the Potomac in Charles County.Texaco and Eastern Virginia Gas Co. want to begin drilling by next fall at a three-acre site they have leased west of U.S. 301 about a half-mile south of Faulkner, said Texaco spokeswoman Deborah Alford.

Texaco's search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region came under challenge on two fronts yesterday, as opponents argued that it could wreak environmental havoc in the already stressed estuary.The Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced at an Annapolis news conference that it is appealing last month's decision by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to issue Texaco Inc. a permit to drill an exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, used the same occasion to say he plans to introduce a bill to prohibit extraction of oil in the Chesapeake region.

A public hearing has been scheduled Nov. 5 on Texaco Inc.'s application for a permit to drill for natural gas or oil in Charles County.The hearing, scheduled by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Bel Alton firehouse on Newtown Road near La Plata.If granted, it would be the first permit to drill for oil or gas in thecoastal plain of Maryland.Texaco has pledged to prevent polluted runoff or spills from the drilling site, which is to be in a cornfield near Faulkner along Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River.

Texaco's search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region came under challenge on two fronts today, as opponents argued that it could wreak environmental havoc in the already stressed estuary.The Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced at an Annapolis news conference that it is appealing last month's decision by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to issue Texaco Inc. a permit to drill an exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, used the same occasion to says he plans to introduce a bill to prohibit extraction of oil in the Chesapeake region.

State officials have decided to let petroleum giant Texaco Inc. drill an exploratory well in Southern Maryland, but environmentalists vow to fight it as a potential threat to Chesapeake Bay.At a news conference in Annapolis today, Department of Natural Resources officials announced approval of a permit to Texaco.The permit allows Texaco to drill 10,000 feet deep in a farm field near Faulkner in Charles County, where oil company officials say they expect to find natural gas rather than oil -- if they find anything at all.The company is drilling a similar exploratory well across the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Va., according to DNR officials.

State officials have decided to let petroleum giant Texaco Inc. drill an exploratory well in Southern Maryland, but environmentalists vow to fight it as a potential threat to Chesapeake Bay.At a news conference in Annapolis today, Department of Natural Resources officials announced approval of a permit to Texaco.The permit allows Texaco to drill 10,000 feet deep in a farm field near Faulkner in Charles County, where oil company officials say they expect to find natural gas rather than oil -- if they find anything at all.The company is drilling a similar exploratory well across the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Va., according to DNR officials.

LA PLATA -- Texaco Inc.'s plan to drill for natural gas or oil in Southern Maryland is drawing fire from environmentalists, who question the company's assurances that its well poses no threat to Chesapeake Bay or the environment.About 45 people, most of them armed with complaints and skepticism, came to the Bel Alton fire house last night for a public hearing on Texaco's request for a state permit to sink a 10,000-foot-deep exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Company officials outlined the safeguards they planned to prevent any oil or other pollutants from spilling into Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River about 2,000 feet from the proposed drilling site.

Texaco's search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region came under challenge on two fronts yesterday, as opponents argued that it could wreak environmental havoc in the already stressed estuary.The Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced at an Annapolis news conference that it is appealing last month's decision by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to issue Texaco Inc. a permit to drill an exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, used the same occasion to say he plans to introduce a bill to prohibit extraction of oil in the Chesapeake region.

LA PLATA -- Texaco Inc.'s plan to drill for natural gas or oil in Southern Maryland is drawing fire from environmentalists, who question the company's assurances that its well poses no threat to Chesapeake Bay or the environment.About 45 people, most of them armed with complaints and skepticism, came to the Bel Alton fire house last night for a public hearing on Texaco's request for a state permit to sink a 10,000-foot-deep exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Company officials outlined the safeguards they planned to prevent any oil or other pollutants from spilling into Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River that is about 2,000 feet from the proposed drilling site.

Six Maryland and Virginia congressmen today urged Texaco Inc. to halt its search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region, saying it poses unacceptable environmental risks to the estuary.The House members, organized by Maryland's Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, wrote A.C. DeCrane Jr., Texaco's chairman, asking him to "seriously consider" withdrawing the company's applications to drill in Southern Maryland and at three sites in Virginia."The discovery and subsequent recovery of oil could have irreversible and irreparable effects on the health of the Chesapeake," the letter said.

State officials have decided to let petroleum giant Texaco Inc. drill an exploratory well in Southern Maryland, but environmentalists vow to fight it as a potential threat to Chesapeake Bay.At a news conference in Annapolis today, Department of Natural Resources officials announced approval of a permit to Texaco.The permit allows Texaco to drill 10,000 feet deep in a farm field near Faulkner in Charles County, where oil company officials say they expect to find natural gas rather than oil -- if they find anything at all.The company is drilling a similar exploratory well across the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Va., according to DNR officials.

State officials have decided to let petroleum giant Texaco Inc. drill an exploratory well in Southern Maryland, but environmentalists vow to fight it as a potential threat to Chesapeake Bay.At a news conference in Annapolis today, Department of Natural Resources officials announced approval of a permit to Texaco.The permit allows Texaco to drill 10,000 feet deep in a farm field near Faulkner in Charles County, where oil company officials say they expect to find natural gas rather than oil -- if they find anything at all.The company is drilling a similar exploratory well across the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Va., according to DNR officials.

Six Maryland and Virginia congressmen today urged Texaco Inc. to halt its search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region, saying it poses unacceptable environmental risks to the estuary.The House members, organized by Maryland's Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, wrote A.C. DeCrane Jr., Texaco's chairman, asking him to "seriously consider" withdrawing the company's applications to drill in Southern Maryland and at three sites in Virginia."The discovery and subsequent recovery of oil could have irreversible and irreparable effects on the health of the Chesapeake," the letter said.

LA PLATA -- Texaco Inc.'s plan to drill for natural gas or oil in Southern Maryland is drawing fire from environmentalists, who question the company's assurances that its well poses no threat to Chesapeake Bay or the environment.About 45 people, most of them armed with complaints and skepticism, came to the Bel Alton fire house last night for a public hearing on Texaco's request for a state permit to sink a 10,000-foot-deep exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Company officials outlined the safeguards they planned to prevent any oil or other pollutants from spilling into Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River that is about 2,000 feet from the proposed drilling site.

LA PLATA -- Texaco Inc.'s plan to drill for natural gas or oil in Southern Maryland is drawing fire from environmentalists, who question the company's assurances that its well poses no threat to Chesapeake Bay or the environment.About 45 people, most of them armed with complaints and skepticism, came to the Bel Alton fire house last night for a public hearing on Texaco's request for a state permit to sink a 10,000-foot-deep exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Company officials outlined the safeguards they planned to prevent any oil or other pollutants from spilling into Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River about 2,000 feet from the proposed drilling site.

A public hearing has been scheduled Nov. 5 on Texaco Inc.'s application for a permit to drill for natural gas or oil in Charles County.The hearing, scheduled by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Bel Alton firehouse on Newtown Road near La Plata.If granted, it would be the first permit to drill for oil or gas in thecoastal plain of Maryland.Texaco has pledged to prevent polluted runoff or spills from the drilling site, which is to be in a cornfield near Faulkner along Popes Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River.

Texaco's search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region came under challenge on two fronts today, as opponents argued that it could wreak environmental havoc in the already stressed estuary.The Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced at an Annapolis news conference that it is appealing last month's decision by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to issue Texaco Inc. a permit to drill an exploratory well near Faulkner in Charles County.Rep. Tom McMillen, D-4th, used the same occasion to says he plans to introduce a bill to prohibit extraction of oil in the Chesapeake region.

Undeterred by an apparently dry well in northeastern Virginia, Texaco wants to cross the Potomac River into Maryland to continue its search for natural gas or oil in the Chesapeake Bay region.Texaco officials say the company and a new partner plan to seek permission to drill an exploratory well 10,000 feet down in a cornfield less than 1 1/2 miles from the Potomac in Charles County.Texaco and Eastern Virginia Gas Co. want to begin drilling by next fall at a three-acre site they have leased west of U.S. 301 about a half-mile south of Faulkner, said Texaco spokeswoman Deborah Alford.