Evening star., 1963-03-25
Liability Bill Feature
In Gas Storage Hit
To Drop Plan If
1t Stoys in Low,
Official Asserts
BY JAMES b. ROWLAND
Star Staff Writer

Inc washington Gas Llgnb
Co. said today 1t will drop plans
for an underground gas storage
project in Prince Georges
County If a liability amendment
remains in a bill before the
Maryland General Assembly.
Robert T. Keith, assistant to
the president of the company,
said he did not see how 1t would
be economically feasible for the
utility to carry out the $40 mil
lion project in Brandywine If it
is going to be held responsible
for any water, foliage or other
damage within a 10-mile radius
Of the storage field.
ANY trouble at all occurring
within this radius would be
blamed on the gas company
and we'd be faced with a string
Of lawsuits" Mr.. Keith said.
Put In Amendments
The liability clause was con-
tanned in two of six amend
ments written by Charles
County delegates for the Prince
Georges bill pending in the
House Of Delegates.
The bill would help the gas
company obtain through con-
demnation the remaining IA
per cent Of the 10000 acres 1t
needs to store the gas 1900 to
$500 feet below the ground
under a clay cap strata.
Delegates from Anne Arundel
County said they also would
have some amendments today
for the Prince Georges bill.
They and Charles County law
makers said heir amendments
were merely to protect resi-
dents in case anything went
wrong with the ultimate stor-
age of 80 billion cubic feet Of
gas.
Deadline Near
Maryland and gas company
biologists have testified the
underground water and clay
strata offers an ideal seal to
keep the gas from escaping.
They said this has been proven
with a test storage Of 100 mil
! lion cubic feet Of inert gas.
Even if a revision Of amend
ments is acceptable 70 all par
ties, there still is almost no
(. hope of the bill getting through
: the legislature before its mid
J night Saturday adjournment
deadline.
Senator H. Winsh1p Wheat
ley. jr., Democrat of Prince
Georges, has said he will need
at least five days to study the
bill before he can bring it be-
fore the upper chamber. It Is
doubtful the bill can clear the
House Of Delegates today.
The Senator said he also has
a. few amendments of his own
which probably would be un-
acceptable to the delegates. He
declined to elaborate on their
content. but indicated they
would be for the protection Of
Brandywine property owners.
Two Defeated
After heated debate in the
House of Delegates Saturday
between lawmakers from Prince
Georges and Charles, the Prince
Georges representatives agreed
to accept the liability amend
ments. Two other Charles
County amendments we're de-
feated and the other two up
for debate today would make
1t a crime for underground gas
TO seep into Charles County.
Gas company officials still
are studying a Prince Georges
amendment, introduced Satur-
day, which provides for an an
nual county license fee Of is
per cent on the gas stored. The
company earlier had agreed to
a 10 per cent tax. in addition
TO regular county levies.
Under the Is per cent tax.
the county after five years
would collect $2.25 million an
nually from the project. Under
the 10 per cent rate the fee
would have produced $l.75
million a year.
Meanwhile, Donald s. Bit
finger. gas company president,
will report on the pending
legislation at an annual stock
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