Regarding the April 3 editorial “Mr. Hogan’s flexibility”:

The fracking process releases enough methane (with 86 times the global warming potential of carbon) to cause more global warming than coal-fired power plants. Hundreds of scientific studies have overwhelmingly shown fracking to be harmful to human health, including a recent Johns Hopkins study that found it causes a 40 percent increase in the risk of premature births. No amount of regulation can protect against this. Even after pressure from the fracking industry, the Environmental Protection Agency admitted that fracking poisons drinking water. Most of the jobs fracking creates are short-term. The renewable-energy industry provides more jobs.

For all of these reasons, the citizens of Maryland rose up to tell the legislature and Gov. Larry Hogan to ban fracking. Our ability to persuade even a Republican governor to ban this practice is a great victory of grass-roots activism, which should be celebrated by those who care about the environment.

Jill Clark-Gollub, Silver Spring

The writer is co-chair of the

Maryland Sierra Club Beyond Gas

Steering Committee.

The editorial board’s tortured reasoning would have Maryland commence fracking because President Trump is abandoning climate policies. To the contrary, given the president’s vow to welcome all pipelines, ignore climate science and stop monitoring leaks of the greenhouse gas methane, Maryland and its governor made the right decision to ban fracking.

Scientists say we must leave three-fourths of known fossil-fuel reserves in the ground if humanity is to avoid calamitous climate disruption. Any state that hasn’t started fracking should stand down. Recent studies find serious health threats, no safe way to manage wastewater and no long-term plan to monitor the toxic water abandoned underground. The market forces The Post lauds don’t take into account ruined tourism businesses, the industry’s habit of preying on poorer communities, and catastrophic storms and sea-level rise.

We are all downwind and downstream. Our legislators and governor drew a line, putting Maryland on the right side of climate history on fracking. It’s time to turn to energy efficiency (the true “bridge fuel”) and renewable energy.

Elisabeth Hoffman, Clarksville

The writer serves on the board of Citizen Shale.