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90-707: Consol Energy was originally created in 1860 as the Consolidation Coal Company after several small mining companies in Western Maryland decided to combine their operations. The company was formally established in 1864 and headquartered in Cumberland, Maryland for the first 85 years (1864–1945), where the company became the largest bituminous coal company in the eastern United States. Western Maryland's coal production rose about 1 million short tons in 1865, exceeded 4 million short tons by

180-624: A carbon-rich material) can be incorporated into construction or a range of other durable products, thus sequestering its carbon over years or even centuries. In industrial production, engineers typically capture carbon dioxide from emissions from power plants or factories. For example in the United States , the Executive Order 13990 (officially titled "Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle

270-464: A large role in carbon sequestration (high confidence) with high resilience to disturbances and additional benefits such as enhanced biodiversity." Impacts on temperature are affected by the location of the forest. For example, reforestation in boreal or subarctic regions has less impact on climate. This is because it substitutes a high- albedo , snow-dominated region with a lower-albedo forest canopy. By contrast, tropical reforestation projects lead to

360-498: A number of sites with significance for military history, particularly the Civil War. In 1862, Washington County was home to one of the Civil War's bloodiest single-day battles at Antietam National Battlefield . Western Maryland, particularly Cumberland, is also home to transportation themed tourism. The Downtown Cumberland Historic District is a National Register Historic District, and Cumberland's Western Maryland Railway Station

450-431: A portion of the carbon removed from logged forests ends up as durable goods and buildings. The remainder ends up as sawmill by-products such as pulp, paper, and pallets. If all new construction globally utilized 90% wood products, largely via adoption of mass timber in low rise construction, this could sequester 700 million net tons of carbon per year. This is in addition to the elimination of carbon emissions from

540-426: A positive change such as the formation of clouds . These clouds then reflect the sunlight , lowering temperatures. Planting trees in tropical climates with wet seasons has another advantage. In such a setting, trees grow more quickly (fixing more carbon) because they can grow year-round. Trees in tropical climates have, on average, larger, brighter, and more abundant leaves than non-tropical climates. A study of

630-406: A public offering (NYSE: CNX) in order to pay down some of the debt the company had incurred with the majority buy-out from Dupont and the acquisition of Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company. Due to uncertainty surrounding demand for coal in the early 2000s, Consol began to place a greater emphasis on diversification, primarily into natural gas. Consol's first major natural gas investment was through

720-405: A sink to a source. With rising temperatures comes an increase in greenhouse gasses from wetlands especially locations with permafrost . When this permafrost melts it increases the available oxygen and water in the soil. Because of this, bacteria in the soil would create large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane to be released into the atmosphere. The link between climate change and wetlands

810-665: A standalone company, but retained 83 percent of the new company's shares. On June 28, 2006, Consol Energy entered the S&;P 500 replacing Knight-Ridder . In 2007, CNX Gas also began investing heavily in natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. In 2010, Consol acquired Dominion Resources Inc. 's natural gas production and exploration assets for 3.74 billion dollars, which included nearly 500,000 acres of Marcellus potential, tripling Consol's position in

900-532: A tree plantation. Therefore, the farming of bamboo timber may have significant carbon sequestration potential. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that: "The total carbon stock in forests decreased from 668 gigatonnes in 1990 to 662 gigatonnes in 2020". In Canada's boreal forests as much as 80% of the total carbon is stored in the soils as dead organic matter. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report says: "Secondary forest regrowth and restoration of degraded forests and non-forest ecosystems can play

990-411: Is carbon sequestration . The overall goal of carbon farming is to create a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere. This is done by increasing the rate at which carbon is sequestered into soil and plant material. One option is to increase the soil's organic matter content. This can also aid plant growth, improve soil water retention capacity and reduce fertilizer use. Sustainable forest management

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1080-521: Is charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass waste. The resulting material is added to a landfill or used as a soil improver to create terra preta . Adding biochar may increase the soil-C stock for the long term and so mitigate global warming by offsetting the atmospheric C (up to 9.5 Gigatons C annually). In the soil, the biochar carbon is unavailable for oxidation to CO 2 and consequential atmospheric release. However concerns have been raised about biochar potentially accelerating release of

1170-404: Is a conservation effort to restore prairie lands that were destroyed due to industrial, agricultural , commercial, or residential development. The primary aim is to return areas and ecosystems to their previous state before their depletion. The mass of SOC able to be stored in these restored plots is typically greater than the previous crop, acting as a more effective carbon sink. Biochar

1260-587: Is a popular site. Garrett County is also well known for its numerous state parks and outdoor activities. Places such as Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County are frequented by many visitors every year. The largest lake in Western Maryland is Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. The 4,000 acre body of water is owned by the State of Maryland and is man made. Construction began in 1920 and the lake

1350-433: Is an important carbon sink ; 14.5% of the world's soil carbon is found in wetlands, while only 5.5% of the world's land is composed of wetlands. Not only are wetlands a great carbon sink, they have many other benefits like collecting floodwater, filtering out air and water pollutants, and creating a home for numerous birds, fish, insects, and plants. Climate change could alter wetland soil carbon storage, changing it from

1440-487: Is another tool that is used in carbon farming. Carbon farming is one component of climate-smart agriculture . It is also one way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere . Agricultural methods for carbon farming include adjusting how tillage and livestock grazing is done, using organic mulch or compost , working with biochar and terra preta , and changing the crop types. Methods used in forestry include reforestation and bamboo farming . Prairie restoration

1530-589: Is bounded by Preston County, West Virginia , to the west, the Mason–Dixon line ( Pennsylvania ) to the north, and the Potomac River and West Virginia to the south. At one point, at the town of Hancock , the northern and southern boundaries are separated by just 1.8 miles, the narrowest stretch in the state. Western Maryland is more rural than the Washington-Baltimore area , where most of

1620-575: Is converted from natural land or semi-natural land, such as forests, woodlands, grasslands, steppes, and savannas, the SOC content in the soil reduces by about 30–40%. This loss is due to harvesting , as plants contain carbon. When land use changes , the carbon in the soil will either increase or decrease, and this change will continue until the soil reaches a new equilibrium. Deviations from this equilibrium can also be affected by variated climate. The decreasing of SOC content can be counteracted by increasing

1710-433: Is disturbed the carbon stored in the plants and sediments will be released back into the atmosphere, and the ecosystem will no longer function as a carbon sink. Additionally, some wetlands can release non-CO 2 greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide which could offset potential climate benefits. The amounts of carbon sequestered via blue carbon by wetlands can also be difficult to measure. Wetland soil

1800-400: Is involved in water purification with a focus on treating wastewater produced as a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing . The company operates reverse osmosis water purification plants and has a minority interest in a company that develops solar-powered water purification systems which, as of July 2012, was conducting a pilot test at one of Consol's gas drilling sites. Consol also maintained

1890-504: Is located on a 172 acre property next to Deep Creek Lake. Hosting a year-round mountain coaster and cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, it is a major tourist attraction in the region. Sports teams in Western Maryland include the following: Garrett County along the Savage River has played host to two ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in 1989 and 2014 . Colleges in Western Maryland include: In 2014, it

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1980-445: Is more akin to the mountains of northern West Virginia than to any other part of Maryland. Summers tend to be much cooler than in the rest of the state, and winters harsher. Temperatures in winter can drop to below 0 °F (−17.8 °C) on around eight nights per winter, and snowfall averages from 20 inches (0.51 m) farther east to over 120 inches (3.05 m) in the higher elevations. In comparison, Prince George's County , in

2070-451: Is much lower than carbon capture from e.g. power plant emissions. CO 2 fixation into woody biomass is a natural process carried out through photosynthesis . This is a nature-based solution and methods being trialled include the use of "wood vaults" to store the wood-containing carbon under oxygen-free conditions. In 2022 a certification organization published methodologies for biomass burial. Other biomass storage proposals have included

2160-432: Is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These processes can be accelerated for example through changes in land use and agricultural practices, called carbon farming . Artificial processes have also been devised to produce similar effects. This approach is called carbon capture and storage . It involves using technology to capture and sequester (store) CO 2 that

2250-664: Is part of the natural carbon cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere , pedosphere (soil), geosphere , hydrosphere , and atmosphere of Earth . Carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, or physical processes, and stored in long-term reservoirs. Plants, such as forests and kelp beds , absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and bind it into biomass . However, these biological stores are considered volatile carbon sinks as long-term sequestration cannot be guaranteed. Events such as wildfires or disease, economic pressures, and changing political priorities can result in

2340-422: Is produced from human activities underground or under the sea bed. Plants, such as forests and kelp beds , absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and bind it into biomass. However, these biological stores may be temporary carbon sinks , as long-term sequestration cannot be guaranteed. Wildfires , disease, economic pressures, and changing political priorities may release the sequestered carbon back into

2430-459: Is still not fully known. It is also not clear how restored wetlands manage carbon while still being a contributing source of methane. However, preserving these areas would help prevent further release of carbon into the atmosphere. Despite occupying only 3% of the global land area, peatlands hold approximately 30% of the carbon in our ecosystem - twice the amount stored in the world's forests. Most peatlands are situated in high latitude areas of

2520-424: Is that forests can turn from sinks to carbon sources. In 2019 forests took up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, due to higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation . The typical tropical forest may become a carbon source by the 2060s. Researchers have found that, in terms of environmental services, it is better to avoid deforestation than to allow for deforestation to subsequently reforest, as

2610-449: Is the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by continual or enhanced biological processes. This form of carbon sequestration occurs through increased rates of photosynthesis via land-use practices such as reforestation and sustainable forest management . Land-use changes that enhance natural carbon capture have the potential to capture and store large amounts of carbon dioxide each year. These include

2700-417: Is the next most populated county with 75,087 people, while Garrett County is the least populated with 30,097 people. The following are some of the major cities in Western Maryland by county, in descending order of population, along with the city population of the 2020 census. Washington County: Allegany County: Garrett County: Western Maryland has a heavily agricultural economy. Its best-known crops are

2790-429: Is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide." Therefore, the difference between carbon sequestration and carbon capture and storage (CCS) is sometimes blurred in the media. The IPCC, however, defines CCS as "a process in which a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from industrial sources is separated, treated and transported to a long-term storage location". Carbon sequestration

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2880-477: Is the process of storing carbon in a carbon pool . It plays a crucial role in limiting climate change by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere . There are two main types of carbon sequestration: biologic (also called biosequestration ) and geologic. Biologic carbon sequestration is a naturally occurring process as part of the carbon cycle . Humans can enhance it through deliberate actions and use of technology. Carbon dioxide ( CO 2 )

2970-492: Is used in different ways in the literature and media. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report defines it as "The process of storing carbon in a carbon pool". Subsequently, a pool is defined as "a reservoir in the Earth system where elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, reside in various chemical forms for a period of time". The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines carbon sequestration as follows: "Carbon sequestration

3060-517: The Allegheny Mountains to the west. In the mid-18th century, English settlers came to the county and began to mine and create towns and farms. This county was important for transportation for many travelers heading west. They would pass through by many forms of transportation, including canal, train, and horse and buggy. The westernmost county in the state, Garrett County , was the last part of Maryland to be settled in 1764. The county

3150-482: The apples grown in the Cumberland Valley , but corn , potatoes , beans , and varieties of green-leaf vegetables are grown as well. Mixed crop and livestock farms are common, and the region has a large number of dairy cattle farms. Tourism is very important to Western Maryland. There is a thriving tourist industry, and has been noted as having "potential for significant growth." Western Maryland has

3240-436: The girth of 70,000 trees across Africa has shown that tropical forests fix more carbon dioxide pollution than previously realized. The research suggested almost one-fifth of fossil fuel emissions are absorbed by forests across Africa, Amazonia and Asia . Simon Lewis stated, "Tropical forest trees are absorbing about 18% of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere each year from burning fossil fuels, substantially buffering

3330-500: The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air, forests function as terrestrial carbon sinks , meaning they store large amounts of carbon in the form of biomass, encompassing roots, stems, branches, and leaves. Throughout their lifespan, trees continue to sequester carbon, storing atmospheric CO 2 long-term. Sustainable forest management , afforestation , reforestation are therefore important contributions to climate change mitigation. An important consideration in such efforts

3420-457: The ARC was to improve the development of the economy, and bring this region into socioeconomic parity with the rest of the nation. According to the 2010 U.S. Census , the three westernmost counties of Maryland have a population of 252,614, accounting for 4.4% of the population of Maryland. The most populated county is Washington County, which is home to approximately 147,430 people. Allegany County

3510-595: The Climate Crisis") from 2021, includes several mentions of carbon sequestration via conservation and restoration of carbon sink ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests. The document emphasizes the importance of farmers, landowners, and coastal communities in carbon sequestration. It directs the Treasury Department to promote conservation of carbon sinks through market based mechanisms. Biological carbon sequestration (also called biosequestration )

3600-488: The Fairmont Supply Company, dedicated to the sale and distribution of mining services and equipment. However, in 2015, Consol sold that Company. Additionally, the company operates the largest privately owned research and development facility in the industry that is devoted exclusively to coal and energy utilization and production. In 2018, Consol Energy had an annual revenue of $ 1.53 billion. Consol Energy

3690-467: The Marcellus to approximately 750,000 acres. Consol also acquired all of the remaining publicly owned shares of CNX Gas for a cash payment of $ 991 million. In 2010, Consol was also named by Forbes magazine as one of the "100 Most Trustworthy Companies." In 2011, Consol entered into two separate joint venture agreements to expedite its natural gas production. The first, an agreement with Noble Energy

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3780-512: The U.S. Department of Justice and half to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection in 2011. The company maintains that it was never found liable for the fish kill. As a producer of coal and natural gas, the environmental impact of coal mining and natural gas drilling has been a subject of controversy for Consol Energy. Despite this, the company has been recognized for its efforts at environmental protection and

3870-557: The U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining National Award for Excellence in Surface Mining for the company's innovative reclamation practices in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Consol's Gas Division deals with natural gas exploration, development and production, producing nearly 128 billion cubic feet of coalbed methane in 2010. With the acquisition of the exploration and production business of Dominion Resources in 2010,

3960-811: The U.S. following World War II , Consolidation Coal Company was acquired by the Continental Oil Company , or Conoco, in 1966. By the mid-1970s, Consolidation Coal Company operated 56 mines and employed nearly 20,000 miners. In 1981, Conoco along with Consolidation Coal Company was acquired by DuPont , which then sold some of its coal mining interests in Pennsylvania to the German energy company, Rheinbraun A.G. Looking to invest in coal reserves in North America, Rheinbraun A.G offered Dupont stakes in coal mines and $ 890 million in 1991 to join in an equal part joint venture creating Consol Energy. Despite

4050-407: The acquisition of MCN Energy Group Inc.'s methane reserves in southwestern Virginia for $ 160 million. In 2001, Consol acquired Conoco Inc.'s coalbed methane gas production assets in southwestern Virginia. Consol subsidiaries CNX Ventures and CNX Land Resources also began diversification efforts during this time into methane gas and timber and farming. In 2006, Consol spun off its subsidiary CNX Gas as

4140-415: The amount in the atmosphere and much more than in vegetation. Researchers have found that rising temperatures can lead to population booms in soil microbes, converting stored carbon into carbon dioxide. In laboratory experiments heating soil, fungi-rich soils released less carbon dioxide than other soils. Following carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) absorption from the atmosphere, plants deposit organic matter into

4230-467: The atmosphere's carbon pool in 2019. Life expectancy of forests varies throughout the world, influenced by tree species, site conditions, and natural disturbance patterns. In some forests, carbon may be stored for centuries, while in other forests, carbon is released with frequent stand replacing fires. Forests that are harvested prior to stand replacing events allow for the retention of carbon in manufactured forest products such as lumber . However, only

4320-402: The atmosphere. Carbon dioxide that has been removed from the atmosphere can also be stored in the Earth's crust by injecting it underground, or in the form of insoluble carbonate salts. The latter process is called mineral sequestration . These methods are considered non-volatile because they not only remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also sequester it indefinitely. This means

4410-600: The bid for naming rights at a cost between $ 2.0 - $ 4.0 million per year, for 21 years. As of October 2016 the Consol Energy Center has been renamed PPG Paints Arena as Consol Energy has ended its naming rights of the venue. Western Maryland Western Maryland , also known as the Maryland panhandle , is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that typically consists of Frederick , Washington , Allegany , and Garrett counties. The region

4500-421: The carbon already present in the soil. Terra preta , an anthropogenic , high-carbon soil, is also being investigated as a sequestration mechanism. By pyrolysing biomass, about half of its carbon can be reduced to charcoal , which can persist in the soil for centuries, and makes a useful soil amendment, especially in tropical soils ( biochar or agrichar ). Burying biomass (such as trees) directly mimics

4590-419: The carbon capture and storage approaches, carbon sequestration refers to the storage component. Artificial carbon storage technologies can be applied, such as gaseous storage in deep geological formations (including saline formations and exhausted gas fields), and solid storage by reaction of CO 2 with metal oxides to produce stable carbonates . For carbon to be sequestered artificially (i.e. not using

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4680-410: The carbon found in the atmosphere and 4-fold of that found in living plants and animals. About 70% of the global soil organic carbon in non-permafrost areas is found in the deeper soil within the upper metre and is stabilized by mineral-organic associations. Carbon farming is a set of agricultural methods that aim to store carbon in the soil , crop roots, wood and leaves. The technical term for this

4770-496: The carbon input. This can be done with several strategies, e.g. leave harvest residues on the field, use manure as fertilizer, or include perennial crops in the rotation. Perennial crops have a larger below-ground biomass fraction, which increases the SOC content. Perennial crops reduce the need for tillage and thus help mitigate soil erosion, and may help increase soil organic matter. Globally, soils are estimated to contain >8,580 gigatons of organic carbon, about ten times

4860-419: The carbon is "locked away" for thousands to millions of years. To enhance carbon sequestration processes in oceans the following chemical or physical technologies have been proposed: ocean fertilization , artificial upwelling , basalt storage, mineralization and deep-sea sediments, and adding bases to neutralize acids. However, none have achieved large scale application so far. Large-scale seaweed farming on

4950-482: The carbon must not return to the atmosphere from biomass burning or rotting when the trees die. To this end, land allotted to the trees must not be converted to other uses. Alternatively, the wood from them must itself be sequestered, e.g., via biochar , bioenergy with carbon capture and storage , landfill or stored by use in construction. Earth offers enough room to plant an additional 0.9 billion ha of tree canopy cover, although this estimate has been criticized, and

5040-403: The company does not develop, land donation and conservation projects. Consol Energy has also been recognized for its reclamation efforts by national and state governments and has worked in partnership with several conservation groups on land reclamation projects. Consol's Baltimore Marine Terminal provides coal transshipment services from rail cars to ocean transport ships. Consol's Water Division

5130-419: The company has access to over 3.7 trillion cubic feet of proved clean-burning natural gas reserves in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, including coalbed methane and shale beds. The company currently has nearly 13,000 net producing wells. As the owner of more than 430,000 surface acres in the U.S. and Canada, Consol Energy has a Land Division that oversees various projects, including selling reserve land that

5220-424: The conditions for the golden algae bloom. After halting operations at the mine following the fish kill, Consol was allowed to continue mining operations after coming to an agreement with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to submit a proposal for discharge treatment plants by April 15 of 2010. Consol also invested $ 200 million in a water treatment facility and paid a $ 5.5 million federal penalty to

5310-513: The conservation, management, and restoration of ecosystems such as forests, peatlands , wetlands , and grasslands , in addition to carbon sequestration methods in agriculture. Methods and practices exist to enhance soil carbon sequestration in both agriculture and forestry . Forests are an important part of the global carbon cycle because trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis . Therefore, they play an important role in climate change mitigation . By removing

5400-460: The cost of coal dropping in the 1990s, Consol's long-term contracts and investments in longwall mining techniques allowed the company to remain competitive. In 1998, Dupont sold the large majority of its stake in Consol, leaving it with only a 6 percent share and Rheinbraun A.G with a 94 percent interest. Consol also acquired Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company in 1998. In 1999, Consol underwent

5490-567: The day off to avoid appearing in the ad in a contract-sanctioned protest, halting production at Consol's Blacksville No. 2 coal mine. Lobbying efforts on the part of Consol have also been an issue of controversy. In the first quarter of 2010, Consol spent $ 1.02 million in lobbying expenses on issues relating to the coal mining and natural gas industries. Furthermore, in all of 2010, Consol spent $ 3.25 million in lobbying expenditures. Consol Energy has previously put its name to two sports facilities in its Pittsburgh-area. In 2007, Consol Energy purchased

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5580-412: The displaced construction material such as steel or concrete, which are carbon-intense to produce. A meta-analysis found that mixed species plantations would increase carbon storage alongside other benefits of diversifying planted forests. Although a bamboo forest stores less total carbon than a mature forest of trees, a bamboo plantation sequesters carbon at a much faster rate than a mature forest or

5670-563: The eastern part of the Washington metropolitan area , would previously average only 25 inches (0.64 m) of snow and wintertime maxima exceeded 50 °F (10 °C) on a third of all days. Below is climate data for Hagerstown , the largest city in Western Maryland, located in Washington County, the easternmost and lowest elevation county in Western Maryland. Below is climate data for Oakland , located in Garrett County,

5760-614: The future than keeping existing forests intact. It takes much longer − several decades − for the benefits for global warming to manifest to the same carbon sequestration benefits from mature trees in tropical forests and hence from limiting deforestation. Therefore, scientists consider "the protection and recovery of carbon-rich and long-lived ecosystems, especially natural forests" to be "the major climate solution ". The planting of trees on marginal crop and pasture lands helps to incorporate carbon from atmospheric CO 2 into biomass . For this carbon sequestration process to succeed

5850-425: The latter leads to irreversible effects in terms of biodiversity loss and soil degradation . Furthermore, the probability that legacy carbon will be released from soil is higher in younger boreal forest. Global greenhouse gas emissions caused by damage to tropical rainforests may have been substantially underestimated until around 2019. Additionally, the effects of afforestation and reforestation will be farther in

5940-651: The naming rights to Washington, Pennsylvania 's minor league baseball team the Washington Wild Things ' field, Consol Energy Park . Consol Energy has let the naming rights deal expire as of January 2017. Consol later purchased the naming rights to the Consol Energy Center in 2008; the arena that hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins National Hockey League team. It is estimated that Consol Energy won

6030-446: The natural processes of the carbon cycle) it must first be captured, or it must be significantly delayed or prevented from being re-released into the atmosphere (by combustion, decay, etc.) from an existing carbon-rich material, by being incorporated into an enduring usage (such as in construction). Thereafter it can be passively stored or remain productively utilized over time in a variety of ways. For instance, upon harvesting, wood (as

6120-556: The natural processes that created fossil fuels . The global potential for carbon sequestration using wood burial is estimated to be 10 ± 5 GtC/yr and largest rates in tropical forests (4.2 GtC/yr), followed by temperate (3.7 GtC/yr) and boreal forests (2.1 GtC/yr). In 2008, Ning Zeng of the University of Maryland estimated 65 GtC lying on the floor of the world's forests as coarse woody material which could be buried and costs for wood burial carbon sequestration run at 50 USD/tC which

6210-468: The northern hemisphere, with most of their growth occurring since the last ice age , but they are also found in tropical regions, such as the Amazon and Congo Basin. Peatlands grow steadily over thousands of years, accumulating dead plant material – and the carbon contained within it – due to waterlogged conditions which greatly slow rates of decay. If peatlands are drained, for farmland or development,

6300-471: The other hand is a biological process and could sequester significant amounts of carbon. The potential growth of seaweed for carbon farming would see the harvested seaweed transported to the deep ocean for long-term burial. The IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate recommends "further research attention" on seaweed farming as a mitigation tactic. The term carbon sequestration

6390-584: The plant material stored within them decomposes rapidly, releasing stored carbon. These degraded peatlands account for 5-10% of global carbon emissions from human activities. The loss of one peatland could potentially produce more carbon than 175–500 years of methane emissions . Peatland protection and restoration are therefore important measures to mitigate carbon emissions, and also provides benefits for biodiversity, freshwater provision, and flood risk reduction. Compared to natural vegetation, cropland soils are depleted in soil organic carbon (SOC). When soil

6480-434: The rate of change." Wetland restoration involves restoring a wetland's natural biological, geological, and chemical functions through re-establishment or rehabilitation. It is a good way to reduce climate change. Wetland soil, particularly in coastal wetlands such as mangroves , sea grasses , and salt marshes , is an important carbon reservoir; 20–30% of the world's soil carbon is found in wetlands, while only 5–8% of

6570-562: The sequestered carbon being released back into the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration - when acting as a carbon sink - helps to mitigate climate change and thus reduce harmful effects of climate change . It helps to slow the atmospheric and marine accumulation of greenhouse gases , which is mainly carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels . Carbon sequestration, when applied for climate change mitigation, can either build on enhancing naturally occurring carbon sequestration or use technology for carbon sequestration processes. Within

6660-414: The soil slows down the decomposition of organic material, leading to the accumulation of carbon-rich sediments, acting as a long-term carbon sink . Also, anaerobic conditions in waterlogged soils hinder the complete breakdown of organic matter, promoting the conversion of carbon into more stable forms. As with forests, for the sequestration process to succeed, the wetland must remain undisturbed. If it

6750-419: The soil. This organic matter, derived from decaying plant material and root systems, is rich in carbon compounds. Microorganisms in the soil break down this organic matter, and in the process, some of the carbon becomes further stabilized in the soil as humus - a process known as humification . On a global basis, it is estimated that soil contains about 2,500 gigatons of carbon. This is greater than 3-fold

6840-649: The start of Consol Energy Inc. operating as an independent, publicly traded company. In 2012 Consol began a test of injecting CO 2 into geologic formations . Consol Energy operates as a producer of coal, primarily for electric power generation. Consol also maintains support services including Baltimore Marine Terminal and Land Division. Consol Energy's flagship operation is the Pennsylvania Mining Complex, which includes three large underground mines capable of producing approximately 28.5 million tons of coal per year. Consol's coal division received

6930-666: The state's population lives, and is noted for its mountainous terrain . The area is in the central Appalachians . Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties are part of the Appalachian Regional Commission . The most populous community in Western Maryland is Hagerstown , located in Washington County, the most populous county in the region. Major highways in Western Maryland include Interstate Highways I-70 , I-81 and I-68 ; U.S. Highways U.S. 11 , U.S. 40 , U.S. 40 ALT , U.S. 219 and U.S. 50 ; and several state highways. The climate of Western Maryland

7020-442: The true area that has a net cooling effect on the climate when accounting for biophysical feedbacks like albedo is 20-80% lower. Planting and protecting these trees would sequester 205 billion tons of carbon if the trees survive future climate stress to reach maturity. To put this number into perspective, this is about 20 years of current global carbon emissions (as of 2019) . This level of sequestration would represent about 25% of

7110-547: The turn of the century, and reached an all-time high of about 6 million short tons in 1907. A small amount of the coal production in the early 1900s was premium smithing coal (as in blacksmith ) that was specially processed and delivered in boxcars to customers throughout the United States and Canada. In 1945, Consolidation Coal Company was merged with Pittsburgh Coal Company and its headquarters were moved to Western Pennsylvania . With growing demand for natural gas in

7200-484: The westernmost and highest elevation county in Western Maryland. In 1748, the Western Maryland population was finally large enough to create a new county called Frederick County ; at the time, the county stretched further west than it does today. In the earliest part of the colonial days, German immigrants that came from Pennsylvania had the most influence on the development of the plains and valleys of Western Maryland. Named for George Washington , Washington County

7290-458: The world's land is composed of wetlands. Studies have shown that restored wetlands can become productive CO 2 sinks and many are being restored. Aside from climate benefits, wetland restoration and conservation can help preserve biodiversity, improve water quality , and aid with flood control . The plants that makeup wetlands absorb carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere and convert it into organic matter. The waterlogged nature of

7380-496: Was 23% less than the US average; and (3) High unemployment and harsh living conditions had, in the 1950s, forced more than 2 million Appalachian people to leave their homes and seek work in other regions. For the state of Maryland, this act was intended to bring awareness to the poverty levels of the Western Maryland counties. The program that was developed for this act was called the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The main goal of

7470-616: Was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Protection Award in 2002. Additionally, Consol maintains ongoing environmental efforts aimed at restoring and enhancing property managed by the company and has worked with conservation groups including Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation on habitat restoration efforts. An ad by the National Rifle Association of America critical of President Barack Obama that

7560-434: Was filled by 1929. It was originally made to power a small scale hydroelectric plant, but was eventually turned into a tourist destination. The lake is currently managed for boating and fishing, although it still provides some water to generate electricity. The Deep Creek Lake State Park offers fishing piers, beach and swim area, covered pavilions, and opportunities for camping. Maryland's only ski resort, Wisp Ski Resort ,

7650-544: Was filmed on Consol's Blacksville No. 2 coal mine in West Virginia became an issue of political debate in 2009. The National Rifle Association intended to ask miners the question "How do you feel about having your Second Amendment rights taken away if Obama becomes president." Word spread among pro-Obama miners who contacted their union, the United Mine Workers of America , resulting in 440 miners taking

7740-535: Was founded in 1776, by division of Frederick County. The largest city in this county is Hagerstown . It was named after Jonathan Hager , a German settler. In 1785, the city of Cumberland , which is in Allegany County , was established. The County was the home for many pioneers, when they would travel through the Cumberland Narrows , a 1,000 foot high gap. This gap forms the main pass through

7830-598: Was founded in 1872 by John Work Garrett , the B&;O Railroad president. The Appalachian Regional Development Act was created and passed in 1965 in an effort to correct the poverty issue, and the growing economic problems in the Appalachian region (13 States). According to the State of Maryland Appalachian Development Plan, the Act was passed because: (1) One in every three Appalachians lived in poverty; (2) Per capita income

7920-731: Was ranked number 428 on the Fortune 500 list in 2011. In 2024,Consol Energy had a revenue of 2.042 billion $ and was ranked 980 in the Fortune 1000. In September 2009, several thousand fish were killed in Dunkard Creek , Monongalia County, West Virginia . While state officials attributed the fish kill to a golden algae bloom, an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency claimed that mining discharges from Consol Energy's Blacksville No. 2 mine created

8010-706: Was reported that some residents want the region to form a new state, which would include Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, and Carroll counties. Local supporters of partitioning western Maryland (dubbed "the Western Maryland Initiative") cited a perception of political domination by the more populous eastern portion of the state, particularly with reference to such issues as gun control , taxation , and same-sex marriage . 39°41′40.23″N 77°52′15.94″W  /  39.6945083°N 77.8710944°W  / 39.6945083; -77.8710944 Carbon sequestration Carbon sequestration

8100-599: Was to jointly develop the company's 663,350 Marcellus Shale acres in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The second joint agreement, with Hess Corporation , jointly explored and developed Consol's nearly 200,000 Utica Shale acres in Ohio. Consol also began an expansion of its Baltimore Terminal in 2011 to increase capacity from 14 million to 16 million tons to increase its revenue from sales of its metallurgical coal . In 2017, Consol Energy Inc. spun off from CNX Resources Group. Officially announced on November 29, 2017, this move marked

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