ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Members of a commission studying hydraulic fracturing, a method of natural gas drilling, in western Maryland say they need more time to complete a best practices study.

Commission chairman David Vanko said Wednesday that the group is asking the governor to extend the timeline for the study, which was originally due to Gov. Martin O’Malley and the legislature in August.

Vanko who is a geologist and dean of Towson University’s college of science and mathematics, says he believes the scope of the study is just too wide to finish the work on time. He says a final report could be complete by December.

The commission met last Friday to discuss its next steps after legislation to create a funding mechanism for the study failed in the General Assembly.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)