MD General Assembly Update: A Win for Forests and other news!

More Protection for Forests!

The Forest Study Bill passed the Maryland Senate unanimously the night of April 2nd! Photo credit Ben Alexandro/MDLCV.

It’s finally happened: after three years of pushing, we got two Forest Conservation bills passed in the Maryland General Assembly! HB272/SB234, the In-Lieu-Fee Mitigation Bill, passed both houses a few weeks ago, and on the night of April 2nd, HB735, the Forest Study Bill, passed the Senate as well! Both bills passed unanimously in the Senate, thanks to YOUR hard work and that of our many allies all around the state. The Forests coalition was ably led by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, but critical support came from volunteers, citizens, and residents throughout Maryland. ANS sent 4 volunteers to the Forest Lobby Day in February, including volunteers from critical District 27, home of House Transportation & Environment Committee Chair Delegate Kumar Barve. Your visits, calls, and letters worked! While we didn’t get all three of our bills passed, if the Forest Study committee does a good job it will highlight the need for a better definition of No Net Loss–making it easier to pass that bill in the future. Thank you! Read more about these bills by clicking here.

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Below are updates on the rest of ANS’ priority bills for 2019…click here to read more about the backgrounds of all these bills.

No Progress on Slowing Beltway Expansion

ANS has helped support several bills that would have required better transportation and environmental planning before allowing a new public-private-partnership (P3) that will likely result in widening the Beltway and I-270, taking homes and businesses and also threatening many parks, streams, and forests with land loss and increased stormwater runoff. Not to mention, wider roads don’t actually solve traffic–but they do lead to increased cars on the road, more air pollution, and more climate change! What we need instead is MUCH better transit alternatives. So far, most of the bills put forward by Delegates from Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties have died either in committee or in the Senate. There is one that still has a chance in these last few days of the session: HB1091. It would require that P3 projects like this one wait until the full environmental review is completed before it begins making concrete plans. Read more about it from WTOP and the Washington Post. None of these bills passed this session.

Foam Ban Passed!

After three years of work, we did it: expanded polysterene (EPS) food service containers will be banned in Maryland! Learn more at this great summary from Chesapeake Bay Magazine and get all the details from the leaders of the fight, Trash Free Maryland.

Chlorpyrifos Bill Cancelled

An update from our friends at Maryland Smart on Pesticides:

We wanted to update you on very recent events concerning the Chlorpyrifos Ban bills (HB275/SB270) in this year’s Maryland General Assembly session. We made significant progress in the 2019 session thanks to the many of you who reached out to your Maryland delegates and senators urging them to support the Maryland Chlorpyrifos Ban bills (HB275/SB275). Largely because of yourgrassroots actions, Maryland successfully passed these bills through the House of Delegates and the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee (EHEA). Unfortunately, due to a confluence of events, the bills did not get brought to the final step of voting on the floor of the Senate.

But there was some positive news as well, and the fight will continue with renewed energy next session.

Clean Energy Jobs Act Passed!

This important bill passed the Senate 33-13, was heard in the House Environment and Transportation Committee, and is currently pending in the House Rules Committee. It passed in the final hours of the session! 50% renewables by 2030, here we come!

Healthy and Green Maryland Amendment Will Not Advance This Year

Unfortunately, this exciting and important bill will not go forward this year. From our partner Tamara Toles O’Laughlin at the Maryland Environmental Health Network:

Although the Healthy Green amendment bill will not go forward in 2019, we have the opportunity in 2020 to give people the chance to make their own decision and hold a referendum in the state.

Click here to read more about the Amendment.

Zero-Emission School Buses Passed!

The #CleanRide4Kids campaign is a nationwide effort to get kids off of polluting diesel buses (a source of smog that causes asthma, as well as climate change) and onto clean, electric school buses. Here in Maryland, the campaign is working both at the MD Department of the Environment and also to require that beginning in 2022, all new school buses purchased or contracted for by county boards of education be zero-emission vehicles. Currently, this bill has passed the House 102-37 and received a favorable report from the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee. It passed in the final hours of the session!

Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act Passed Both Houses but Didn’t Get Finalized

This bill will make new construction more energy-efficient and also bird-friendly. Click here to learn more from our friends at Safe Skies Maryland. It came incredibly close, passing both Houses, but didn’t get a chance to go back to the Senate for reconciliation (ensuring consistency between the bill versions in the two houses). Next year!

Public Notification of Sewer Overflows Passed!

This bill passed both houses unanimously. Now utility companies will be required to tell the public when there are overflowing sewers nearby!

About Eliza Cava

Eliza Cava is the Nature Forward Director of Conservation, where she supervises our policy, advocacy, watershed community science, and conservation outreach work, and supports Woodend restoration as a demonstration landscape for the region.
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