Civic Engagement and Elections

We are continuing to work on legislation to decrease Maryland's reliance on trash incinerators and landfills, improve septic systems, promote environmental justice, and protect our bees. With our allies with the Smart on Pesticide Campaign, we are also supporting a package of bills to improve the resiliency of our food system by supply critical food workers with COVID-19 protections and sick leave.

Maryland’s legislative session ended early for the first time since the Civil War this year, because of COVID-19. This meant that the only piece of legislation we were working on that passed was the ban on chlorpyrifos. Governor Hogan vetoed the chlorpyrifos ban, opting for regulations instead. Regulations can be undone with the stroke of a single pen, which is why Clean Water likes strong legislative language!

Normally my Thanksgiving message is pretty easy -- I talk about the things that Clean Water has to be thankful for and then profusely thank our members for the support throughout the year. And we do have plenty to be thankful for and I will thank you, but I also want to acknowledge that 2020 has been a long, tough year.