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No More Cash for Burning Trash
Burning trash is not clean energy. When incinerators burn trash, they emit more greenhouse gasses per unit of energy generated than even coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, Maryland currently subsidizes trash incinerators in our state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) - giving taxpayer money to the incinerators as if they are clean sources of energy like solar or wind.
This unjust, illogical policy flaw must be remedied so we can build a just transition from incineration to zero waste and so truly clean energy sources and grow and thrive in Maryland. More clean energy means
An Improved Howard Street Tunnel Should Serve Us All
The Sun was right to call for greater public transparency about rail traffic through the Howard Street Tunnel, as the public is poised to provide even larger subsidies to renovate it (“ CSX back on track,” December 17, 2018). Our region’s railroads are critical to the health, safety, and economic development of Baltimore: a huge volume of commodities travel quickly and efficiently by rail, but bottlenecks like the Howard Street Tunnel restrict that flow. And, more importantly to Baltimore’s neighborhoods, aging infrastructure can create the risk of derailment. Already in Baltimore, we’ve seen
Speaking out on sewage
Baltimore's sewage system is in trouble. Sanitary sewage outfalls allow untreated sewage to spill into our streams during rainstorms. Overflowing pipes spill water into our streets, and even our basements. And major capital improvements are needed at our wastewater treatment facilities and throughout the system for Baltimore to clean up our waterways that lead to the Inner Harbor and keep pollution out of our neighborhoods.
A consent decree signed last year by Baltimore City, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the EPA outlines the steps that Baltimore must take to fix these
Transportation, air quality, BaltimoreLink, and the Red Line
Public transportation systems are a key air quality and climate change issue. About a third of Maryland's total greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. Public transportation uses at least half as much energy to move a single person as a private vehicle, and one study found that replacing private vehicle trips with public transit trips reduces carbon monoxide by 95%, volatile organic compounds by 90%, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 45%. Robust public transit systems allow commuters and travelers to get out of their cars, reduce demand for parking, help cities
Resolve to Help Us Win in 2018
As the new year begins, we are gearing up for another legislative session in Maryland. Here are our priorities for this year.
Forest Conservation Act: Maryland is losing forest to development daily and we are not adequately replacing those trees. Forests are vital for the health of Maryland’s waterways - they not only filter pollutants but they also act like a big sponge and soak up floodwaters. We need an amended Forest Conservation Act that will protect our most important forests.
Fix It, Fund It: The DC metro system needs help. Years of deferring large scale maintenance and improvement