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Clean Water Accomplishments in Maryland
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!
Chlorpyrifos is a super toxic pesticide that is dangerous not only to pollinators, but also to people and aquatic life. The US EPA under the Obama administration could not find a safe
Composting on Farms in Montgomery County: Testimony on ZTA 20-04
On December 1, the Montgomery County Council held a hearing on Zoning Text Amendment 20-04, a bill to increase the amount of organic waste that farms can bring in from off-site for composting or mulching. While this is a small piece of the zero waste puzzle, measures like this across Maryland will help keep organic waste out of landfills and incinerators, sequester carbon and build healthy soils, and even help support Maryland's agricultural economy. Here is our testimony in support of ZTA 20-04:
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December 1, 2020
Dear Montgomery County Council,
On behalf of Clean Water Action’s
Maryland Denies Permits for Southern MD Solar Project
Today, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced that they are denying the permits to clear cut over 200 acres of Southern Maryland forest for a solar project.
Clean Water Action, along with many other local and regional groups and individuals, objected to the proposal, pointing out the problems with clearing forest for solar development. While solar energy is beneficial and we have an urgent need to transition off fossil fuels, we need to place it with care and foresight. Choosing a site for solar development that requires clear cutting over 200 acres and impairing a high quality
CB38-2019 Protect This Watershed
Howard County has a lot of upcoming legislation with hearings scheduled in September. This includes CB38-2019, the Protect This Watershed bill.
Councilwoman Liz Walsh's CB38-2019 is a very big bill that is responding to the problem of waivers in the Patapsco Lower North Branch Watershed. Many laws involving the environment include waivers at the discretion of the overseeing agency, mainly to provide needed flexibility in unforeseen circumstances. When waivers become routine practice, they undermine the effectiveness of that legislation.
CB38-2019 places limits on what waivers the Howard