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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
Baltimore's 2020 Sewer Update
On Thursday, January 23, Baltimore’s Department of Public Works held a public information session on its tasks and progress on sewers and Baltimore’s sewage consent decree. DPW lawyer Paul DeSantis spoke for the brunt of presentation, and afterwards six stations were also held to elucidate issues in the eye of the public. DeSantis recapped on ideas such as Baltimore’s consent decree, the number of closed and open SSO structures, Phase 1 and Phase 2 goals of Baltimore’s modified consent decree, and the Headworks project.
Some emphasized points included additional flow monitors and rainfall
Subsidizing BRESCO from Baltimore County
On Thursday Feb., 20 and Tuesday Feb., 25, I was able to attend and and testify for introductions of House Bill 438 and Senate Bill 560 into their respective committees (Economic Matters in the House, and Finance for the Senate). Both of these bills would eliminate incineration as a source of energy in the Maryland renewable portfolio standard, therefore taking away the renewable energy subsidies they recieve. If these subsidies were to be taken away, incinerators could feasibly survive, but the subsidization would instead go to more deserving entities. Although this legislation seemed to get
We’ve Seen This Rodeo Before - We Need to Ban Chlorpyrifos by Law
This week, Governor Hogan announced his surprising new intent to phase out the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos not by passing a new law, but by starting a new regulatory process. Unfortunately, time and time again, we have seen the Maryland Department of Agriculture undermine environmental policy through a regulatory process that has minimal public input and accountability. Click here to tell your representatives: we must ban chlorpyrifos through legislation, not regulation. This isn't a regulation that advocates for a safe environment and healthy communities asked for, but is a process requested