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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

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

Although farmworkers are considered “essential workers,” they have been granted few protections prior to and during the pandemic. As Maryland’s most marginalized workers, farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to exposure to coronavirus because of high rates of respiratory disease due occupational hazards such as the application of pesticides, low rates of health insurance coverage, and substandard living and working conditions. They play a vital role in maintaining our food system, yet lack many of the legal protections that protect most workers, such as sick leave, health insurance, and