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The Best Defense in 2013: A Review of the Maryland Legislative Session
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- A Pesticides Database Moves Forward
- Protecting Communities from Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Extraction
- Protecting Drinking Water, Wells and Aquifers from Wastewater Contamination
- Defeat of the Attempt To Delay Stormwater Utility Funding
- Preserving Maryland’s Forests
- Notification of Polluting Facilities
- A Step Toward Environmental Justice by Uncovering Causes of Cancer Hot-Spots
- The Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013
- A Solid Waste Diversion Bill Becomes Pro-Incineration Legislation
We knew that coming off of last session’s historic environmental victories like the Watershed Protection & Restoration Act, the Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act, and eliminating Arsenic from chicken feed among others, that the 2013 session would be one of defending past success and moving ahead at least gradually towards new success. We fought long and hard to protect those victories and achieve new successes. And, powered by Clean Water Action members, we did.
Protecting our Water Resources
A Pesticides Database Moves Forward
A four year campaign to create a statewide comprehensive database for tracking thousands of pesticides that are released into Maryland’s environment made a great leap forward through the passage of Senate Bill 675/House Bill 775 (both passed).Three Clean Water Victories on Final Day of Maryland Legislative Session
Thanks to members, staff and allies, Clean Water Action enjoyed three significant victories on the final day of the 2013 legislative session in Annapolis, with exciting action on various fronts in the final hours leading up to midnight, when the legislature adjourns for the year.
With your help we:
- Passed HB 775 to create a study group to develop a statewide pesticides database
- Stopped an amended HB 508, which would have delayed implentation of a stormwater fee
- Stopped SB 799, which would have encouraged more trash incineration
Stand Up for Strong Storm Water Management!
When it rains, polluted storm water runoff is discharged into local rivers and streams without treatment. In a developed community, such as Prince George’s county, rain that falls on hard surfaces like driveways, parking lots, roofs and roads cannot seep into the ground. These surfaces create large amounts of runoff that picks up pollutants like gas, oil, pesticides, fertilizers and trash. Runoff not only pollutes our streams, but it erodes our banks. When there is a heavy storm, flooding can be unbearable.
Click here to stand up for strong storm water management rules now!
End Power Plant Water Pollution
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just proposed long-overdue power plant pollution standards to limit the amount of toxic metals and other chemicals that can be dumped in our water. Unfortunately the coal industry is already trying to block them.
Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake
In 1983, 1987 and 2000, Maryland Governors and their counterparts in Virginia, the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed signed formal agreements that set timelines for cleaning up the Bay. The most recent agreement called for deadlines that were to be met by 2010. That deadline will not be met. Clean Water Action supported the strongest possible version of this latest agreement, understanding that we would continue fighting for the enforcement of the Clean Water Act as the likeliest means restoring the Bay.