Water

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. 

One of the best things about working for Clean Water Action is the opportunity to meet and work with so many wonderful people on a variety of issues that protect our water and reduce pollution. A highlight this year was working with students and teachers at the Connecticut River Academy to design and build a rain garden that will reduce stormwater runoff into the Connecticut River.

On Tuesday, August 20th, County Executive Pittman is holding a town hall at South River High School (201 Central Ave E, Edgewater, MD 21037) at 6:30 PM to present his proposed update to Anne Arundel County's Forest Conservation laws. 

Forests throughout Maryland are disappearing, replaced by development. When trends are analyzed, it becomes apparent that Maryland's state minimum forest conservation practices are not doing a good job at protecting our contiguous and heavily forested parcels. It is in these heavily forested parcels that the state is losing hundreds of acres a year.