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April 13, 2010

Dear Conservation Voter:

A few days before the Maryland General Assembly adjourned, Maryland LCV was ready to declarethis session a washout. The phrase Dead Zone was used a number of times to describe theSenate, as a place where otherwise good and healthy bills go to die. Budget items to restore theChesapeake Bay, preserve open spaces, and fund energy efficiency programs all seemed headedfor rejection. Priority legislation to create long-term plans for our transportation and energy needs,fund critical stormwater management projects, and preserve Marylands treasured oysterpopulation, were stuck in Senate committees.

The environmental community responded with a barrage of letters, phone calls and visits to thoseSenators, who were contributing to the Dead Zone. Our message was clear that in good timesand in bad, sound environmental policy is sound fiscal policy.

In the final tally, the General Assembly was strong on the budget, including $22.5 million for theChesapeake Bay and Atlantic Costal Bays Trust Fund and preserving most of the funding forProgram Open Space (with the help of a strong last minute push by Governor OMalley andSpeaker Busch.) With the help of Senate President Miller, legislators passed a bill ensuring thatMarylands transportation decisions improve our quality of life. They also, passed the Governorsbill to accelerate Marylands solar energy production, though the House significantly weakened hisoriginal proposal.

Unfortunately, neither chamber passed bills to create a funding stream for much neededstormwater management projects or tried to stop the diversion of energy efficiency funds, bothissues that we will be addressing in 2011.

You will find more details here on these and other important environmental bills from the 2010legislative session. Thank you for all your work this session, your emails, phone calls, visits, andattendance at the environmental summit helped us pass laws to protect our air land and water.Stay tuned for our 2010 General Assembly Scorecard in June!

And remember, 2010 is an important election year and Maryland LCV will be there working to electpro-conservation candidateswe look forward to it and hope you will join us!

Cindy SchwartzExecutive Director

Green Budget Transportation

Clean Water Clean Energy

Good Government Toxics

Sustainable Communities Other Important Bills

Board of Directors

Frederick Hoover, Chair

Kevin Rackstraw, Treasurer

Chuck Porcari, Political Chair

Marcia Verploegen Lewis,

Secretary

Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin

Jennifer Bevan-Dangel

Anthony Caligiuri

George ChmaelJay Falstad

J. Elizabeth Garraway, PhD

Bob Gallagher

Peter Hamm

Terri Shuck

StaffCindy Schwartz,

Executive Director

Jen Brock-Cancellieri

Kimberly DissenPete Johnson

Danielle Lipinski

Anne Fitzgerald Pittman

Catherine Stirling

Nine State CircleSuite 202Annapolis, MD 21401410-280-9855410-280-9857 (fax)info@mdlcv.org

www.mdlcv.org

2010 ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP

2010 GENERAL ASSEMBLYWINNERS & LOSERS

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At midnight on April 12, the 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly adjourned. With yourhelp, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters worked to keep the environment front and centerfor lawmakers. Here are some highlights and lowlights of the 2010 legislative session:

The legislature overwhelmingly passed two bills, SB 213/HB 33 and SB 556 on toxics. The first banned Bisphenol-A(BPA), a toxic chemical found in baby bottles; the other banned the use of Decabrominated Diphenyl Ether (Deca-BDE),a toxic flame retardant found in the plastic casings of televisions.

Maryland has committed to ambitious goals to achieve clean, affordable, and reliable energy that will create thousandsof new jobs in Maryland, but we need a statewide plan to ensure that we achieve those goals. SB 910 and HB 522, ifpassed, would have required the creation of a state energy plan that is consistent with all state environmental laws andall new proposals would be reviewed with respect to that state plan. Both bills died in committee.

The recession continued to dominate the legislative session in Annapolis, but in the end legislators chose to follow theGovernors lead and invest in the environment to protect jobs today and create jobs tomorrow. Unfortunately, there was

one notable exception - the legislature extended the two-year diversion of energy efficiency program funds from theStrategic Energy Investment Fund.

Budget

In a time of scarce transportation dollars, we needed to make sure we are investing state funds wisely. SB760/ HB 1155 established smart and fair growth criteria for funding transportation projects. This makes iteasier for the state to choose proposals that ensure our transportation and land use decisions worktogether, providing more travel choices to Maryland citizens, especially for those who do not own cars. Itwill also reduce environmental damage from transportation projects and improve access to jobs. HB 1155passed in the final hours of the legislative session.

Transportation SB 760/ HB 1155 Sens. Pugh & Harrington, Del. Lafferty

In order to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, each city and county throughout theregion needs funding to invest in its community to reduce the polluted runoff poisoning our waterways.This legislation would have given these local jurisdictions a dedicated funding source, by assessing asurcharge on impervious surfaces to clean up their rivers and the Bay, create green jobs, and leverageadditional dollars from the state and federal government for watershed protection and restoration. Thesebills died in committee in both the House and Senate.

Stormwater Utility Fee SB 686/ HB 999 Sen. Raskin, Del. Hucker and Cardin

Clean Energy SB 910/ HB 522 Sen. Lenett and Del. Manno

Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund - $22.5 million Energy Efficiency $30 million diversion

Program Open Space - preserved funding Agency Enforcement - protected

University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic rejected funding restrictions

As part of his legislative agenda, Governor OMalley introduced SB 285/ HB 475 which continues the Historic Tax Creditand better coordinates key revitalization programs such as the Maryland Main Street Program and Community Legacy.This key smart growth victory passed the House and on Sine Die unanimously passed the Senate.

Sustainable Communities SB 285 /HB 475 Governor OMalley

Toxics SB 213/ HB 33 Sen. Frosh, Del. Hubbard and SB 556 Sen. Conway

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Good Government SB 407/ HB 344, HB 107, HB 1031We supported several good government bills this session as open transparent government is critical to Maryland LCVsmission. SB 407/ HB 344 required all standing House and Senate committee votes be posted and accessible on theMaryland General Assembly website and enabled more public participation in General Assembly and Board of PublicWorks hearings. HB 107 required that certain votes on a bill or amendment in a standing committee be made availableon the Maryland General Assembly website. Finally, HB 1031 required the State Open Meetings Law Compliance Boardto develop and offer an online training program on the requirements of the law to employees, officers, and members ofthe public. All of these bills died in committee.

Other Important Bills

Arsenic in Chicken Feed: SB 859/HB 953 (Sen. Pinsky, Del. Hucker) would have prohibited a person fromusing, selling, or distributing poultry feed that contains roxarsone or any other additive that contains arsenic.These bills were held up in a Senate and House committees.

Bag Bill: SB 462/HB 351 (Sen. Raskin, Del. Carr) would have established a customer credit for usingreusable bags and establish a fee on the use of disposable bags. These bills died in Senate and Housecommittees.

Bike Safety: SB 51/ HB 461, SB 624, HB 282 (Sen. Frosh, Del. Cardin, Sen. Raskin, and Del. Del Pena-

Melnyk) will require that cars safely pass at least three feet from bicyclists, permits bicyclists to ride on theshoulder, and ensures funding for bike lanes.

Clean Energy Loans - SB 720/HB1014 (Sen. Middleton, Dels. Hecht and Waldstreicher) would have helpedproperty owners afford clean energy projects. These bills were held up in a Senate and House committees

Coal Ash: HB 1467/SB 653 (Sen. Lenett, Del. Stein) would have prohibited certain uses of coal ash, abyproduct of coal fired power plants, added stricter requirements to prevent its toxic dust from poisoning ourwaters. This bill died in a Senate committee.

Energy Efficiency Televisions: SB 455/ HB 349 (Sen. Pinsky, Dels. Carr and Bronrott) would haveestablished minimum efficiency standards for televisions sold in Maryland. This bill died in a HouseCommittee.

Energy Efficient Buildings: SB 713/ HB 827 (Sen. Lenett, Del. Hecht) would have required that allgovernment and commercial building owners publicly disclose their buildings energy use. These bills died inSenate and House committees.

Fertilizer and Pesticide Reporting: SB 359/HB 930 (Sen. Lenett, Del. Frush) would have mandated trackingand geographic mapping of fertilizer and pesticide use. This bill died in a Senate committee.

Incinerator Regulation: SB 514/HB 1427 and SB 228 (Sens. Lenett, Mooney, Del. Hucker) would haveestablished important criteria for the building, re-licensing, or re-permitting of any incinerator or waste-to-energy facility. These bills died in a Senate committee. This bill died in a Senate committee.

Keep Farmers Farming: SB 396/HB 1571 (Sen. Middleton, Del. Conway) creates a pilot program that

stretches out the estate taxes for up to six years, this will help prevent agricultural land being sold fordevelopment.

Oysters: SB 342/HB 1191 (Sen. Frosh, Del. McIntosh) was introduced to complement the Governor's oysterinitiative by curtailing oyster poaching. The Senate added a bad amendment that would prohibit theDepartment of Natural Resources from creating new oyster sanctuaries until 2011. This bill was held up in aHouse committee.

Net Energy Metering: SB 355/ HB 801 (Sen. Pinsky, Del. McHale) will require utilities to pay customers backfor surplus energy they create with renewable sources, creating a more robust market for energy generation.

Solar Energy: SB 277/HB 471 (Governor OMalley) this bill which will accelerate Marylands solar energyproduction, however the House significantly weakened the governors original proposal.

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Nine State CircleSuite 202Annapolis, MD 21401

10-80-9855www.mdlcv.orgnfo@mdlcv.org

For more than 30 years, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters hasbeen the independentpolitical voice for the environment in our state.Maryland LCV is dedicated to making environmental protection andrestoration a top priority for Marylands elected officials, appointed leaders,candidates and voters. The Maryland League of Conservation Votersadvocates for sound conservation policies, works to get pro-environmentcandidates elected, and holds elected officials accountable for their votesand actions.

Watchfor

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What can you do to help?Visit our website at www.mdlcv.org to:

Sign up for email news updates and information on how youcan speak up to protect Maryland's air, water, and land.

Make a gift to the Maryland League of Conservation Votersand help us keep score for the environment!

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