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Clean Water Healthy Families Campaign |
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The Chesapeake Bay and its contributing tributaries are in trouble. The Bay, a national treasure and regional economic resource, suffers from severely degraded water quality, diminished fisheries resources, and increased pollution inputs from a growing population. Maryland often leads the region in terms of progressive reforms to improve the health and vitality of the Bay and its contributing tributaries. The Clean Water Healthy Families campaign is designed to put Maryland's waterways and the Chesapeake Bay itself onto a path of steady improvements in water quality and quality of life for those who live, recreate, and work on and near the Chesapeake. Focused on three legislative initiatives to be undertaken during the regular General Assembly Session of 2012, successful outcomes would ensure new policies, regulations, and revenues for implementing critical pollution reductions well into the future and dramatically improve water quality for years to come.
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Clean the Streams & Beautify the Bay Act of 2012 |
Hundreds of stream cleanups are held in Maryland annually, and one of the biggest culprits polluting our waterways, roadsides, and urban trees are plastic bags. This legislation will significantly reduce the number of disposable bags used and entering the waste and litter stream. Prior to enactment of a similar bill in DC, 22.5 million single use bags were distributed monthly, whereas in January 2010-after just a couple of weeks of the bag fee--only 3 million bags were distributed, an 86% reduction. By reducing the number of bags taken by consumers, fewer bags escape into the environment, reducing litter control costs by counties and the state and improving one measure of health of local waterways. Counties and municipalities around the state are considering and passing their own bag ordinances (e.g., Montgomery County, Chestertown, Prince George's County, Baltimore City); we believe a statewide system is more clear and efficient for businesses and consumers.
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Offshore Wind Power: Good Jobs, Clean Energy |
Offshore wind power is Maryland's largest energy resource. Offshore wind power provides a stable price of energy as a hedge against volatile fossil fuels, development will create jobs for the state, utilizing the resource will reduce health hazardous and heat-trapping pollution, and greater energy independence will strengthen our national security. Finally, offshore wind power is a critical component of meeting our RPS and GGRA mandates.
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