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In Their Words …
" On environmental protection depend our quality of life, our security and ultimately our survival. So support the League of Conservation Voters...then get out and vote. "
Russell Train, Former EPA Administrator
Protecting the Green Infrastructure Budget
Over the past 10 years, Maryland has prioritized environmental protection by establishing dedicated funds for Bay recovery, cleaning our air and waters, promoting energy efficiency and reductions in greenhouse gases, and protecting our most valuable lands. As the recession drags on and revenues continue to be down, so too will funding for these programs. Cutting them will mean the loss of good local jobs and undermine our efforts to make progress for the environment. We will oppose cuts to Program Open Space, the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Programs, the Heritage Structure Tax Credit (Historic Tax Credit), and fight to protect funding for our Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Planning agencies.
Environmental Challenge
The environmental community has worked diligently for over 10 years to establish funding sources to fuel the Bay recovery, clean our air and waters, promote energy efficiency & reductions in global warming pollution and protect our most valuable lands. Specifically, there is the Bay Restoration Fund to address pollution from sewage treatment plants and septic systems, the Bay Trust Fund to address urban and agricultural runoff, funding from the Regional Green House Gas Initiative (RGGI) which helps address air pollution and we have always supported full funding for Program Open Space to help conserve our land. These are legacy funds that enable critical investments in our environmental future and also create local, green jobs.
Bill Framework
Revenues continue to be down and therefore so too will funding for these programs. Cutting them further will undermine the efforts of the state, our counties and communities, farmers, watermen, and the local organizations doing such valuable work restoring local streams, rivers, and bays. While the environmental community understands the economic condition of the state, maintaining our investments in these environmental funds is critical to a strong economy and health.
The agencies have absorbed significant reductions over the past several years. More and even deeper cuts will affect the ability of the environmental agencies to protect the environment, promote job growth and sustain the programs mentioned above. We believe any further reductions in general or special funds and personnel may well reflect a breaking point for many programs in these agencies. We are working to ensure that none of these critical programs or funds are "zeroed" out because we know that once a program is cut entirely the chance of seeing it reinstated are very slim.
Among those programs that we are most concerned with are:
• Program Open Space
• Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund
• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Programs
• Bay Restoration Fund
• Heritage Structure Tax Credit (Historic Tax Credit)
• Funding for Maryland Department of the Environment, Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Department of Planning, Maryland Energy Administration, Maryland Environmental Trust and Maryland Agricultural & Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation
For more information, please contact:
Alison Prost, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 410-268-8816
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