From Nancy Floreen's Last Campaign

Not Meant for Groceries

I was surprised to learn that Councilmember Nancy Floreen handed out reuseable bags during her last reelection campaign. She expressed concerns about sanitation and hygiene related to bag reuse in a Washington Post op-ed written before she became the sole at-large councilmember to oppose the new Montgomery County bag tax:

And speaking of environments: The one inside a reusable bag is perfect for growing bacteria and cross-contaminating food, so if you opt against paying for disposable bags, you had better remember to wash your reusable ones. Do you really want to carry home unwashed chicken or seafood in a bag you might be carrying apples in later?

From the color and design, one might get the impression that using bags is an environmental rather than hazmat situation, though I know green is also Nancy's campaign color. Roger Berliner and the other eight members of the County Council seemed willing to risk public health as they disagreed with Nancy's view:

“I consider this to be a nudge, not a nuisance. This nudge has profound effects on our consciousness,” said council member Roger Berliner (D-Bethesda-Potomac), who cast one of the eight votes for the measure.

Reducing the number of plastic bags that end up clogging waterways is the principal aim of the new tax. By taxing paper bags as well, officials are trying to keep shoppers from simply choosing paper instead.

Del. Al Carr is sponsoring a similar measure at the state level.

Update: Apologies for problems with the image.

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Mizeur Calls for Moratorium . . .

. . . on Natural Gas Extraction from Marcellus Shale. Apparently, some families near the site can now light their tap water on fire:

A flood of natural gas companies has swept into Appalachia, bringing the promise of both economic development and an American energy revolution. New technologies now allow them to extract gas from deposits long thought untappable.

And yet at least a few of these same companies have had to provide bottled water to whole neighborhoods. Why? Because in the shadow of new drilling operations, some families have discovered that their tap water is now flammable.

The problem is with the process, not the gas. It's a real fracking problem (and not in the Battlestar Galactica sense):

But while the risks are real, so is the promise. The Marcellus Shale is an underground rock formation that spans from western New York to Virginia by way of Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, western Maryland and West Virginia. Geologists tell us that deposits within the Marcellus Shale and other similar rock formations around the country would make us the Saudi Arabia of natural gas.

That could be a game changer. Natural gas produces only about half the carbon emissions of coal, and it is cheaper than oil. Businessman T. Boone Pickens and the environmental powerhouse Sierra Club agree that it could help us transition to a clean energy economy while improving our energy independence.

But it is the method of extraction — not the fuel — that has raised red flags. When combined with advances in deep drilling techniques, hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," has enabled companies to extract these once untappable natural gas deposits. Wells are drilled into the shale first vertically, and then horizontally, at a depth between 5,000 and 20,000 feet. To release the gas, the rock is injected with a highly pressurized mixture containing at least 2 million gallons of water, 200,000 pounds of sand and 80,000 pounds of chemicals.

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LCV Compares Ehrlich and O'Malley on the Environment

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has released this video comparing the environmental records of Bob Ehrlich and Martin O'Malley.

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Environment Maryland on the Governor's Race

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Katie Frick's Recyling Song

Delegate Bill Frick's daughter has launched a one-Fricklet campaign to promote recycling. This can't fail, folks!

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Ariana Kelly's Enviro Mailer

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District 18 Team Enviro Mailer

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Ben Kramer's Enviro Mailer

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Bill Frick's Enviro Mailer

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Hans Riemer: Working Together for a Sustainable Montgomery County

Following is a policy piece released by council at-large candidate Hans Riemer's campaign connecting transit, the environment and agriculture.

#####

As we pursue policy change at the national and global level, we must change how we live in Montgomery County to reduce our environmental impact. Here we have vibrant downtowns, leafy suburbs and rolling farmland, all coexisting symbiotically. A core challenge facing policy makers today is how to make sure that generations from now, families will still have the chance to live here with a high quality of life and make decisions for the future that will benefit people for generations to come.

Our environmental challenge is intertwined with our economic and fiscal challenge. As our tax base shrinks, we cannot support our schools and parks. We must bring new jobs and housing to Montgomery County without degrading our quality of life and environment. The key to the right balance is to focus jobs and housing around mass transit hubs, such as Metro stations. By redeveloping in areas that already are fairly dense, we can provide affordable housing and commercial space to attract new businesses without cutting into the Agricultural Reserve or changing the character of quiet neighborhoods. And by offering our residents the ability to live and work near public transportation, we can reduce the number of cars clogging our roads.

Changing our development strategy to prioritize walking, biking and public transportation:

We need new jobs and housing, but we are maxed out on cars. If every job comes with two parking spots and every house with three cars, no-one will be able to drive anywhere. We must change our plan for the future to prioritize walking, biking and public transportation in our new development projects, with a goal for downtown areas that half of all commuting trips should be walking, biking, or transit.

The goal of this change in strategy is not to force everyone to stop driving. Just the opposite -- it is the only way to make sure that people can still drive around the county. Change future development to reduce the number of new cars on the road while offering real alternatives that are better than driving will benefit everyone. We will get there by supporting Metro as a world class system, bringing new light rail with the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway, protecting RideOn bus services, and building rapid transit routes on our commuting corridors county-wide.

Sustainable Agriculture:

Montgomery County is the only county in the region which still has the ability to produce a substantial amount of agricultural output, and increasing demand for locally-grown food, which is more healthy for our families and our environment, makes protecting the Ag Reserve more important than ever. As recently reported in the Washington Post, agriculture “contributes more than $243 million annually to the county economy, and local farms employ more than 10,000 residents.” We must strengthen protections for the Ag Reserve as we create better incentives to re-develop in areas that already have development outside the Ag Reserve.

Environmental Education:

At the volunteer level, the county can organize neighbors to go door to door and educate people about simple efficiency fixes, and even make some of them, such as weather stripping doors, right on the spot. There are also Federal grants to support this kind of work, and we should work harder to leverage that money into the county during tough budget times. We should focus on county educational programs to teach residents how to achieve long-term cost-savings from simple actions, such as insulating and sealing homes and buildings.

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Saqib Ali: Lean and Green

Here is District 39 Senate challenger Saqib Ali's newest mailer, which is targeted to environmentalist voters.


Speaking of green, how many greenbacks does Saqib have? This is his fourth mailer and it's only July. Ali is not talking, but the rumor mill says he could have $300k or more in total receipts.

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Maryland LCV Releases State Legislator Ratings on the Environment (Updated)

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has released its 2010 rankings of state legislators on environmental votes, as well as their lifetime records. Here are the lifetime voting percentages for all MoCo legislators, with 100% being the maximum possible score.

Delegate Roger Manno (D-19): 100%
Senator Brian Frosh (D-16): 99%
Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez (D-18): 98%
Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20): 98%
Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-20): 97%
Senator Jamie Raskin (D-20): 97%
Delegate Bill Frick (D-16): 96%
Delegate Karen Montgomery (D-14): 96%
Delegate Bill Bronrott (D-16): 94%
Delegate Al Carr (D-18): 94%
Delegate Anne Kaiser (D-14): 94%
Senator Rich Madaleno (D-18): 94%
Delegate Craig Rice (D-15): 94%
Delegate Henry Heller (D-19): 93%
Senator Mike Lenett (D-19): 93%
Delegate Luiz Simmons (D-17): 93%
Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (D-18): 93%
Delegate Saqib Ali (D-39): 92%
Delegate Susan Lee (D-16): 92%
Delegate Kirill Reznik (D-39): 92%
Delegate Charles Barkley (D-39): 91%
Delegate Kathleen Dumais (D-15): 91%
Delegate Jim Gilchrist (D-17): 91%
Delegate Herman Taylor (D-14): 90%

Delegate Sheila Hixson (D-20): 88%
Delegate Ben Kramer (D-19): 87%
Delegate Kumar Barve (D-17): 85%
Senator Rob Garagiola (D-15): 84%
Delegate Brian Feldman (D-15): 83%
Senator Jennie Forehand (D-17): 82%
Senator Nancy King (D-39): 82%

Senator Rona Kramer (D-14): 65%

Frosh and Prince George’s County Senator Paul Pinsky (D-22) have the highest lifetime scores of any Senators, with 99% each. Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs (R-34) of Cecil and Harford Counties has the lowest score at 8%. Delegates Elizabeth Bobo (12B) of Howard County and Roger Manno (D-19) of MoCo are the only legislators with 100% lifetime scores. Republican Delegate Warren Miller (9A) of Howard County has the lowest lifetime score of any Delegate at 10%.

Update: The scorecard was jointly developed between LCV and Environment Maryland. The document linked above is Environment Maryland's version of the scorecard. LCV has not publicly released its version yet.

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GreenWheaton Installs Demonstration Garden in Downtown Wheaton

Following is a press release from GreenWheaton.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Elizabeth Chaisson
Tel. 301-962-9558
Email: eliz.chaisson@gmail.com

GREENWHEATON INSTALLS A DEMONSTRATION GARDEN IN DOWNTOWN WHEATON

On Sunday, May 2, 2010, From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Volunteers Will Install a Conservation Landscape on the Wheaton Green Triangle Across From 2424 Reedie Drive

Wheaton, MD April 27, 2010 – On Sunday, May 2, 2010, GreenWheaton, an affiliate of the Mid-County Regional Services Center, will be installing a conservation landscape opposite the Center’s offices at 2424 Reedie Drive. The conservation landscape will be installed in a 500 square foot section located in the southwest corner of the Wheaton Green Triangle. Interested Montgomery County residents are welcome to attend and learn about the benefits of removing turf and creating conservation landscapes in our environment, which soak up more rain water than typical lawns or gardens.

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection RainScapes Program will provide the soil amendments and plants native to the Maryland area for this project. These native plants will help absorb rainfall that would otherwise be diverted to nearby storm drains. Capturing rainfall that would otherwise become polluted runoff has a number of long-term environmental benefits; principally, replenishing groundwater and recharging streams and preventing stormwater pollution from entering our waterways. To learn more about how to install a conservation landscape or a rain garden in your yard or neighborhood, please visit Montgomery County’s RainScapes Program on-line at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/water/rainscapes.asp

Upcoming Wheaton Events that will provide the public an opportunity to view the installed conservation landscape include:

 15th Annual Taste of Wheaton on Sunday May 16th from 11am-5pm
 Wheaton Flea Market every Sunday from 9am-3pm all year
 Wheaton Farmer’s Market every Sunday from 8am-1pm June through October

Sponsors of this conservation landscape installation include Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Friends of Sligo Creek, Neighbors of Northwest Branch, Anacostia Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee, and Speedy Signs.

##

The GreenWheaton Sustainable Initiatives Workgroup is a joint sub-committee of the Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee (WRAC) and the Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee (WUDAC) dedicated to applying environmentally-friendly building and planning techniques to the Wheaton Maryland downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

http://greenwheaton.groupsite.com

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Senator Ben Cardin to Speak on Federal Climate Issues at the University of Maryland

By Rachel Hare, UMD for Clean Energy.

It’s easy for America to be green on Earth Day. It’s easy for us to support energy efficiency, encourage sustainability and demand emissions reductions on Earth Day. The entire world is watching, and it is exactly what is expected.

But what about the other 364 days of the year?

Can America truly commit to strict environmental standards that will reduce emissions, create green jobs and promote renewable energy?

This Friday, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), will take up this question during a town hall meeting at the University of Maryland, College Park. During the discussion, hosted by student group UMD for Clean Energy, Cardin is expected to address recent progress of federal climate change legislation that is making its way to the Senate.

The current climate bill is an important piece of environmental legislation that could solidify America’s commitment to a sustainable future and set a precedent for other countries to take further action. It must put in place strong, binding standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote renewable energy and create green jobs.

The current emissions reductions standards enumerated in the bill – 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 – are far too soft. America also has the capability to develop many potential renewable energy resources, and this should be reflected in a strong Renewable Electricity Standard.
Ambitious standards for emissions reductions and efficiency would make America a leader in emissions reductions and give our country the necessary leverage to pressure other nations to further their own commitments.

As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Cardin has demonstrated his support for a strong bill and will have an important role in drafting the Senate bill. This town hall meeting is an opportunity for us, as constituents, to show our support for a strong climate bill with strict sustainability standards; a climate bill that could work to solidify America’s commitment to innovative energy solutions.

It’s easy to be green on Earth Day, but Earth Day will come and go. Will America commit to a strong bill that will reduce emissions, create green jobs and promote renewable energy for the other 364 days of the year?

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Environmentalist Catfight

Maryland’s environmentalists say they have gotten “the shaft” this year in Annapolis. That recent spate of misfortune, and especially an extremely controversial bill on stormwater requirements, has set off some catfighting among friends. And we have a dog’s-eye view of the scratching and hissing below!

The immediate issue concerns HB 1125, a bill that in its original form would have weakened stormwater restrictions passed in 2007 at the behest of developers who did not want to bear increased costs. But developers and a few environmental group representatives negotiated a compromise that instead grandfathered existing projects out of the new rules. The bill, now amended to include the compromise, passed the House of Delegates but was still opposed by some environmentalists as well as Senator Paul Pinsky (D-22). It was eventually approved by a joint panel of state legislators on Tuesday and will take effect.

The grandfathering provisions have split Maryland’s environmentalist groups. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation opposed the original bill but supports the compromise. The Maryland League of Conservation Voters also opposed the original bill but remained neutral on the compromise. Environment Maryland characterizes the compromise as a legislative “loss.”

All of this provoked a hissing, clawing spat that spread over environmentalist listservs and made its way to this blog. The pugilistic pussycats are Laura Moore, a former President of the Graduate Student Government at the University of Maryland and a current staffer of Prince George’s County Council Member Tom Dernoga, and Doug Siglin, Federal Affairs Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, which helped to negotiate the grandfathering compromise. Caught by a few claw swipes was none other than Delegate Maggie McIntosh (D-43), the Chair of the House Environmental Matters Committee and a compromise supporter.

Meeooww #1:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Laura Moore
Date: Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 5:43 PM
Subject: How our delegates voted on weakening Bay protections
To: greenbelters@yahoogroups.com

Everyone,

I've posted on the "Dirty Water Bill" aka HB 1125 before, but wanted to post an update. Due in part to some deliberate misinformation on the part of elected officials and a few "environmental" groups, this bill passed the House 127-13 on Friday. Anne Healey demonstrated some backbone and voted against this terrible bill. I cannot say the same for Justin Ross or Tawanna Gaines, who voted in favor of more Bay pollution. That was very disappointing. Senator Paul Pinsky has been absolutely heroic in working to kill or at least lessen the impact of this bill, and he's up against a lot of pressure. Some background:

In 2007, the state legislature passed the Stormwater Management Act (2007SWMA), which tightened standards on runoff from developments, with regulations set to be enacted in 2010. Paved areas speed up the flow of runoff into streams and waterways, causing flooding and causing scouring and erosion of stream banks (the "fire hose effect"). If runoff flows off pavement unchecked, it carries with it pollutants into waterways and ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay. Pollution from runoff is a large part of why there are so many dead zones in the Bay.

Despite the fact that developers have had three years to adjust to these reasonable standards, they still want exemptions, loopholes, and further grandfathering until 2017. Unfortunately, they have found a welcome audience with some powerful legislators. The House Environmental Matters Committee heard HB 1125 on Wednesday March 24, BUT Chairperson Maggie McIntosh (who wants to be the next Speaker of the House) would not allow non-supporters to testify against the bill. Earlier in the day, former U.S. Senator Joe Tydings, former U.S. Representative Wayne Gilchrest, and former Governor Harry Hughes, all long-time supporters of the Bay, held a press conference denouncing the legislation. They along with 30 representatives of local environmental groups attended the hearing, but were not permitted to testify. Sen. Tydings stood up and asked that they at least be recognized, but Chairperson McIntosh went ballistic and started shrieking, "Last I checked, this was still MY hearing room."

Last week there was a false rumor, "confirmed" by the Speaker's office, that Gilchrest and Hughes had defected and were now supporting the bill. I have had it confirmed repeatedly (including by phone with Senator Tydings yesterday) that this is NOT the case. The three elder statesmen still oppose the bill and any weakening of Bay protections. As recently as yesterday, they were lobbying senators and the governor against the bill. Most environmental groups oppose HB 1125, but a few, including Chesapeake Bay Foundation, agreed to support the legislation. (McIntosh is closely affiliated with CBF and steers money their way.) This provided cover for politicians to vote for the bill.

After working in politics for the past few years, I don't often get surprised by the dirty dealings of politicians, but this one really left me sick to my stomach.

I urge you to spread the word about this. Please take a moment to thank Paul Pinksy for all his hard work: paul.pinsky@senate.state.md.us I will forward an email with detailed information on what you can do to help. Feel free to contact me if you would like any further information.

Laura Moore

Meeooww #2:

On Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 5:37 PM, Doug Siglin wrote:

Colleagues, this email came to my attention today, since I remain on several Anacostia-related distribution lists and continue to try to assist the Anacostia with the federal agencies and in Congress. In the email below, Laura Moore takes serious issue with what CBF, 1000 Friends of Maryland and LCV MD have done regarding HB1125. That's fair game. What is not fair is to assert that Delegate McIntosh "steers money their way." That is utterly false. I asked Ms. Moore privately to let you know that she misunderstood something and mischaracterized this, but, using her anger as a reason, she says she will not. She further says that she will discourage people from supporting CBF, and apparently this is one way she believes that she can do it.

All I can do under the circumstances is to let you know that no one in the General Assembly, including Ms. McIntosh, steers money to CBF. Whatever the reasons are for what happened, this is not one of them, and demeans both Delegate McIntosh and CBF.

I am not involved in the Annapolis issues at all, but it pains me enormously to see people who disagree on policy matters stoop to this level. We're increasingly used to seeing it from fringe elements in the right wing "tea parties"; but I would suggest that we who are all in our own ways trying to help the environment and other progressive causes should be better than that.

Doug Siglin, Federal Affairs Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
725 8th Street, SE Washington DC
(202) 544-2232 in DC or (443) 482-2171 in Annapolis

Meeooww #3:

From: AWCAC@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:AWCAC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Laura Moore
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 5:49 PM
To: restoretheanacostia@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Masaya Maeda; AWCAC@yahoogroups.com; friendsofsligocreek@yahoogroups.com; neighborsnwb@yahoogroups.com; bcwwg@yahoogroups.com; stillcreek@yahoogroups.com; James Foster
Subject: [AWCAC] Re: [restoretheanacostia] RE: [CCRIC] Fwd: How our delegates voted on weakening Bay protections

Doug,

You are welcome to say what you like, and I am welcome to disagree with you. As I stated in our personal email exchange of a few moments ago, we disagree on the facts. I do not regret or retract my statement. I believe what I said is common knowledge, and thinking otherwise is pretty naive. Obviously you have vested interest into attempting to embarrass me into submission, but that's just not going to happen. I will never give money to CBF again, or to 1000 Friends of Maryland or Maryland LCV. These three groups have lost a tremendous amount of credibility with many folks, including me. You've done damage, and I only hope we can reverse it.

I stand by my statements.

I am not on all these lists, so please feel free to forward my statement if you like.

Laura Moore

Meeooww #4:

On Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 6:03 PM, Doug Siglin wrote:

Ms. Moore, I have no interest in embarrassing you into submission. I've never met you as far as I know. I just wanted to correct the record on steering money and deliver a personal plea that we try to keep from demeaning one another. You may not see it this way, but in the big picture, we are most certainly all on the same team.

Doug Siglin, Federal Affairs Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
725 8th Street, SE Washington DC
(202) 544-2232 in DC or (443) 482-2171 in Annapolis

MEEOOWWW!!!

From: On Behalf Of Laura Moore
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 6:35 PM
To: Doug Siglin
Cc: restoretheanacostia@yahoogroups.com; Masaya Maeda; AWCAC@yahoogroups.com; friendsofsligocreek@yahoogroups.com; neighborsnwb@yahoogroups.com; bcwwg@yahoogroups.com; stillcreek@yahoogroups.com; James Foster
Subject: Re: [AWCAC] Re: [restoretheanacostia] RE:
[CCRIC] Fwd: How our delegates voted on weakening Bay protections

Doug,

I agree we shouldn't demean each other or get personal, but you publicly accused me of lying, using my supposed "anger" to lie, and you compared me to a fringe element. I simply stated what is common knowledge about your organization. Some proof below. I am happy to provide more proof if you so desire, this was just what I came up with after a
few minutes of searching.

I realize you are simply trying to defend your organization, but forwarding an email that does not portray CBF in a positive light to many environmental organizations who are now trying to reverse damage that CBF has caused does not seem to be helping anyone, least of all CBF.

As we probably all know, Delegate McIntosh sponsored the bill that created the Save the Bay license plate. Money goes to CB Trust, which gives money to CBF.

From CBF's site:

http://www.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=427

CB Trust's 2009 report:
http://www.cbtrust.org/atf/cf/%7BEB2A714E-8219-45E8-8C3D-50EBE1847CB8%7D/About_AnnualReport_GrantListings_2009_Final.pdf

I think it's good that we have legislators who are willing to support our organizations, and Delegate McIntosh has at other times been a strong ally of the environment. She is very influential in the environmental community, but that puts us in a position where it's difficult to say no to her when she is not doing the right thing.

But you're right, ultimately we are all on the same team. I know there are hard feelings all around right now, but we'll have to move forward as a team as best we can.

Laura Moore

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Climate Change Forum in Chevy Chase Tonight

Following is an announcement from the Town of Chevy Chase Climate Protection Committee detailing a forum in the town hall tonight on climate change.

Discussion and Desserts:
April 8, 7-9 PM,
Chevy Chase Town Hall
4301 Willow Lane
Chevy Chase, MD.

Many of us who are concerned about climate change are baffled and frustrated by the news we have read about what’s going on in Washington and at international meetings. Don’t you wish you could sit down with some experts and ask them your burning questions? One of the great benefits of living in Washington, DC is that many of the movers and shakers are our neighbors and this is certainly true in the case of climate change. The Climate Protection, Environment, and Community Relations Committees invite you to Discussion and Desserts with a panel of local experts on climate change:

· Charles Ebinger, Director of the Energy Security Initiative at the Brookings Institution;

· Juliet Eilperin, national environmental reporter for the Washington Post who writes the Post Carbon blog;

· Stephen Seidel, Vice President for Policy Analysis and General Counsel at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change; and

· Alexandra Teitz, Senior Counsel, Environment and Energy, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives (Chairman Henry A. Waxman).

The session will be moderated by Charles Duffy, host of Political Pulse on MMTV, Channel 16. Each panelist will give a short opening statement and then the audience will take over with your questions and comments. Please come join us for a lively and provocative discussion. Questions: Call Warren Rizzi, 301-654-7144. Please come, invite your friends, and be prepared to ask challenging questions.

Judy McGuire
Chair, Climate Protection Committee
Town of Chevy Chase (MD)

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Building Better: How High-Efficiency Buildings Will Save Money and Reduce Global Warming

By Mike Sherling.

Hello MPW readers. I’m Mike Sherling, a field associate with Environment Maryland. Environment Maryland is a statewide, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization.

Today, Environment Maryland released Building Better: How High-Efficiency Buildings Will Save Money and Reduce Global Warming, a new report that outlines the economic and environmental benefits of improving the energy efficiency of our buildings.

We found that investing in building efficiency could significantly reduce our energy use, saving Maryland families $1,172 every year on their energy bills by 2030 and slashing projected global warming pollution from buildings by 37 percent.

The message of this report is clear: Let’s not waste any more time, any more energy, or any more money on outdated buildings. We need to invest in efficiency today so we can start building a better tomorrow.

We have the technology and skills to make buildings vastly more efficient than the ones we have today, including zero net energy buildings, which are so efficient they’re able to produce all the power they need onsite from renewable sources like wind and solar. In 2006, Habitat for Humanity set out to build a high-efficiency home in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. It wasn’t a mansion commissioned by a wealthy family, but a moderately sized home built for a single mother and her two sons. When it was finished, the house was able to generate more power than it used just from the solar panels on its roof. Projects like this prove that zero net energy buildings are not a dream waiting to be realized; there are already tens of thousands of them all around the country.

Right now, more than 40 percent of the energy we use in America goes toward powering our buildings, and this amounts to almost 10 percent of all the energy used in the world. This high level of energy consumption costs Americans $400 billion every year and pumps billions of tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere. Worst of all, many of our buildings are badly designed or lack proper insulation, so the energy we produce and pay for leaks out through poorly sealed windows or gets used up in inefficient heating and cooling systems.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Not only do we know how make zero net energy buildings, we also know how to make existing buildings much more efficient and we have a skilled workforce ready to make it happen. The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income families make energy-saving improvements. Over 6 million homes have been weatherized in the Program’s 30-year history, and every dollar invested has returned almost $3 in energy savings and new jobs.

If we take these efficiency improvement techniques and apply them to all our buildings, we can reduce America’s overall building energy consumption 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. A recent study by the National Academy of Sciences confirmed that these goals are well within our reach, and we can achieve them by implementing a two-part strategy that sets strong efficiency standards for new buildings and encourages renovations to improve the efficiency of the buildings we already have.

Our report looks ahead and compares these efficiency improvement targets to a business as usual scenario, and the results are striking. Meeting our efficiency goals would reduce Maryland’s projected building energy consumption by 37 percent over the next 20 years, conserving enough energy every year to power nearly four million homes.

These enormous energy savings translate directly into financial savings in the form of reduced energy bills. The average Maryland family of four can expect to save $1,172 by 2030. That’s the best part about making energy efficiency improvements: they pay for themselves as consumers enjoy lower energy bills and a cleaner environment year after year.

Reducing Maryland’s energy consumption would also prevent the emission of 16 million tons of global warming pollution every year by 2030, which is equivalent to taking nearly three million cars off the road.

With benefits like these at stake, it’s clear that we should do everything we can to improve the efficiency of our buildings as soon as possible. We know how. What we need now are policies that will help pay for the upfront costs of energy efficiency investments and ensure that buildings and developers are taking advantage of all available efficiency improvements.

Environment Maryland is calling for policies that will help us reach our efficiency goals, including:

• Steady improvements to building codes over time so that all new buildings are increasingly efficient, culminating in a zero net energy standard by 2030.

• Investing in energy retrofits and weatherization to improve the efficiency of existing buildings 30 percent by 2030.

• Supporting innovative financing mechanisms that will help consumers and businesses pay for efficiency upgrades.

There are already thousands of super efficient buildings all around the country including in Maryland. Most buildings last for decades, so investing in energy efficiency locks in savings for years to come and builds a strong foundation for the future of our environment and our economy.

Thanks for having me. You can find the report on the Environment Maryland website, http://www.EnvironmentMaryland.org. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email at msherling@environmentmaryland.org

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Environmentalists Say Legislators Are "Giving the Environment the Shaft"

Environment Maryland is claiming that the General Assembly is "giving the environment the shaft this year" and that, "the Chesapeake Bay is getting thrown under the election year bus in favor of campaign contributions." Its State Director also says, "I've never seen special interests get their way so universally... Bankers, developers, truckers, utilities, and chicken companies are getting their wishes granted by our state legislature."

Following is their press release.

For Immediate Release:
March 30, 2010

Contact:
Brad Heavner, 410-227-8949
Tommy Landers, 301-442-0134

Environmentalists Are Cross at Crossover

Annapolis - Today is the crossover deadline in the Maryland General Assembly, the date by which bills must be passed out of one chamber to be guaranteed a hearing in the other chamber. In reviewing their priority bills, Environment Maryland sees little progress being made.

“Legislators are giving the environment the shaft this year,” said Brad Heavner, State Director of Environment Maryland. “The Chesapeake Bay is getting thrown under the election year bus in favor of campaign contributions.”

“I’ve never seen special interests get their way so universally,” added Heavner. “Bankers, developers, truckers, utilities, and chicken companies are getting their wishes granted by our state legislature.”

Here are the major losses and wins this year, so far, from Environment Maryland’s perspective:

Losses Are Mounting

Budget

The 2010 Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund will likely be cut significantly, with remaining funds limited to cover crops.

The Senate voted to continue diverting energy efficiency funding (RGGI funds) in FY 2012.

Program Open Space is being raided.

The Sustainable Communities Tax Credit (SB 285/HB 475) is not moving.

Both sides have passed funding restrictions for the University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic.

Energy

HB 522 and SB 910, common-sense bills for comprehensive energy planning, are going nowhere.

A bill to help property owners afford clean energy projects (HB 1014) has been gutted.

An energy efficiency standard for televisions was killed in the House (SB 455/HB 349).

SB 558/HB 1224, which would have helped establish long-term contracts for clean energy, is dead.

Several energy efficient building bills are dead or moribund, including:

o Green building standards for state-funded buildings (SB 215/HB 1040)

o Building energy use disclosure at time of sale (SB 952/ HB 1291)

o Energy use benchmarking of public buildings (SB 713/HB 985)

A bill encouraging market expansion of biofuels (SB 569/HB 827) is being held by the Economic Matters Committee.

Chesapeake Bay

HB 1125, which passed the House, will grandfather an unknown number of development projects that will be exempt from upcoming stronger stormwater management standards.

SB 686/HB 999, which would create a dedicated source of funding via small fees on utility bills for a backlog of urban stormwater management projects, is stuck in the drawer.

SB 859/HB 953, which would ban arsenic-laden additives from chicken feed, is sitting in committee.

An amendment that would prevent oyster sanctuary expansion before 2011 was added to SB 342/HB 1191, a good bill to crack down on oyster poaching.

Other environmental bills

A bill to prevent toxic pollution from coal ash dumpsites (SB 653/HB 1467) is in the drawer in the EHEA Committee.

A bill to reduce plastic bag litter by creating a fee on single-use bags has been killed (SB 462/HB 351).

Three recycling bills have been voted down – recycling at apartment buildings (SB 156), recycling at bars and restaurants (HB 944), and increasing our recycling goals (HB 982).

Hope Remains on Some Bills

Transportation: The House today passed HB 1155 which will help make transportation spending line up with the state’s official smart growth goals.

Energy: Bills have passed both chambers to improve our net metering law, requiring utilities to pay for excess power generated by solar power or other on-site generators – SB 355 and HB 801.

Solar power: The Administration bill to accelerate the solar energy standard (SB 277/HB 471) passed out of the Senate Finance Committee.

Chesapeake Bay: The oyster poaching bill (SB 342/HB 1191) might get through with the bad amendment removed.

Budget: The House Appropriations Committee decided not to continue diverting energy efficiency funding in FY 2012. Now it’s up to the conference committee.

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Energy Efficiency Loans Help Save Both the Economy and the Environment

By Lisa Piccinini.

In just a few weeks Maryland legislators will hold hearings for House Bill 1014 and Senate Bill 720 – the Clean Energy Loan Programs. Introduced by Delegate Sue Hecht and Senator Thomas Middleton, the bills hold tremendous potential for Maryland’s business owners, residents, and for our environment. If passed, the bill will go into effect June 1 of this year.



The bill calls for a program providing loans to residential property owners for the financing of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Basically, its aim is to help residents save money by providing means to obtain a loan for the upfront costs of increasing home energy efficiency. The bill also applies to commercial property owners.

The cost-effective upgrades or retrofits that these loans would provide for include things such as insulation, water heating, and appliance efficiency. Potential upgrades would be identified by an energy audit performed for every property prior to loan approval. The audit identifies energy-efficient and cost-effective projects for the property that would generate yearly energy cost savings. Through this program the loans will be repaid by the property owner via a surcharge on the owner’s property tax bill, over a period not to exceed 15 years. The loans could be provided by banks, non-profits, or through the Maryland Clean Energy Center. This innovative way to finance loans encourages home owners to consider becoming more energy efficient.

The bill is a perfect opportunity for the state to encourage jobs, economic spending, and show national leadership. Because each potential loan begins with an energy audit, the bill encourages energy auditing companies operating within the state. Once a loan has been approved and retrofitting begins, the installation requires manpower; again, a source for jobs. The state would show strong support of auditing and retrofitting companies, as well as of renewable energy businesses, by allowing loans for residents to obtain their services.

Jobs, of course, spur spending in the economy. But so do increased savings. A resident who saves money on heating and cooling in their home, for example, can spend that money elsewhere in the economy. In fact, the average U.S. resident spends $1900 per year on utility bills, with 43% of that money going to heating and cooling systems. Just having ducts thoroughly sealed can save a home as much as 20% in heating and cooling costs. Leaking ducts are just one example of what an energy audit would locate as a source for an increase in energy-efficiency. Residents can easily calculate estimated energy savings through the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy savings calculator.

It is important to note this bill is a call for leadership on the state’s behalf. Maryland has already proved a commitment to the environment through passing the Greenhouse Gas Reductions Act, but that is only a step in the right direction. Passing this bill would continue Maryland’s positive trend of leadership and avoid falling to the wayside as other states move forward. Gunnison, Eagle, and Pitkin Counties – all in western Colorado - have shown such leadership, introducing clean energy and energy efficiency investments through loans covering the upfront costs of the investments. In Boulder County almost 400 energy projects began the first summer the program was implemented, allowing small businesses to add critical new jobs. Maryland’s loan program could show similar results.

Finally, this is a chance to foster environmental stewardship of this great state. Although our focus is often on the bay, we need to care for all elements of Maryland; this means decreasing the emissions we release to the air. One substantial way of doing so is by becoming energy efficient in our homes and exploring renewable energy options. Proper home maintenance and upgrades can reduce environmental emissions by up to 50%. These loans would allow Maryland residents to do just this.

So check out your energy bill. This program could be your next step to you saving – both money and the environment. Call your state representatives and express your support for this bill.

Lisa Piccinini
UMD for Clean Energy Media Director
University of Maryland

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A Climate Bill to be Excited About

By Brad Heavner.

Sen. Barbara Boxer has said she will unveil the Senate version of federal climate legislation on Wednesday. Will the bill be inadequate to the task at hand or the most revolutionary energy policy ever considered by Congress?

The answer is both, if you consider the task at hand to be solving global warming. But it’s important to realize that no single action – even comprehensive energy legislation passed by the U.S. Congress – is going to be enough to solve the climate crisis on its own. What we need is strong progress that creates opportunities for even more progress soon. To that task, this bill is worth our strong support, particularly if the Senate version fixes some of the biggest flaws coming over from the House.

The bill the House passed in June, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (The ACES Act), makes good and measurable progress toward a clean energy future. It gets the basic framework right, setting a price on carbon with some of the proceeds to be used to invest in transforming our energy economy. It also includes new building codes, pollution standards for heavy trucks, appliance standards, and requirements that transportation spending take into account energy and climate impacts.

And, most importantly, we’ll be able to improve on it over time. If we can show a comprehensive global warming bill to be winnable in Congress, and if voters don’t revolt and people start to see the benefits of clean energy, we will be able to come back for more soon.

If it fails, on the other hand, the story in Congress will be reinforced that global warming legislation is bad politics and you don’t want to go near it with a ten-foot pole.

Don’t get me wrong, the ACES Act has serious problems. The bill only requires a 17 percent emission reduction by 2020, and much of that could be eroded by “offsets” – actions outside of the U.S. or in sectors not covered by the cap. The bill also takes away the EPA’s authority to address emissions from our dirtiest coal-fired power plants. Those compromises were painful.

Clearly, we are running out of time to deal with global warming effectively. Some suggest that means we can’t afford to pass legislation that does anything less than promise a full solution to the problem. But the plain fact of the matter in 2009 is that a good energy bill that puts America on a path to a clean energy future may be winnable in the U.S. Congress after a tough fight. The chances of winning a bill within the next couple of years that truly delivers what the science calls for are non-existent. Let’s win this and then keep fighting from there.

Forgive me a sports analogy. The planet is like a baseball team coming to bat down five runs in the bottom of the ninth. No matter how much you might need it, it is not possible to hit a five-run homer. You’ve got to get a hit, and hope the next guy does the same, and so on. The planet needs a five-run homer right now, and the ACES Act isn’t that. But it is a very solid hit that keeps us in the ball game.

In Maryland, we passed a renewable energy standard in 2003, requiring that 7.5 percent of our electricity come from clean energy sources by 2019. That percentage was so low that we didn’t know if it would mean much at the time. But since then, we have improved the number twice, to 9.5 percent in 2007 and 20 percent in 2008.

It’s time to do the same thing on a bigger issue on a bigger scale.

If you want more detail on all of this, check out this white paper.

Brad Heavner is the State Director of Environment Maryland.

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