Emily Ranson - Maryland Program Director

UPDATE: After a public "town hall" on 11/5 Montgomery County is convening a working group on ZTA 20-01. Read more from our allies at the Montgomery Countryside Alliance here. We need to invest in local solutions to fight the climate crisis - now more than ever - but ZTA 20-01 isn't it.

Did you know? Your septic system is likely the most expensive appliance in your house!

Did you know? Your septic system flows into our streams and groundwater - it treats wastewater and keeps them clean!

Taking simple precautions today will both save you headache in the future and keep your system working so it will keep waste out of our waterways. 

Today is the last day to

Congress should fully fund for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by passing the Great Americans Outdoor Act. As we all have experienced, access to parks is incredibly important for our mental and physical health, and remain a low risk activity even while we are social distancing. Unfortunately, for years Congress has diverted money out of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, leaving us with critically underfunded parks when we need them most.

Mosquito season is upon us yet again! There are some steps you can take to minimize your exposure to mosquitoes without relying on mosquito spray programs. While pesticide spray programs may seem like the best choice, they do pose health and environmental risks even when used as directed. Synthetic pyrethroids can worsen respiratory symptoms, organophosphates are linked to neurodegenerative diseases, and these pesticides are toxic to bees, pollinators, and other beneficial insects (as well as birds, fish, and amphibians - natural predators of mosquitoes!).

UPDATE: On April 15, the bill to suspend the disposable bag fee in Montgomery County was withdrawn! Read more in the County's press release here. When conducting necessary shopping, please remember to bring your clean reusable bag, bag your groceries yourself, and wash the reusable bag between each use.

Across the country and the world, we are all struggling to cope with the new reality that is COVID-19. Our lives have been upended and everyone is trying to figure out how to minimize their risk to this new virus.

I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe in the midst of this Covid-19 emergency. While our offices are closed, our dedicated staff are safely working at home. We continue to remain active on important environmental legislation in Maryland and wanted to provide a quick update. 

Yesterday, I testified in favor of Senate Bill 723, to give consumers a right to repair their electronics. This might not seem like an environmental issue, but the flood of thrown away products has an enormous environmental impact. Read the joint written testimony signed by 9 organizations below.

SB723: Consumer Protection: Right to Repair

Senate Finance Committee

March 11, 2020

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