Emily Ranson - Maryland Program Director

Another year, another legislative session complete for us in Maryland! Maryland’s legislative session runs for just 90 days each year, between January and April, and ended this year on Monday 4/11. It was a busy legislative session full of lots of action on clean water, clean air, and environmental justice - and Clean Water Action members like you sent 3,000 emails to your delegates and senators in support of our priority legislation. Thank you for everything you do!

Here’s how our top clean water priorities fared:

Maryland's legislative session starts this Wednesday! For the following 90 days, we'll be working to get important legislation passed for clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

By: Tiffany Bui, Maryland Intern

As Halloween creeps closer, jack-o-lanterns haunt windows and gourds replace the usual dinner table centerpiece. You have probably already noticed that pumpkins are an autumn aesthetic staple. However, their menacing carved faces are not the scariest things about them. Even though pumpkins die out of style at the end of the season, they scan still haunt the environment and public health from beyond the grave.

Environmental Impact

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!).

A huge thank you to Alexandra DySard of MOM's Organic Market who testified in support of SB304, which removes trash incineration from Maryland's recycling code, and shared their story

A statement to the Maryland's Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee in support of SB304 to make it clear that burning trash and using ash is not recycling.

SB330: State-Funded Construction and Major Renovations Projects - Solar Panels - Requirement

Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee

January 21, 2021

Positon: Favorable

Dear Chairman Pinsky and Members of the Committee,

The Maryland Compost Advocacy Coalition is made up of individual advocates and representatives of Maryland groups as well as national public interest organizations. We are organized to educate about the positive benefits of legislation to advance composting, compost use and food waste reduction in Maryland.

We are continuing to work on legislation to decrease Maryland's reliance on trash incinerators and landfills, improve septic systems, promote environmental justice, and protect our bees. With our allies with the Smart on Pesticide Campaign, we are also supporting a package of bills to improve the resiliency of our food system by supply critical food workers with COVID-19 protections and sick leave.

Organic recycling is simply another type of recycling - transforming the waste so it can be reused as a soil amendment and does not clutter our landfills.

How does waste management at a business work?