Howard County Delegation

Hearing on Local Bills
Monday, Nov. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Banneker Room, George Howard Building,
3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City



Support Delegate Terri Hill's legislation, Ho. Co. 4–19, which would allow Howard County to tax plastic bags provided to shoppers at checkout. (The County Council and County Executive would still have to consider the legislation.) The tax would not apply to paper bags, plastic bags used for bulk vegetables or produce, dry cleaning, newspapers or prescription drugs.The bill is intended to reduce the use of single-use plastic, as most ends up in a landfill now that China no longer buys our plastic for recycling -- and soon Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia won't either. See Baltimore Sun article about the bill. To testify (maximum 3 minutes), sign up starting at 7 p.m. If possible, bring 15 copies of written testimony for the delegation. Details here; all proposed local bills here. Facebook event here.

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 More than 1,000 people marched in Annapolis on March 2 to call for a ban on fracking. 

// photo by Nadine Grabania of CitizenShale

Gov. Larry Hogan signed the fracking ban bill on April 4, 2017. 

Maryland is officially FRACK-FREE Forever. 

The week after our HUGE march and rally in Annapolis, the House of Delegates passed its BAN FRACKING bill on a 97-40 bipartisan vote. Abundant thanks to our delegates in Howard County: Terry Hill, Eric Ebersole and Clarence Lam of District 12; Vanessa Atterbeary, Shane Pendergrass and Frank Turner of District 13; and Robert Flanagan of District 9B. News coverage of the vote here, here, here and here -- and of a Western Maryland delegate's conflict of interest here.

Then on March 16, 13 activists, including faith leaders and Western Marylanders, were arrested at the State House calling for the Senate to pass the ban. 

               

[Fractivists arrested at the State House, including a member of HoCo Climate Action (left).]

The day after, the governor threw his support to the ban, leading the way for the Senate to also pass the ban, including with the support of Howard County's Sens. Guy Guzzone of District 13 and Ed Kasemeyer of District 12. (Sen. Gail Bates of District 9 had numerous discussions with her constituents about fracking, but she voted NO on the ban.)

The anti-fracking movement across the country has been watching Maryland. Passing a fracking ban here is a huge victory for our movement and sends a message to the president and the fossil fuel industry that we won’t let them poison our communities and destroy our climate. Now we can shift our our efforts to energy efficiency (the real "bridge fuel"), renewable energy and climate and environmental justice. 

THANKS TO ALL FOR THE HARD WORK OVER MANY YEARS ON THIS EFFORT. 

There are many ways to get involved.