High Quality
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For more than 25 years, the non-partisan Maryland League of Conservation Voters has served as the political voice of theenvironment.We advocate for sound conservation policies, promote environmentally responsible candidates, andhold individual elected officials accountable through our scorecards and reports.One State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-280-9855
410-280-9857 (fax)
www.mdlcv.org
M Ma Maryland League of Conservation Voters
“We keep score for the environment”
Press Release
For Immediate Release Contact:October 12, 2011 Jen Brock-Cancellieri: jbrock@mdlcv.orgOffice: 410-280-9855 x202,Jen’s cell: 410-812-1503or Pete Johnson: pjohnson@mdlvc.org,410.280.9855 x 204,Pete’s cell: 240.654.7084
Governor Martin O’Malley Receives aB+ on his Second Report Card
Maryland LCV releases its Second Report Card on Governor O’Malley. In 2008, the Governor Received the First “A” in the 30-Plus Year History of the Organization.
(Annapolis, MD )
Today the Maryland League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released its second
Governor’s Report Card
on the environmental stewardship of the O’Malley-Brown Administration.Governor O’Malley received the first “A” in the history of the organization back in 2008. Maryland LCVis pleased to assign the grade of B+ to Governor O’Malley for 2009-2011.Acting Executive Director Jen Brock-Cancellieri said, “Marylanders elected Governor MartinO’Malley to a second term, with the help of Maryland LCV. Our work doesn’t stop on Election Day aswe continue to hold our elected officials, including the Administration, accountable. This report tells thestory of how the O’Malley-Brown Administration is doing when it comes to protecting our air, preservingour land, cleaning our waters, and ensuring the quality of life our people deserve.”After consultation with conservation leaders in the state, the Maryland LCV Board of Directorsand staff prepared this
Governor’s Report Card
. Maryland LCV awarded the Governor an overall gradefor his performance on the environment based on a number of separately graded categories, which containa number of detailed issues intended to be representative of the O’Malley Administration’s commitmentand actions on environmental issues. The methodology used to prepare this and prior report cards includesa thorough review of departmental and agency actions, policy positions, funding priorities and budgetsubmissions, public statements, environmental advisors, and executive appointments.Fred Hoover, Chair of the Maryland LCV Board of Directors, stated, “Governor O’Malley madethe environment one of the hallmarks of his administration. He not only kept the state’s commitment torestore the Chesapeake Bay, but proposed significant environmental initiatives in each legislativesession.”
For more than 30 years, the non-partisan Maryland League of Conservation Voters has served as the political voice of theenvironment.We advocate for sound conservation policies, promote environmentally responsible candidates, andhold individual elected officials accountable through our scorecards and reports.Nine State Circle #202
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-280-9855
410-280-9857 (fax)
www.mdlcv.org
Overall Grade: B+
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Budget: A-
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Water Quality: B
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Climate Change: A
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Energy: B+
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Smart Growth: A-
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Transportation: A-
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Fisheries & Wildlife: A
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Administration & Appointments: B+The grades obviously tell a story, but if you look below those grades in each category you see that theGovernor earned a number of high marks for specific actions. Some of the most notable actions includethe following:
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Funded the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund and Program Open Space
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Signed the Administration-sponsored 2009 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act
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Crafted the most aggressive watershed implementation plan in the Bay watershed
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Restricted the harvest of endangered oysters and transitioning watermen to restoration jobs
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Sponsored the 2011 Maryland Offshore Wind Act
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Proposed ban on septic systems for large subdivisions and drafted a growth plan – Plan Maryland.If you look a little deeper still - you will also see that we don’t agree with everything that theGovernor supports. In 2011 the Legislature passed a bill to incentivize the burning of garbage by adding itto the highest level in the state renewable energy standard (RPS), the same class as wind and solar energy.We asked the Governor to veto this bill; unfortunately he chose to sign it. This will result in dirtier air andmisrepresent our progress toward meeting our RPS.But perhaps the most important things to look at in the
Governor’s Report Card
are the areas that wesay “Show Promise.” The most notable of these are in the Water Quality section, which went from a B+to a B. The three areas with the biggest opportunities of improvement are the following:
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Wastewater treatment plants: The most successful use of Maryland tax dollar so far paid toupgrade many wastewater treatment plants, but the fund is going to be bankrupt before stoppingcontamination from three of the largest plants.
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Agriculture: The Department of Agriculture drafted new regulations for manure and sewagesludge application. This is a significant step forward, but more needs to be done. We areconcerned about the strength of these regulations, the delay in their introduction, their adoption,and ultimately the inability of the public to verify the reductions. We will look to the state tosupport alternatives of land application of manure, such as clean power generation.
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Stormwater: We were disappointed in the strength of the 2007 Stormwater Regulations whichaddress polluted runoff. Moving forward, there is an opportunity to significantly impactstormwater pollution by renewing strong pollution permits that have expired in cities and townsacross the state. We will also be watching to see if the Governor exercises leadership on thecreation of new local funding source to prevent flooding and contamination from runoff.To stop contamination from the above three sources, we urge Governor O’Malley to invest anadditional $200 million a year in job-creating water restoration projects.
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