7338 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 102
College Park, MD 20740-3211
Contact
Josh Tulkin, Josh.Tulkin@mdsierra.org
Zack Gerdes, Zack.Gerdes@mdsierra.org
Sierra Club Statement on Howard County’s Development Moratorium
Date: July 30, 2018
On Friday July 27th, 2018, the Howard County Council unanimously approved a one year development moratorium in the Tiber River and Plumtree Branch stream watersheds surrounding Ellicott City, which was hit by intense flooding in May for the second time in less than two years. The emergency legislation, introduced by Councilman Jon Weinstein, blocks the county from issuing permits for projects on properties where runoff from storms drains into creeks and rivers that flow into Ellicott City. County Executive Allan Kittleman has said he will sign it.
Maryland Sierra Club Director, Josh Tulkin, issued the following statement
“The Sierra Club applauds the Howard County Council’s decision to halt development in the Ellicott City Watershed. These recent storms are an important reminder of the catastrophic impact that ignoring the environment can have on our communities. We look forward to using the time in this moratorium for a robust discussion on how Ellicott City, Howard County, and Maryland plan to adjust our development, stormwater mitigation, and flood management practices to address climate change and adequately protect our communities in the future.”