Maryland Sierra Club Testimony – 2019 General Assembly Session
As of 4/9/19 (after sine die)
Listed below are the bills on which the Sierra Club submitted written testimony, as well as oral testimony for some, during the General Assembly’s 2019 session. Unless otherwise indicated, the testimony was prepared by Sierra Club volunteers and staff; in a few instances, the Sierra Club joined testimony prepared by a partner environmental organization.
Overview
The Sierra Club testified on a total of 75 bills. We testified in support, or support with amendments, on 70 bills; 31 of these bills passed; 30 are awaiting review by the Governor, and one was vetoed and the veto was overridden. The Sierra Club opposed five bills; one of these bills passed.
A further breakdown is as follows:
-
Priority bills (regarding plastic pollution, clean energy, clean transportation, and gas pipelines): Support, or support with amendments –7, of which 2 passed and are awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 0 bills.
Non-priority bills
-
Cross-cutting environmental issues: Support, or support with amendments – 4, of which 0 passed. Opposed – 0.
-
Energy: Support, or support with amendments – 7, of which 3 passed and are awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 3 bills, of which 1 passed and is awaiting review by the Governor.
-
Land, water, and natural resources: Support, or support with amendments – 12, of which 9 passed and are awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 1 bill, which did not pass.
-
Public health: Support, or support with amendments – 10, of which 5 passed and are awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 0.
-
Transportation: Support, or support with amendments – 23, of which 10 passed and are awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 1, which did not pass.
-
Zero waste: Support, or support with amendments – 5, of which 1 passed and is awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 0.
-
Other public policy issues: Support, or support with amendments – 2, of which 1 passed and is awaiting review by the Governor. Opposed – 0.
Sierra Club Priority Bills
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
SB285 - Kagan |
H109 - Lierman |
Expanded Polystyrene Food Service Products – Prohibition |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
|
Gas pipelines – water quality protection |
SB387 - Zirkin |
HB669 – Fraser-Hidalgo |
Water Quality Certifications (Pipeline and Water Protection Act of 2019) |
Support |
No |
Passed out of Senate committee, then recommitted to committee; House committee reported unfavorably |
|
Clean energy – solar, offshore wind, 50% RPS, 100% goal, & more |
SB516 – Feldman |
HB1158 - Glenn |
Clean Energy Jobs Act |
Support with amendments |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Environmental reviews of public-private transportation projects |
SB788 - Rosapepe |
HB695 - Stewart |
Transportation Climate Accountability Act of 2019 |
Support |
No |
Senate & House committees did not act on bill |
|
Clean energy – long term contracts |
SB910 - Feldman |
HB879 - Clippinger |
Ratepayer Reduction for Renewable Energy Act |
Support |
No |
House committee reported unfavorably; Senate bill withdrawn |
|
Environmental reviews of public-private transportation projects |
No cross file |
HB91- Carr |
Public-Private Partnerships- EIS Requirement |
Support |
No |
House committee did not act on bill |
|
Environmental & financial reviews of public-private transportation projects |
No cross file |
HB1091 - Solomon |
Public-Private Partnerships - Reforms |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
Cross-cutting Environmental Issues
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Climate change – carbon fee |
SB702 - Kramer |
HB1235 – Fraser-Hidalgo |
Healthy Climate Initiative |
Support |
No |
House committee reported unfavorably; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Department of Legislative Services Fiscal Notes – including environmental impact information |
No cross file |
HB246 - Shetty |
General Assembly - Fiscal Notes - Environmental Impact Statements |
Support |
No |
House committee did not act on bill |
|
“Green” constitutional amendment |
No cross file |
HB472 - Lafferty |
Constitutional Amendment - Environmental Rights |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Consideration of climate costs in state vehicle purchases & in construction/ renovation of state buildings |
No cross file |
HB504 - Charkoudian |
Purchase of Motor Vehicles and Building Construction, Renovation, Rehabilitation, and Modification - Social Cost of Carbon Emissions |
Support |
No |
House committee did not act on bill |
Energy
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Gas & oil pipeline safety |
SB100 – Zirkin |
HB499 – Fraser-Hidalgo |
Interstate Pipeline Liability Act |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
RPS – inclusion of hydroelectric power |
SB350 - Klausmeier |
HB601 - Davis |
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Tier 1 Eligibility |
Oppose |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Electricity-supplier choice – consumer information |
SB517 - Feldman |
HB689 - Carey |
Electricity - Customer Choice - Education |
Support with amendments |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Community solar pilot program |
SB520 - Kramer |
HB683 - Clippinger |
Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Pilot Program - Extension |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
RPS – exclusion of trash incineration |
SB548 – Hough |
HB961 - Mosby |
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard |
Support |
No |
Senate & House committees did not act on the bill |
|
Energy storage |
SB573 - Feldman |
HB650 - Korman |
Energy Storage Pilot Project Act |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Solar siting |
SB744 - Pinsky |
HB532 - Stein |
Protecting Natural Resources and Preserving Productive Farms - Commission on the Development of a Blueprint for Solar Energy in Maryland |
Support with amendments |
No |
Senate passed; House committee did not act on bill |
|
Solar & wind siting, & local zoning |
SB997 - Hershey |
HB1227 - Arentz |
Wind and Solar Generating Stations - Local Zoning and Land Use |
Oppose |
No |
House committee reported unfavorably; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Gas electricity plants – community health |
No cross file |
HB308 – R. Lewis |
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity - Rapid Health Impact Assessment and Final Action |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
RPS – study inclusion of nuclear power |
No cross file |
HB600 - Fisher |
Study on the Future of Nuclear Energy in Maryland |
Oppose |
Yes |
Included in SB516 (Clean Energy Jobs Act), which passed & is awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Cownose ray protection |
SB143 - Young |
HB213 - Stein |
Cownose Ray Fishery Management Plan & Moratorium on Contests |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Forest protection – “no net loss” goal |
SB203- Young |
HB120 - Love |
No Net Loss of Forest - Definition |
Support |
No |
Passed Senate; House committee did not act on bill |
|
Forest protection – local funding |
SB234 - Young |
HB272 - Lafferty |
State and Local Forest Conservation Funds |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Bird protection, & energy efficiency – state buildings |
SB314 - Lam |
HB136 - Hill |
Energy-Conserving and Bird-Safe Building Standards (Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act of 2019) |
Support |
No |
Senate & House passed different versions of the bill, & these differences were not resolved |
|
Oyster protection |
SB448 - Pinsky |
HB298 - Busch |
Oysters - Tributary-Scale Sanctuaries - Protection and Restoration |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Governor’s veto overridden |
|
Local enforcement of sediment & erosion controls |
SB505 - Elfreth |
HB703 - Lafferty |
Environmental Violations - Reporting Requirements |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Nutrient management associated with large animal-feeding operations |
SB546 - Pinsky |
HB904 - Stewart |
Nutrient Management - Monitoring and Enforcement |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Forest protection – study |
SB729 - Guzzone |
HB735 - Healey |
Technical Study on Changes in Forest Cover and Tree Canopy in Maryland |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Oyster protection |
SB830 - Elfreth |
HB720 - Barve |
Natural Resources - Fishery Management Plans - Oysters |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Aquatic vegetation |
No cross file |
HB377 - Gilchrist |
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Protection Zones - Revisions |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Water pollution – sewer overflows |
No cross file |
HB417 - Hill |
Water Pollution Control - Public Notification of Sewer Overflows and Treatment Plant Bypasses - Alteration |
Support with amendments (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Flood management |
SB269 - Hester |
HB428 - C. Watson |
Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program – Awards for Flood Damage and Mandatory Funding |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
Public Health
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Prohibition on paint-stripper chemicals NMP & DCM |
SB82 - Lam |
HB299 - Hill |
Sale & Distribution of Products Containing NMP & DCM |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
Senate passed; House Committee did not act on bill |
|
Access to healthy foods |
SB116 - McCray |
HB82 - Charkoudian |
Complete Streets – Access to Healthy Food |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Pesticides – chlorpyrifos ban |
SB270 – Nathan-Pulliam |
HB275 - Stein |
Use of Chlorpyrifos – Prohibition |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Antibiotics, restricted use in farm animals |
SB471 - Pinsky |
HB652 - Love |
Agriculture - Use of Antimicrobial Drugs - Limitations and Reporting Requirements |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Lead exposure in schools |
SB481 - McCray |
HB1253 - Solomon |
Drinking Water Outlets in School Buildings - Elevated Level of Lead and Grant Program |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Lead/toxic paint – property damage liability, in Baltimore |
SB488 - Carter |
HB1191 - Mosby |
Baltimore City - Civil Actions - Liability of Toxic Substance Manufacturers |
Support |
No |
Senate & House committees did not act on bill |
|
Air quality monitoring near large animal-feeding operations |
SB542 - Lam |
No cross file |
Community Healthy Air Act |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Food deserts |
No cross file |
HB188 – P.G. County Delegation |
Prince George’s County - Property Tax Credits - Grocery Stores PG409-19 |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Public funding of artificial playing fields and playgrounds – prohibition |
No cross file |
HB1118 - Solomon |
Use of Public Funds - Playground and Athletic Field Surfaces - Authorizations, Preferences, and Prohibitions |
Support |
No |
House committee did not act on bill |
|
Lead exposure in housing |
No cross file |
HB1233 – R. Lewis |
Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing - Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Environmental Investigations (Maryland Healthy Children Act) |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
Transportation
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Smart growth |
SB3 - Rosapepe |
HB117 - Lafferty |
Maryland Smart Growth Investment Fund – Supplementary Appropriation |
Support |
No |
Senate passed; House committee did not act on bill |
|
Climate change |
SB249 - Lam |
HB277 - Korman |
Regional Initiative to Limit or Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Transportation Sector - Authorization (Regional Transportation and Climate Protection Act of 2019) |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
EV infrastructure |
SB316 - Lam |
No cross file |
Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicles - Reserved Parking Spaces |
Support |
No |
Senate committee reported unfavorably |
|
Public transit ridership |
SB319 - Augustine |
HB201 - Korman |
Maryland Transit Administration – State Employees – Free Ridership (Transit Benefit for State Employees) |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Pedestrian safety |
SB460 – Waldstreicher |
HB517 - Stewart |
Pedestrian Safety Fund Act of 2019 |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Regional transportation authority – study |
SB630 - Carter |
HB771 - Bridges |
Regional Transportation Authority Study |
Support |
No |
Senate & House committees did not act on bill |
|
Transportation access – study |
SB642 - Klausmeier |
HB923 - Stein |
Task Force to Study Transportation Access |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Property purchases for I-270 & I-495 toll-lane project |
SB781 – Waldstreicher |
HB663 - Love |
Public-Private Partnership Projects - Real Property Acquisition - Prohibition |
Support |
No |
Senate & House committees did not act on bill |
|
Bike infrastructure |
SB787 - Rosapepe |
HB1281 – Lierman |
Bikeways Network Program - Funding |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Bus transit |
SB837 - Carter |
No cross file |
Bus Lane Monitoring Cameras - Authorization |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Public transit for southern Maryland |
SB845 - Ellis |
No cross file |
Southern Maryland Rapid Transit Project - Requirements and Funding |
Support |
No |
Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
EV infrastructure |
SB987 - Lam |
No cross file |
Building Codes - Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure |
Support |
No |
Senate committee reported unfavorably |
|
EV infrastructure |
SB998 - Hershey |
No cross file |
Public Service Commission - Electric Vehicle Infrastructure - Prior Authorization |
Oppose |
No |
Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Bus transit dedicated lanes – study |
No cross file |
HB130 - R. Lewis |
Maryland Transit Administration - Workgroup to Study Dedicated Bus Lanes in Baltimore City |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Reduction in local speed limits in Montgomery County |
No cross file |
HB203 - Montgomery County Delegation |
Maximum Speed Limits Outside Urban Districts MC 24-19 |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Transportation funding |
No cross file |
HB426 - Korman |
21st Century Transportation Funding Act |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Traffic safety |
No cross file |
HB560 - Healey |
Traffic Calming Devices |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Coordination of public transit systems |
No cross file |
HB763 - Shetty |
Maryland Transit Administration - Coordination of Public Transportation Network |
Support |
No |
House committee reported unfavorably |
|
EV infrastructure |
No cross file |
HB826 - Korman |
Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment (Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment for Multifamily Units Act) |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Pedestrian safety |
No cross file |
HB885 – Palakovich Carr |
Transportation - Vision Zero - Establishment |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
MARC extensions |
No cross file |
HB1117 - Solomon |
Maryland Transit Administration - Extension of MARC Service - Plans and Report |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Excise tax credit for EVs & fuel cell vehicles |
No cross file |
HB1246 – Fraser-Hidalgo |
Clean Cars Act of 2019 |
Support with amendments |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Electric buses |
No cross file |
HB1255 – Fraser-Hidalgo |
School Bus Transition – Zero–Emission Vehicles – Grant Program and Fund |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Public transportation |
No cross file |
HB1412 – Korman |
Maryland Metro/Transit Funding Act – Alterations |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
Zero Waste
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Recycling at hotels, motels, etc. |
SB183 – Kagan |
No cross file |
Recycling – Lodging Establishments – Notification to Guests |
Support (sign-on testimony) |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Recycling at commercial properties |
SB370 - West |
No cross file |
Recycling - Commercial Properties |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Plastic straws |
No cross file |
HB134 - Love |
Single-Use Plastic Straws – Use in Restaurants |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Mattress recycling |
No cross file |
HB502 - Hill |
Office of Recycling - Mattresses and Box Springs |
Support |
No |
House passed; Senate committee did not act on bill |
|
Disposal of used synthetic turf playing fields |
No cross file |
HB1142 - Lehman |
Hazardous Materials - Disposal of Synthetic Turf and Turf Infill |
Support |
No |
Withdrawn |
|
Issue |
Senate Bill & Lead Sponsor |
House Bill & Lead Sponsor |
Bill Title |
Sierra Club Position |
Passed – Yes or No |
Notes |
|
Rail safety |
SB252 - Hayes |
HB66 – Stein |
Movement of Freight – Required Crew |
Support |
Yes |
Awaiting Governor’s review |
|
Employee-owned businesses |
SB409 - Guzzone |
HB204 - Luedtke |
Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Employee-Owned Businesses |
Support |
No |
Senate and House committees did not act on bill |