The Howard County Conservation Committee works to lessen pollution and protect natural areas. What are your priorities for conservation? Please take our survey to share your opinions! To volunteer, contact the Conservation Committee Chair, Carolyn Parsa, at carolyn.parsa@mdsierra.org.
The Conservation Committee considers issues in the following categories:
Smart Growth
The Sierra Club opposes sprawl development. Excessive new building construction, or inappropriate use of property, can lead to degradation of land and water.
Land Use and Development Committee
The Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning commissioned a study of the County's Development Regulations; the Development Regulation Assessment will constitute the first step in re-writing the Development Regulations. A consulting firm will be hired by the county to facilitate the revision. Contact the Sierra Club Land Use and Development Committee Chair, Karina Fisher (kf321jump@verizon.net) to learn more.
Other issues addressed under the heading of Smart Growth include:
APFO (the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance) (passed January 2018)
Howard County Bill 15 - 18, changing the Property Transfer Tax allocations
Howard County Bill 12-18, which would allow an increase in school surcharge fees charged to developers
County Bill 60 industrial mulching on farmland (re-introduced as ZRA 183 on 1/11/2018; tabled May 3, 2018)
Oak Hill Manor development plan
The Settlement at Savage development plan
Clean Water and Stormwater Management
Water pollution is often the result of inappropriate land use. Businesses, such as gas stations, mortuaries, or industrial mulching facilities, may release contaminants into ground water or surface streams. Other users apply chemicals such as fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides, which end up in water. Construction projects can allow erosion to deposit sediment in water. Stormwater runoff is another source of pollution, as contaminants are washed off impervious surfaces into waterways. We support the Watershed Protection Fee.
The Ellicott City Watershed Master Plan is being designed with public input to remodel Ellicott City and decrease the City's vulnerability to flooding. See the county website for more information.
Energy
The Sierra Club supports greater use of renewable energy, especially solar. We are in favor of community solar energy systems and financial incentives for community and residential solar energy systems.
The Sierra Club opposes increasing the use or transportation of non-renewable energy sources, such as oil or fracked gas. The Williams Company compressor station for fracked gas on Carroll Mill Road was recently enlarged. We oppose the use of this facility as part of a pipeline for fracked gas being transported from Pennsylvania to the Cove Point export facility in Southern Maryland.
Zero Waste
To keep materials out of landfills, we support expanding the county program of curbside residential pick-up of compostable materials. Packaging is a major source of unnecessary trash. We support a ban on carryout styrofoam containers. We support measures, such as a bag fee, to reduce the number of plastic shopping bags.
Transportation
The Sierra Club supports decreasing traffic congestion by improving public transportation and by creating more safe, interconnected trails for walkers and bicyclists.
We support full funding of The Bikeway. This proposal of The Horizon Foundation needs $3 million per year to create 50 miles of interconnected paths; the county has allocated only $600,000.
A proposal called the Patapsco Regional Greenway calls for paved bike trails, but these will go the length of the Patapsco Valley State Park. This doesn't represent an alternative for commuters. Paths in the Park are meant to be for recreational use and are supposed to be natural surface trails.
Natural Places Committee
Undeveloped open space is important for wildlife and supports our native ecology. The Sierra Club supports the Green Infrastructure Network defined by the county.
The Natural Places Committee has dedicated support groups for two natural places:
Preserve Patapsco Valley State Park
Elkhorn Butterfly Meadow
The Sierra Club also supports Save Rockburn Park