Some of the events and issues that the Howard County Sierra Club was involved in recently.
2018
March 26, 2018: THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO THE OPEN HOUSE!
AND SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HOSTED A TABLE!
Environmental Open House
Sponsored by the Howard County Sierra Club
and the Savage Community Association
Monday, March 26, 2018
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Carroll Baldwin Hall
9035 Baltimore Dr. Savage 20763
The event is free and refreshments will be served. Your registration helps us plan.
Your Sierra Club Works to Preserve the Environment
through conservation: we advocate for smart growth through sound planning and zoning regulations.
We oppose excessive or environmentally destructive development proposals.
through politics: state and local chapters endorse environmental champions for office.
through education and stewardship: we meet to learn from others and sometimes to pull a weed.
through outings: come with us to enjoy what we’re protecting!
Visit the tables and talk to representatives of these environmental groups.
Savage Community Association: Learn about efforts to protect a Targeted Ecological Area along the Little Patuxent River from development. Check our calendar of coming events.
The Citizens Climate Lobby: We exist to create the political will for climate solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power.
Indivisible Howard County MD/Our Revolution: there is no away! We are committed to providing education on the health and environmental dangers of single-use plastic and reversing the attitude of a throw-away society in order to change the hearts and minds of citizens and lawmakers.
The Community Ecology Institute (home of Columbia Families in Nature): fostering socially and ecologically healthy communities through connection to nature.
Transition Howard County: We raise awareness, advocate, and implement practical solutions that create and strengthen sustainable communities.
Save Rockburn Park: Our goal is to preserve Rockburn Branch park by making it a conservation easement, thus preventing development but allowing expansion of park uses.
And more!
Meet local authors Nancy Lawson: “The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife” and Ned Tillman: “Chesapeake Watershed: A Sense of Place and a Call to Action” and “Saving the Places We Love: Paths to Environmental Stewardship”. Books are for sale but advice and autographs are always free.
Feb. 13, 2018: "Bag It" Movie Presentation and Discussion; Tuesday, February 13, 2018; 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm; Miller Branch Library; 9421 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21042. The Sierra Club is only one of the organizations trying to achieve Zero Waste. Representatives of Indivisible Howard County (Pat Hersey) and Trash-Free Maryland (Claire Jordan) will join us to discuss ways our organizations can reduce plastic-bag use.
Feb. 5, 2018: County Bill 61, 62, Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) and PlanHoward (re-introduced in January 2018 as County Bill 1 and County Bill 2); passed with amendments: Amendment #3 to CB1 allows the County Council to approve construction of affordable housing in districts that are closed to new development due to school overcrowding. That is, schools that are too crowded to admit any new students are considered appropriate for additional low-income students. This is discriminatory. The lack of affordable housing in the county should be addressed in some other, more equitable, way. Visit our webpage for details.
Jan. 29, 2018: Green Infrastructure Network (GIN), Bill Mahoney, Howard County Office of Community Sustainability. Before the presentation, join us for an informal discussion of the conservation issues that the Sierra Club is currently working on. Find out how you can help us curb development and promote natural places in the county.
Jan. 18, 2018: Attend the 23rd Environmental Legislative Summit - January 18, 2018, 4 - 6 in Annapolis; Hear from top legislative leaders and advocates about the environmental priorities for the 2018 General Assembly Session. This year come early for workshops from noon to 3 pm and gather afterwards for Green Drinks. Open to All - Free Admission.
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2017
The Font Hill Stream restoration project held a public hearing Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 7pm at the George Howard Building. The location for the stream restoration is near Chateau Ridge Drive, upstream from Font Hill Park. The restoration will consist of removing 200 years worth of sediment to restore the pre-industrial wetland.
The Sierra Club opposes sprawl development. Excessive new building construction, or inappropriate use of property, can lead to degradation of land and water. The county is currently revising the Development Regulations through an initial Assessment in 2017, which will be followed by re-writing the regulations in 2018 (see the county webpage for details). As part of the assessment, a consulting firm, Clarion Associates, will conduct open meetings with the residents. The next meetings are scheduled as follows:
Tuesday, November 28th, 2017
Focus on Columbia: 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Key Emerging Topics for Howard County*: 7:30-9:00 pm
Health Sciences Building First Floor
Howard Community College
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Maryland 21044Clarion Associates will present their current assessment for Columbia residents, businesses, and property owners that will focus on New Town zoning, the predominant zone in Columbia. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit input from residents and stakeholders who may be affected by potential changes in the New Town zone regulations and to inform and educate residents and stakeholders about emerging practices that may improve the county’s ability to achieve its planning goals for Columbia.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
*repeat of Tuesday's program: Key Emerging Topics for Howard County: 3:00-4:30 pm
George Howard Building
3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland 21043Also on Wednesday, November 29, 2017:
The Howard County Delegation to the General Assembly will hold a public hearing for 2018 legislation at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD. Individuals may sign up to testify from 7:00 pm to 7:20; the hearing begins at 7:30 pm.
In January 2017, a bill (Bill 8 2017) was defeated. The bill would have changed the allocation of the transfer taxes (funds generated when property changes hands). Another bill is being proposed for 2018: Ho Co 15 2018. The allocation won't change; the money received by the county from transfer taxes is split up this way:
25% school sites25% park land25% Agricultural Land Preservation25% split between low income services and fire departmentWhat's new in this bill is the provision for the County Council to increase the school site funding to 50%. It's not obvious what they would cut if they chose to do that. The County has to pay those landowners who already accepted the Agricultural Land Preservation agreement, and the money to pay that debt is supposed to be protected. But if that's all the funding that is protected, no new land would ever go into Agricultural Land Preservation. About 4100 acres could potentially be preserved...or converted into more housing developments in western Howard County.
- October 29, 2017: Howard County Sierra Club General Meeting, Glen Artney Area, Shelter 66, Patapsco Valley State Park. Our speaker was Lisa Markovitz, president of The People's Voice (TPV; a non-partisan civic organization) and Vice-President of the Howard County Citizens Association. Lisa is also on the Steering Committee for the county's Development Regulation Assessment, a two-year project to evaluate (2017) and revise (2018) our zoning and development rules. TPV presented testimony this year to the County Council and/or to the County Planning Board on numerous land use and development issues, including:
- Industrial mulching and composting on rural land (County Bill 60)
- the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO); (County Bill 61 and 62)
- Oak Hill Manor housing development (plan will violate environmental regulations)
- the Settlement at Savage Mill plan (proposed 35-unit development will damage Patuxent River)
(Note that the Sierra Club also testified on mulching, APFO, and Oak Hill Manor.)
During election years, TPV prepares The Ethics Ballot: non-partisan endorsements of candidates based on voting records, political platforms, and campaign finance reports. Accepting donations from developers does not automatically disqualify a candidate from endorsement. However, discouraging large donations from special interests is one reason TPV supported the Fair Elections law that will provide public funding in the future to candidates who choose that method of financing their campaigns.
Lisa's presentation touched on two the most important goals of the Sierra Club. We must control the type and extent of development to protect the environment (see our editorial); and we must elect government officials who will approve and enforce sound environmental legislation.
September 12, 2017: "Bag It: is your life too plastic?" film showing and discussion; free screening of the movie "Bag It", courtesy of IndivisibleHOCOMD Environmental Action Team. The Sierra Club supports decreasing the use of plastic bags.
September 11, 2017: The County Council heard testimony on the following bills: CB60, the proposal to allow wood waste processing on farmland; the Sierra Club opposes industrial mulching and composting operations on farmland. CB61, changes to the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance; and CB62, changes to PlanHoward 2030. The Sierra Club opposes new developments in areas of the county without adequate infrastructure or funding for infrastructure.
August, 15, 2017: Solar Farms - Generating Guidelines for Appropriate Locations. Presentation by Al Bartlett. The Maryland Sierra Club Chapter has received a small grant to work with its Groups in different counties, including Howard, to understand local concerns and develop the evidence and experience base to help each county make rational, environmentally friendly policies about solar siting.
July 27, 2017: the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club submitted a sign-on letter to the Howard County Executive and County Council advocating for strong stormwater management and smart development principles. We asked the County officials to consider and adopt these recommendations as they go about developing their Ellicott City Watershed Master Plan following the flood of 7/30/16.
- July 3, 2017: County Council meeting on Election Financing.
- June 28, 2017: Tour of the Alpha Ridge Landfill.
- May 13, 2017: Native Plant Sale at Kendall's Hardware to raise funds for the Howard County Sierra Club.
- April 29, 2017:People's Climate March carpools from Howard County.
April 4, 2017: The County Council falls far short of funding The Bikeway, which would connect existing bike paths in the County. See the announcement of the Bikeway funding campaign here.
April 4, 2017: Plan now to take part in the April 29 Climate March on Washington DC (see below).
March 11, 2017: Learn about the proposed Patapsco Regional Greenway: 20 miles of paved paths 10-12' wide in Patapsco Valley State Park.
- April 22, 2017: GreenFest 2017.
April 13, 2017: screening of "Before the Flood" -- a good summary of why we are marching to save our climate.
March 21, 2017: Howard County is reviewing its Development Regulations and requesting public input: first meetings are March 28, 29, 30.
March 20, 2017: Sierra Club opinion on CB23: CB23 is a good bill, which would remove a major objection raised by those who wanted to weaken the Tier Map. The argument has been that the Tier IV designation disqualified farms from the preservation program because it eliminated the potential to subdivide. CB-23 would consider the subdivision potential of the farm based on the underlying zoning, not the tier classification, for the sole purpose of eligibility for agricultural preservation. Going further, it might not hurt for the bill to be expanded to allow the underlying zoning to determine the landowner’s Density Exchange Option as well. We want these farms to have those options.
CB24 was withdrawn on March 20, 2017.
- March 11, 2017: Learn about the proposed Patapsco Regional Greenway: 20 miles of paved paths 10-12' wide in Patapsco Valley State Park.
- March 5, 2017: Many thanks to the Howard County Council for voting NO on the Tier changes so we can keep farms from becoming housing developments!
- Feb. 20, 2017: Lobby Night in Annapolis
- Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017: Meet to discuss goals and strategies at the Burger King from 10 am to 11 am. (The address is 9195 Rte. 40, west of the intersection with Rte. 29. This location has a separate area for conversation and coffee, which has been reserved for us.)
Feb. 8, 2017: Thank you to everyone who took action! Bill 8-17, which would have diverted funds from Agricultural Land Preservation. was defeated.
- Feb. 5, 2017: Free presentation: How to Save Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles
From the Ashes
free screening
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
7:00 pm
Howard County Central Library
10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044
Election Financing: On June 5 the Howard County Council passed CB30, the Citizens' Election Fund, following the passage of Question A in November 2016. County Executive Kittleman has vetoed the bill, as he said he would. On July 3 we need to show the County Council that we SUPPORT citizen-funded elections by attending the meeting at the George Howard Building at 7:00 pm and help urge them to override the veto! Please attend the County Council meeting on Monday July 3.
Free Tour of the Alpha Ridge Landfill Complex
Thursday, June 29, 2017
10 am-12 pm
2350 Marriottsville Rd, Marriottsville, MD 21104
Ever wonder what happens to your trash, recycling, and yard waste after it leaves your curb? Join us for a comprehensive tour of the Alpha Ridge Landfill facility in Marriottsville, conducted by Howard County's Department of Public Works. The tour will include the transfer station, recycling and composting operations, hazardous material and biomass processing, and the methane to electricity program. Please wear closed-top walking shoes. The tour is free, but there's a cap on attendance, so please register. For more information, contact Alan Schneider at ajs333@aol.com.
Native Plant Sale to raise funds for the Howard County Sierra Club: Saturday, May 13, 2017; 10 am to 4 pm; Flowering perennials, groundcovers, vines, ferns: native plants for butterflies, birds, and clean water! Kendall’s Hardware, 12260 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD 21029. Plants and knowledgeable gardening advice provided by: Outstanding Fields
Sign up for the national Sierra Club's People's Climate March on Washington D.C.
Meet at Park n Ride on Broken Land Parkway at 7:00 AM.
Carpool to the New Carrollton Metro station at 7:15 AM*
Take Metro back to New Carrollton station: 4:00 PM
Drop off: Park n Ride in Columbia at approximately 6 PM Times are subject to change but, no worries - it won’t be drastic!
*If you plan to ride the Metro in D.C., you should purchase a new Metro card in advance.
Use the Eventbrite page to buy a Metro card, get a place in a carpool, or sign up to drive.
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Visit the Sierra Club table at GreenFest and get a free potted native plant courtesy ofOutstanding Fields.
Howard Community College will be planting a demonstration garden with native plants grown from bulbs, and donated by the Sierra Club. Check out the native alternatives to Dutch tulips.
See the complete schedule here.
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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017
Miller Senate Office Building
First Floor East Room
11 Bladen St, Annapolis
Meet with Delegates and Senators in the Maryland General Assembly to lobby for support of the fracking ban, for stronger energy efficiency standards, and against antibiotic overuse in farm animals.
At 5 pm we will start with a short lobbying training and an overview of key issues. At 6 pm we will divide up by district to meet with our representatives in the state legislature.
We strongly encourage you to arrive in Annapolis by 4:15 pm in order to find parking, get through security, sign in, etc. We are expecting record attendance, so there will probably be a line at security. Please remember to bring your photo ID! You will not be able to get in without it. Suggested dress: business casual.
Optional:4 pm “Intro Citizen Lobbying” Training: A short “how to” course on legislative lobbying. If you are interested please contact Laurel Imlay at laurel.imlay@mdsierra.org. This will be useful for first-time lobbyists as well as seasoned activists.
RSVP at www.mdlobbynight.com/
Carpools: http://www.groupcarpool.com/t/2iqboa
THE BILLS THAT THE SIERRA CLUB SUPPORTS
Ban Fracking - Stop fracking from beginning in our state and harming our health and the environment.
Senate Bill 740 - Senator Bobby Zirkin
House Bill 132 - David Fraser Hidalgo
Keep Antibiotics Effective Act - Prevent the emergence of antibiotic-resistant diseases by stopping overuse of antibiotics in farm animals in Maryland.
Senate Bill 422 - Senator Paul Pinsky
House Bill 602 - Delegate Shane Robinson
Empower Maryland Act - Extend Maryland's nationally recognized energy efficiency program, setting a goal of 2% improvements in energy efficiency statewide for 6 years.
Senate Bill 184 - Senator Mac Middleton
House Bill 514 - Delegate Sally Jameson
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How to Save Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles
Sunday, February 5, 2017
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Robinson Nature Center
6692 Cedar Lane
Columbia, MD
Sue Muller journeyed to Cape Cod on a very cold weekend in December 2016 to rescue endangered sea turtles that were stunned by the cold water temperatures. Her presentation will take you on the rescue trip every step of the way! Learn how you can get involved in saving endangered sea turtles. You can take action locally!
Sue Muller has worked for 30 years in the Natural Resources Division of the Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks, and is the Program Chair for the Howard County Sierra Club.
For more information, contact Sue at 301 498-8462 or sonicsue@verizon.net.
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2016
- Fall Potluck and Hike Day, October 29, 2016
- Native Plant Sale Fundraiser at Grandfather's Garden Center, September 11, 2016
- Bloede Dam Removal Update, July 13, 2016
- Fracking Ban Kickoff, July 9, 2016
- Native Plant Sale Fundraiser at Grandfather's Garden Center, June 26 - July 4, 2016
- Public hearing, Howard County Council, June 20, 2016
- Environmental updates by Sierra Club members: June 7, 2016, June 14, 2016
- Social at Glory Days Grill May 2016
Let's get outside to enjoy and explore the environment we’ve been protecting!
Fall Potluck and Hike Day
Howard County Annual Meeting
Saturday, October 29th
9 am to 5 pm
Savage Park, in the Pavilion
8400 Fair Street, Savage, MD 20763
your RSVP will help us plan -- thank you!
Schedule for the Day
Morning Activities, starting at 9 am (Gather at Pavilion)
Coffee and Tea
9 am Wincopen Trail Hike
10 am Stream Mapper Training and Walk to River
11 am Savage Mill 1-mile History Walk
Potluck Lunch, Announcements 12 noon
Afternoon Activities 1:00 pm
1:20 pm Howard County Group Annual Meeting (1:20 pm to 1:50 pm)
Connections
2:00 pm Snakehead Information and Walk to River
Nature walk
3:00 pm Native Plant identification and Invasive Plant Removal
3:00 pm Savage Mill Bollman Bridge 3-mile History Walk
At your leisure: playground, face painting, bike rides, basketball, volleyball
Activities
Stream Mapper is a crowd-sourced way to gather information about our local streams. Join Rachel Beebe (Howard County Office of Community Sustainability, www.cleanwaterhoward.com) for a hands-on experience using the app to examine the river and post pictures of any trash, erosion, or invasives. Getting involved is as easy as downloading the app with your smartphone and logging your observations: the more we map, the more data there is to learn from. In the future, we hope to use Stream Mapper data to find good stream cleanup sites and catch illicit pollution discharges! Participants should download the app in advance:iphones Android phones.
Wincopen Trail Hike - Ken Clark is the Sierra Club Howard County Group Chair and a knowledgeable Outings leader who has been leading walks and hikes in Howard County and elsewhere in Maryland for 20 years. Ken will lead a 6-mile hike along the river, on a partly paved, moderately difficult trail.
Savage Mill Bridge History (2 Walks) - Learn about the history of the mill town, look for wildlife, see the scenic cascades. Morning walk from the Pavillion side, 1 mile total walk to see the dam and the scenic rapids; afternoon walk is a longer, easy, flat 3 miles total to see the rapids at historic Savage Mill Bollman Railroad Bridge.
Native Plant Identification Nature walk - Join Michael Ellis, Non-Native Invasive Plant Management Field Coordinator, Park Ranger Office, Natural and Historical Resources Division, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, weedwarriors@pgparks.com and others to find plants and animals in the forest. See some of the creatures we might find.
Invasive Plant Removal - Invasive weeds have been brought to the US from other continents. Most alien plants don’t spread, but a few with no natural predators will take over and cover everything. Invasive species are the biggest threat to our native plants and animals after habitat loss.They can change an entire habitat, place ecosystems at risk, crowd out or replace native species and damage human enterprises, costing the economy millions of dollars. Invasive weeds at Savage Park include knotweed, stiltgrass, wineberry, multiflora rose, garlic mustard, beefsteak mint, Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, and more. Marc Imlay, Chapter Biodiversity Chair, will lead us in a session to learn to recognize and remove some of these invasive weeds to help protect our native plants and animals. Click to learn more about the threat of invasives.
Bicycle ride - Bring your bikes to ride for up to 12 miles on paved and wide gravel paths from the park along the Patuxent Branch Trail to Lake Elkhorn. Since this is an “out and back” trail, shorter rides are also possible. Lauren Ragsac, Sierra Club Prince George’s Group Outings Chair, will lead a ride. Bike rides can also be self organized and self guided, so you can ride at your own pace and go as far as you like. We can give you some tips about things to watch out for and show you the map.
Acoustic Guitar Sing-a-long. “Spice” Deb Kleinman is the ultimate entertainer for engaging her audience in interactive music. Kids, teens, and adults respond to her sweet meaningful songs and happy energy. Click to learn more about “Spice”
Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis - Please bring your volleyball, basketball, or tennis equipment.
Playground - Please provide adult supervision for children using the playground.
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Native Plants -- Good for the Environment and Good for Environmental Groups
Join us on Sunday, September 11, 2016 at Grandfather's Garden Center. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of native plants will go to the Howard County Sierra Club.
This is the time of year to plant perennials for next year's flowers, and ground covers for year-round interest. Native plants are easy to maintain, and need less water and fertilizer than non-native plants. They support pollinators and they help control stormwater runoff.
Grandfather's Garden Center is open 10 am until 4 pm on Sundays. 5320 Phelps Luck Dr, Columbia, MD 21045
Removal of the Bloede Dam on the Patapsco River, and the impact on Patapsco Valley State Park
Serena McClain of American Rivers will give a presentation about the Bloede Dam removal and answer questions on July 13, Wednesday, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, at Belmont Carriage House, 6555 Belmont Woods Rd, Elkridge, MD 21075. The removal of Bloede Dam will restore the natural value of the Patapsco River with a greater abundance of eels, shad, herring and other natural wildlife. Learn about the plans of the Department of Natural Resources to demolish the dam, starting this month, and restore the environment, in the years to come. This program is sponsored by Patapsco Heritage Greenway and the Sierra Club. Click here to reserve your place.
Please join us to kick off the campaign to ban fracking in Maryland.
Saturday, July 9, 2016; 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Glory Days Grill, 10035 Baltimore National Pike (Rte. 40), Ellicott City
Featuring:
Dr. Gina Angiola, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility
Josh Tulkin, Director Maryland Sierra Club
Howard County Climate Change
The event will provide the inside scoop on the politics of fracking in Maryland, an update on the newest science on health and environmental impacts, and tips on what you can do to be part of this important fight. Registration is not mandatory, but will help us plan.
Native Plants -- Good for the Environment and Good for Environmental Groups
Thanks to everyone who came out to the native plant sale at Grandfather's Garden Center on June 26!
Part of the proceeds from Sunday's sale will go to support the Howard County Sierra Club. Sierra Club membership dues go to the national and state levels of the Sierra Club, but down here in the grassroots, we support ourselves. If you missed the sale on Sunday, Grandfather's has agreed to extend the fundraiser for another week. Just mention the Sierra Club when you buy your native plant. Thanks!
June 20, Monday, 6:00 pm - closing: the Howard County Council will hold public hearings on several important issues. Please show up to testify (or submit written testimony) about public spending, development, and environmental preservation.
· County Council Resolution 92-2016 approves a financial assurance plan for stormwater management. By law, the county has to assure that the 20% of urban areas that consist of impervious surfaces will be remediated for stormwater management with projects like rain gardens, tree planting, flood controls and community greening.
· County Council Resolution 90 opens school districts to new housing developments by recalculating school capacity with larger class sizes.
· Increasing class sizes contradicts the county's intent for school funding, requiring County Council Resolution 88, formation of an oversight committee for the public school system budget.
Western Howard County Democratic Club
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Come at 7 pm to socialize; the program begins around 7:45 pm.
Kelsey's Restaurant at Normandy Shopping Center
8480 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21043
SOUTHERN HOWARD COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. MEETING
JUNE 7, 2016 @ 6:30 PM
North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, North Laurel, Md. 20723
Let’s protect our environment for our health's sake! Let’s talk.
Guests: Mark DeLuca, Howard County Environmentalist
Meagan Braganca, Sierra Club Legislative Committee Chair
Contact: Bibi H. Perrotte-Foston 240 786 5747
You are Invited to come: Thursday, May 19, 2016, 6 PM to 9:30 PM in the Special Event Room at Glory Days Grill, 10035 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042
To Gather to share interests and meet leaders and others with your interests and concerns.
Keep the Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee
The Howard County government is considering a bill to repeal the Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee, claiming that we don't need the extra $10 million a year -- we can just take that much out of the general fund without cutting services or raising taxes. If this seems improbable to you, join the Sierra Club and many others in OPPOSING Council Bill 52-2015.
Sign the petition sponsored by PATH (People Acting Together in Howard):https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/keep-the-fee-vote-against-cb52-2015?source=email&
Submit comments to the County Council at: councilmail@howardcountymd.gov
Attend the public hearing:
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
George Howard Building
3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Testimony (on all bills) starts at 7:00 pm
Sign up in advance to give testimony: https://apps.howardcountymd.gov/otestimony/
The Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee is not a "rain tax". It is a fee imposed to prevent stormwater from running off roofs and pavement, eroding soil and carrying pollution into our waterways. Improving our water is a federal mandate. Having an adjustable fee rewards remediation efforts, encourages clean construction, and creates a dedicated, accountable revenue source. For more information, see https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/keep-fee-for-watershed-protection-and-restoration
The Sierra Club's Clean Water Team supports many other initiatives for improving water quality in Maryland. Join the Water Team members in Howard County, or learn more, by contacting Alan Schneider at ajs333@gmail.com.
EVENTS OF 2015
- Rally for Moral Action on Climate (September 2015)
- Map Wavyleaf Basketgrass in Patapsco Valley State Park (June 2015)
- Join the Survey - Help Control Erosion (May 2015)
Tuesday, November 17, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
East Columbia Library (6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, 21045)
Help us promote clean energy for the benefit to our economy, our environment, and our health. Be sure to stop by the Sierra Club table.
Moral Action on Climate, September 24, 2015
We hope your signs are almost ready to go!! Sierra Club Howard County group members are meeting at 5:30 am at the Glenmont metro stop on Thursday September 24th!! Rallies will be starting at 7:00 am in DC before the Pope's speech to Congress slated for 9:20 am. For more info on the day's events visit: http://www.moralactiononclimate.orgWe have just formed a new Water Issues team within the county! If you are interested in joining this fantastic team of volunteers, please email ajs333@aol.com. We are working on gaining support for an upcoming neonicotinoid ban bill for county-owned property. Would you like to help us organize for this? We're in need of volunteers! Please join us for a meeting THIS coming Monday night September 21st at 7:00 pm in the Miller Branch Library. We'll be talking about these and other important issues!
Map Wavyleaf Basketgrass in Patapsco Valley State Park (June 2015)
Walk with a purpose! Track down the wavyleaf basketgrass that has invaded Patapsco Valley State Park!
Dr. Beauchamp (right) shows how to identify wavyleaf basketgrass
Join us to learn to identify wavyleaf basketgrass and help us survey the Patapsco Valley State Park. Observations of this alien invasive species can be recorded using a smartphone app or a handheld GPS. Every sighting that is submitted to the database helps us target the enemy in order to eradicate it!
McKeldin Area of Patapsco Valley State Park
Saturdays: June 20, July 11, July 25, August 8 and August 29, 2015
10 am - 12 pm (Please arrive by 9:45 pm to sign in and attend a brief training session)
The Wavyleaf Mapping Project is sponsored by Towson University's Department of Biological Sciences School of Emerging Technologies in partnership with Patapsco Valley State Park, Maryland DNR, Maryland Sierra Club and Patapsco Heritage Greenway.
For more information on this project and/or to download the application they are using on your iPhone or Android smartphone (currently only Android), or record points on your handheld GPS, go to: http://heron.towson.edu/wavyleaf/home
Registration: Note: Pre-registration is needed so you can get into the park for free in appreciation of helping with this project! To register, go to http://www.patapscoheritagegreenway.org/eventcal.html. Click on "Event Registration."
Parking: Follow "Environmental Event" signs to the parking/registration area posted in the park. Look for the posted signs and PHG staff wearing the bright orange safety vests to direct you to registration!
Directions:
- From I-695/I-70 West take I-70 to Marriottsville Rd. ( Exit 83). Go North on Marriottsville Rd. for 4 miles to the park entrance on the right.
- From I-70 East take Rt. 40 to Marriottsville Rd. Turn left. Park entrance is 5 miles on the right.
- Follow the posted signs near the entrance and inside the park to direct you to registration/parking.
- Closest address to use on your GPS: 11676 Marriottsville Road; Marriottsville MD 21104
Age Restrictions: You are welcome to bring your family and friends. Children under 16 are welcome if they are supervised and accompanied by an adult volunteer.
What to Wear: We recommend that our volunteers wear a hat, long pants and sleeves, so any prickly underbrush or insects won't bother you. Good sturdy walking/hiking shoes are needed.
What to Bring: Your iPhone or Android smartphone or handheld GPS and something to drink to keep you hydrated on your hike!
IMPORTANT: Download the application before you come to training. Go to the link found at http://heron.towson.edu/wavyleaf/home.
For more information or details about this project, email Professor Vanessa B. Beauchamp at wavyleaf[@]towson.edu or call 410-704-2286.
Thanks for helping restore our native ecology!
Join the Survey - Help Control Erosion (May 2015)
Without good erosion control, dirt washing off a single construction site can damage three miles of downstream waters (see article). The second Greater Baltimore Survey is now being organized by Sierra Club partner, CEDS. The survey of construction sites will assess how well erosion control measures have been applied. The goal is to provide Baltimore City and the five surrounding counties – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard – with the public support needed to further reduce construction site mud pollution.
The first Greater Baltimore Survey led to increases in enforcement staff and in compliance with erosion safeguards. The second Survey will begin in a few weeks. If you’d like to be part of this effort or learn how to win similar improvements in your watershed, then sign up for a survey date at Registration.
No prior experience or any particular expertise is needed. The Survey will be conducted by nearly a hundred volunteers on 18 different dates – three per jurisdiction. On each Survey date a team of five or six volunteers will travel from site to site in an SUV. We will not trespass onto sites or confront anyone: we’ll view construction sites from adjoining roads or other public areas. Each survey lasts two or three hours. Further information about survey procedures can be found at: 2015 GBC Procedures.
We’re currently compiling a database of active construction sites in the Greater Baltimore Area. If you know of a site in the City or five surrounding counties, please add it to the Construction Site Database.
For further information contact Richard Klein at 410-654-3021 or Rklein[@]ceds.org.