The Maryland League of Conservation Voters hosted its annual environmental leadership awards dinner on October 29.  An estimated several hundred people turned out to honor the three award recipients for 2013.

House Environmental Matters Committee Chair Maggie McIntosh received the 2013 Legislator of the Year Award for her strong environmental and conservation record and her efforts during the 2013 Session to stop legislation that would have repealed previously enacted stormwater legislation.  During her remarks, she commented on the current controversy regarding the 2012 stormwater utility fee legislation and stated she would resist efforts to repeal or significantly rollback current law.  She also called on the large counties that supported the fee to “step up” and voice their support.

Governor Martin O’Malley was honored with a “climate visionary award” for his work with Chesapeake Bay restoration, the Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, mass transit funding, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) which created the nation’s first cap and trade system for greenhouse gas emissions, and Maryland’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan.  As previously reported by Conduit Street, Governor O’Malley released the Plan earlier this year, which contains a wide array of potential strategies to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent of their 2006 levels by 2020.  The Plan also outlines a set of adaptation strategies to address existing climate change impacts such as rising sea level.

1000 Friends of Maryland Dru-Schmidt Perkins received the 2013 John V. Kabler Memorial award for her work with the Chesapeake Bay, Smart Growth, and energy issues.