On March 4, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson submitted a letter of information to the Budget and Taxation Committee on SB 980 – Natural Resources – Maryland Heritage Areas Authority – Funding and Grants.
This bill seeks to expand the ability of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to award grants and loans for managing certified heritage areas while also adjusting the funding allocation structure within the Program Open Space (POS) framework.
Since its inception in 1969, POS has enabled the State of Maryland and its counties to expand public access to recreational spaces and natural areas, delivering immense health and economic benefits to communities across the state. A previous introduction of the bill, which has since been withdrawn, would have redirected POS funds before the established state/county split, inadvertently affecting both state and local POS dollars. This shift could have disproportionately impacted medium and smaller counties, limiting their access to vital recreation and conservation funds.
Counties value the role of heritage areas in preserving Maryland’s cultural and historical assets and welcome efforts to enhance their sustainability—so long as such efforts do not inadvertently reduce dedicated resources for local parks and open spaces.
SB 980’s cross-file, HB 1327, was heard on March 5 in the House Environment and Transportation Committee. Karrington Anderson also submitted a letter of information on this bill.
SB 980 was heard in the opposite chamber, the Environment and Transportation Committee, on March 26. MACo submitted a letter of information on this bill.
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