The 25th annual Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit unveiled the key priorities of the environmental community for the 2019 Session. Their legislative initiatives included: (1) passing the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs initiative, which among other things would increase the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS); (2) putting a healthy "green" constitutional amendment on the ballot; (3) enacting a state Styrofoam ban for food service products; and (4) ensuring adequate environmental funding in the State budget and enforcement…

A Bay Journal article (2019-01-30) examined how climate change will affect ongoing Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The article stated that additional nitrogen and phosphorus reduction targets will be added to the Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in 2021 to address the additional precipitation and storm severity predicted due to climate change. From the article: When it comes to runoff, “flow is fate,” said Lewis Linker, modeling coordinator with the state-federal Bay Program partnership. More rain moves…

A Waterkeepers Chesapeake post (2018-01-30) outlined the group's 2019 Maryland environmental priorities, including the Conowingo Dam, the Phosphorus Management Tool (PMT), and a "Green" constitutional amendment. Waterkeepers Chesapeake is a coalition group of 18 waterkeeper programs from throughout the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays area. The group supports Bay and water quality initiatives both at the local level through grassroots action and advocacy and regionally through leveraging its members' strengths and capacities. Waterkeepers Chesapeake also…