Issue Position: Protecting the Harbor, the Bay, and our State's Environment

Issue Position

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters has endorsed Brooke in the race for State Delegate. Brooke believes the State must take the lead in setting and enforcing forward-thinking environmental policy. She will protect the health of the environment in our neighborhoods by:

Protecting the Bay. A healthy Inner Harbor and Chesapeake Bay are vital to the future of Baltimore. The Inner Harbor is the heart of District 46, and an economic engine for the City and the State, but it is threatened by decades of pollution and mismanagement. Brooke will support efforts at the State level to clean up the Bay and make the Inner Harbor swimmable by 2020. This includes restoring shorelines and habitats, upgrading wastewater and stormwater treatment facilities, and holding agricultural operations accountable for the pollution they cause. In Baltimore, several great organizations, such as the Waterfront Partnership and the Waterkeeper Alliance are leading the way towards a clean Inner Harbor, and Brooke will make sure that these groups get the support that the need from the State.

Increasing Use of Cleaner Energy Sources. Brooke will push to diversify the State's energy supply to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Coal is the second largest source of electricity generated in the State (after nuclear), and only a small percentage of Maryland's power is currently generated from renewable sources. Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), passed in 2010, requires that 20 percent of Maryland's electricity be generated from renewable energy sources by 2022, including 2 percent from solar energy. The RPS received a boost in 2013 with the passing of the Offshore Wind Energy Act. Brooke will support initiatives to ramp up the use of renewable energy to meet and exceed the RPS goals and to make Maryland a leader in clean-energy use and technology. In addition, Brooke believes that the State should take a very cautious approach to any proposed new natural gas development, and thoroughly study the risks to the environment. If new natural gas development cannot be done safely and with minimal environmental impact, then it should not be allowed in Maryland.

Using Smart Growth Principles to Address Climate Change. As Baltimore's urban core, District 46 should be an exemplar for the type of smart and sustainable growth that is necessary to reduce our carbon emissions and promote cleaner air and water. Baltimore's Climate Action Plan calls for a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and Brooke will support the measures in the City and State climate action plans to reach these emissions goals. In District 46, this means supporting a "Complete Streets" initiative to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and pushing for stricter building efficiency requirements. Trees also help us deal with the effects of climate change by cooling our streets and neighborhoods. Brooke has been a leader in trying to improve the urban tree canopy in her neighborhood of Fell's Point, and will work with local groups such as TreeBaltimore and the Baltimore Tree Trust to ensure that Baltimore's tree canopy is maintained and expanded throughout District 46.

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