Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Administrative and Enforcement Provisions (SB 844/ HB1253)

UPDATE: HB 1253 is on the way to Governor O'Malley's desk! On April 4th, it passed out of the Senate floor 41- 6 .  HB 1253 already passed out of the House of Delegates 115-22! See how your delegate voted here.


Download testimony:  Critical Area Reform(Senate) 114.62 Kb ,  Critical Area (House) 115.29 Kb

Download factsheet:  Critical Areas Reform 45.35 Kb

What you can do: Email your legislator today and urge them strengthening Maryland's Critical Areas Law to protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Environmental Challenge: The Chesapeake and Coastal Bays and their tributaries have a serious problem with a simple solution. Weak and uneven enforcement of an outdated law, the Critical Area Act, is leading to the steady destruction of the critical natural buffers all along the shoreline. The simple solution is to limit development in the buffers by strengthening the law and closing long standing loopholes, to provide for greater vigilance and more robust enforcement of the law. Enhanced protection of these critical natural filters will result in reduced sediment and contaminated runoff, cleaner water, improved habitat for oysters, crabs, and fish, and water in which we can once again swim.

Bill Framework: The environmental community is working with the Critical Areas Commission on legislative enhancements to the law that will improve its implementation. Some suggested revisions include:

• Updating critical area maps
• Giving the Critical Area Commission regulatory authority
• Providing for meaningful enforcement
• Creating a public advocate to defend the critical area in development hearings

If Enacted The legislation will provide for a simpler, fairer, and more effective Critical Area Act. Limiting development through the enhanced protection of critical buffers strips along the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays and their tributaries will result in reduced sediment and contaminated runoff, cleaner water, and improved habitat for the Bays’ fish and crabs.

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, Patuxent Riverkeeper, 301-249-8200, x9, Jennifer@PaxRiverkeeper.org

Cindy Schwartz, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, 410-280-9855, cschwartz@mdlcv.org

Alan Girard, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 410-543-1999, agirard@cbf.org