Press Archives | Maryland League of Conservation Voters

Open Letter regarding Budget Cuts to the Maryland Transportation Administration

September 15, 2020
Contact: Kristen Harbeson, kharbeson@mdlcv.org and cell 410-952-8100

Re: Budget Cuts to the Maryland Transportation Administration

AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN, MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY GREG SLATER, AND MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR KEVIN QUINN:

Last week, the Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Transit Administration announced major cuts to the MTA system, including cutting bus service by 20%, reducing MARC, commuter local bus, and paratransit service, and cutting the MTA’s already strained six year capital budget for critical safety needs by $150 million. We, the undersigned, urge rejection of these cuts, which would be devastating to many Marylanders that live in low-income communities, communities of color, and people with disabilities.

Rather than take steps to relieve the strain of a veritable tsunami of challenges to Maryland’s most vulnerable communities, MTA’s plan would exacerbate residents’ difficulties and hobble the state’s recovery. TransitCenter found that 40% of transit commuters in Baltimore City and 35% of transit riders in the state work in essential job sectors, with hospital and health care workers being the largest share of riders. A large number of essential workers – nurses, grocery store workers, child care professionals, nursing care staff, and so many more – rely on public transit to get to their jobs. The proposed cuts would make it harder for these vital workers to get to their jobs, which would threaten their employment and exacerbate the devastation the pandemic has wrought to our economy. A shortage of these critical workers will also add strain to a healthcare system that is already spread too thin.

Maryland should be investing in more public transportation, not less. We should be increasing access to job centers from the communities most in need, not cutting it. We should be prioritizing cleaner transportation alternatives that reduce pollution and the health conditions that make marginalized communities especially vulnerable to the impacts of coronavirus and other respiratory illnesses like asthma. Vehicle emissions also create NOx that ultimately contributes roughly one-third of the nitrogen pollution to the region’s rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Among the problematic cuts to service, the proposed changes eliminate any route from Baltimore City (the jurisdiction with the highest reliance on public transportation) to Annapolis. Even in its current state, public transit to Annapolis is extremely limited, but at least it was available and provided mobility services. With the cuts, Annapolis would become inaccessible by public transportation, limiting the ability of many Marylanders to participate in our state’s Democracy. Public participation is always essential to a free and fair government, but never more so than in a crisis.

In reference to Maryland’s essential workers, the Maryland Transit Caucus has stated in their letter to the administration following the proposed cuts: We rely on them. They rely on MTA. We call on the administration to take immediate action. Funding from the Transportation Trust Fund should be allocated to public transit that benefits all Marylanders, rather than to highway expansion and construction projects that benefit only the wealthiest.

Signed,

Maryland League of Conservation Voters
Maryland Sierra Club
Common Cause Maryland
Clean Water Action
Climate Law & Policy Project
Safe Skies Maryland
Maryland Legislative Coalition
Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
Maryland Campaign for Human Rights
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition
Transit Choices
Central Maryland Transportation Alliance
Maryland United for Peace and Justice
Sunrise Movement Baltimore
League of Women Voters Maryland
Maryland Nonprofits
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
Labor Network for Sustainability
Family League of Baltimore
Bikemore
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
Maryland Center on Economic Policy
Job Opportunities Task Force
NAACP Maryland State Conference
Public Justice Center
Our Revolution Maryland
Indivisible Baltimore
Indivisible Howard County
Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility
Echotopia, LLC
Maryland Conservation Council
Ji’Aire’s Workgroup
Indivisible Towson
ATU Local 1300
Food and Water Watch Action
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Disability Rights Maryland
Consumer Advocates for Ride Services
Progressive Maryland
Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Mary
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – Baltimore
WISE Maryland
Maryland Climate Justice WIng
Takoma Park Mobilization Environment Committee
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake
Accessible Resources for Independence
League for People with Disabilities
Climate X-Change Maryland
The Nature Conservancy – Maryland/DC Chapter
Saltzberg Consulting
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Sunrise Howard County
Baltimore 350
The Parent and Community Advisory Board, Baltimore City Public Schools
Sunrise Rockville
Marylanders for Patient Rights
Bus Workgroup 14
South Baltimore Community Land Trust
Free Your Voice
Represent Maryland
Green Team at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Baltimore
Baltimore People’s Climate Movement
The Climate Reality Project: Baltimore Chapter

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-09-15T13:24:20-04:00September 15th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Press|Tags: Open Letter, transit|0 Comments

U.S. Congress Passes Great American Outdoors Act

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2020
Contact: Ben Alexandro, balexandro@mdlcv.org, 845-596-9634

U.S. Congress Passes Great American Outdoors Act

Landmark bill will protect open spaces in Maryland and throughout the United States

Washington, D.C. – By a bipartisan vote of 310-107, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a landmark environmental bill that will restore parks and public lands in Maryland and across the country and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Act (LWCF). The bill, which passed the Senate on June 17, now heads to the White House for President Trump’s signature.

“The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is a significant victory for Maryland,” said Maryland League of Conservation Voters Executive Director, Kim Coble. “The bill guarantees that Marylanders will have access to clean, safe, and healthy parks for years to come.”

The Great American Outdoors Act will allow the National Park Service to restore resources that are deteriorating due to age and inconsistent funding. In Maryland alone, park sites that welcome nearly 7 million visitors and support more than 2,900 jobs each year require $244 million in repairs. The now-permanent LWCF funding is significant for Maryland: The state has received $231.8 million in LWCF funding over the past five decades, protecting places such as the Assateague Island National Seashore, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Monocacy National Battlefield and the C&O Canal National Historic Park. Maryland also uses LWCF to leverage additional funds, such as state Program Open Space money that funds hundreds of facilities and creates access to local and state parks.

Coble lauded the role of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in shepherding the Great American Outdoors Act through Congress. “For decades, Marylanders have always known that Steny Hoyer would go to the mat for Maryland’s special places,” said Coble. “His tremendous leadership in moving the Great American Outdoors Act through Congress will provide lasting benefits to Marylanders and all Americans.”

The Maryland League of Conservation and its members weighed in heavily in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. Early in July, Maryland LCV organized 36 Maryland conservation groups to urge Rep. Hoyer’s continued leadership, and Maryland LCV reached hundreds of thousands of Marylanders through drive-time radio ads and extensive on-line advocacy in both English and Spanish.

Here are quotes from other Maryland organizations that joined with us in advocating for the Great American Outdoors Act:

“Our parks are inundated with people — a great problem to have, but our parks need help so they can remain treasures that connect people to nature while preserving delicate ecosystems. The Great American Outdoors Act is that help,” said Emily Ranson, Clean Water Action, Maryland Director.

“The Alice Ferguson Foundation applauds Majority Leader Hoyer’s continuous leadership of environmental causes both locally and nationally. The Great American Outdoors Act will continue to ensure our national parks thrive for future generations,” said Theresa Cullen, Executive Director, Alice Ferguson Foundation.

“GAOA funding will support our Urban parks and recreational spaces that are used by millions of people close to home,” said Jim Foster, President, Anacostia Watershed Society.

“This passage of the Great American Outdoors Act ensures that our irreplaceable Maryland parks and public lands will continue to be protected, and that all Marylanders will have access to nature. By continuing to provide funds for our parks we help cool our communities with green spaces as climate change heats up, and create opportunities to expand outdoor education programming,” said Denisse Guitarra, MD Conservation Advocate at Audubon Naturalist Society.

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Maryland LCV is known for educating lawmakers and holding them accountable for their leadership and votes on key environmental issues. Their annual scorecard, along with other reports, help inform voters about their legislators’ records.

Maryland League of Conservation Voters
30 West Street, Suite C
Annapolis, MD 21401
www.mdlcv.org

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-07-22T17:45:40-04:00July 22nd, 2020|Categories: Blog, Clean Water and the Bay, Partner, Policy, Press|Tags: FundLWCF, Great American Outdoors Act, Open Space, Parks|0 Comments

Latino Conservation Week story opportunities

Tipsheet from Maryland League of Conservation Voters

To: Media
From: Maryland League of Conservation Voters’ Chispa Program
Date: July 20,2020
Re: Latino Conservation Week story opportunities

If you are interested in exploring story opportunities around Latino Conservation Week, we wanted to make sure that the Chispa Maryland program is on your radar. Chispa, which means “spark” in Spanish, is a program launched by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters in 2014. Chispa Maryland works with Latinx families, community groups, faith-based organizations, and elected officials to identify and address unique environmental issues facing Latinx communities in Maryland.July 18-26 is Latino Conservation Week, or Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra. Latino Conservation Week, an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation, was created to encourage and demonstrate the Latino community’s commitment to protecting our natural resources.

Chispa is also helping community partners overcome disproportional impacts associated with COVID-19; for example, Chispa recently raised more than $30,000 for the Langley Park MD community to help Latinx families with emergency assistance for rent, food, medicine, and other essential items.

Beyond COVID, transportation issues are front-and-center for Chispa this year. Maryland’s Latino communities are burdened by transportation inequities, including unsafe streets, unstable walking and biking environments, and public transit that can be hard to access, unaffordable, and unreliable. This limits Latinos’ access to health-promoting assets ─ affordable housing, green spaces and physical activity, healthy food, medical care, good schools ─ and makes it harder for Latino families to lead healthy lives. Chispa will be working with Maryland’s Latinx communities in the coming year to ensure that their environmental, economic, and social equity goals receive attention from policymakers in transportation-planning decision making.

Chispa Maryland Director Ramon Palencia-Calvo is available for Latino Conservation Week interviews and can also connect you with Maryland partner groups and other Latino community leaders who are fighting for environmental justice in their communities.

Contact: Ramon Palencia-Calvo, 202.531.5091, rpcalvo@mdlcv.org

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-07-20T12:50:08-04:00July 20th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Diversity, Press|Tags: Chispa Program, Latino Conservation Week, Media Tip Sheet|0 Comments

Marylanders Support the Great American Outdoors Act

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2020
Contact: Ben Alexandro, balexandro@mdlcv.org , 845-596-9634

Marylanders Support the Great American Outdoors Act

Landmark bill will protect open spaces in Maryland and throughout the United States

Annapolis, MD – Marylanders have rallied in great numbers in support of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a landmark federal environmental bill that they hope will soon pass through the U.S. House of Representatives. Thirty-six conservation groups representing tens of thousands of members in Maryland organized by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters recently wrote to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in support of the bill and his leadership.

“Steny Hoyer has been a champion for America’s parks for decades, and the importance of his work to protect our most special places has never been more evident than it is now,” said Kim Coble, Executive Director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. “Over the past few months, we’ve been reminded just how essential our parks and open space are to our physical and mental health. We greatly appreciate the tremendous leadership shown by Leader Hoyer as he has moved the Great American Outdoors Act through Congress.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) — which would be permanently funded through the Great American Outdoor Act — has played a crucial role in protecting Maryland’s natural treasures over the past five decades, including such places as the Assateague Island National Seashore, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Monocacy National Battlefield and the C&O Canal National Historic Park. Maryland has also used the LWCF to leverage even more Program Open Space money to fund hundreds of facilities and open up access at local and state parks.

“The Great American Outdoors Act also addresses the incredibly important problem of the National Park Service maintenance backlog,” adds Coble. “Even before the economic slowdown caused by coronavirus, these resources were facing unprecedented pressures and threats.” Coble points out that in Maryland alone, national parks currently have a $244,457,125 backlog.

In addition to organizing 36 Maryland conservation groups to thank Leader Hoyer and urge his continued leadership, Maryland LCV has reached hundreds of thousands of Marylanders through drive-time radio ads and extensive on-line advocacy in both English and Spanish. The on-line ads reached thousands in support of the bill and generated hundreds of petition-signers.

“Our members and Marylanders throughout the state clearly consider this bill to be a top priority,” said Water Program Director Ben Alexandro, who has managed the GAOA legislative effort for Maryland LCV. “They know that great parks and open green spaces make stronger, healthier communities. And they appreciate Leader Hoyer’s leadership in moving this bill through Congress.”

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Maryland League of Conservation Voters
30 West Street, Suite C
Annapolis, MD 21401
www.mdlcv.org

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-07-17T12:28:03-04:00July 17th, 2020|Categories: Clean Water and the Bay, Press|Tags: congress, FundLWCF, Hoyer, LWCF|0 Comments

Statement on Brown, Harris, Booker resolution

Kim Coble, executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement today in support of a resolution by Senators Brown, Harris, and Booker to declare racism in the U.S. a public health crisis:

“The Maryland League of Conservation Voters applauds this resolution from Senators Brown, Harris, and Booker and hopes it will be a first step in dismantling racial systemic policies that perpetuate health disparities and environmental degradation. Too many Marylanders of color suffer from mortality differences and a slew of other daily challenges, including environmental injustices. We need to commit to fighting these injustices and we must address public health problems that are exacerbated by racial disparities.”

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-07-15T16:49:28-04:00July 15th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Equity, Press|Tags: environmental justice, equity, senate resolution|0 Comments

Langley Park Civic Association Receives $20,000 Grant from League of Conservation Voters for COVID-19 Community Efforts

Langley Park Civic Association Receives $20,000 Grant from League of Conservation Voters for COVID-19 Community Efforts

Funds will support Langley Park residents who have been disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Annapolis, MD – The Langley Park Civic Association, a nonprofit Latinx led organization that serves individuals residing in Langley Park in Prince George’s County, Maryland has been awarded $20,000 by the League of Conservation Voters to bolster the Association’s COVID-19 relief efforts. Upwards of 80% of community residents are Latino.

“This grant from the League of Conservation Voters will provide a great relief to these families so that they are not left behind, and it will also help our community to move forward together,” said Cándida Garcia, a board member of the Langley Park Civic Association. “The Civic Association will use these funds to provide direct financial relief to immigrant families that are experiencing hardships related to COVID-19 and increase the capacity of the Langley Park Civic Association to better assist residents of this community during the pandemic and beyond.”

The Langley Park community is a longtime partner of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. The Maryland LCV Ed Fund — through its Chispa Maryland program, and in partnership with community leaders, community members and the Langley park Civic Association — has delivered environmental education workshops, advocacy opportunities and leadership training that has produced over 30 Environmental Justice and Action “Promotores” (advocacy leaders) from this community.

“These Promotores and leaders have become the heart and soul of the Chispa Maryland program, and this community has been a key ally in advancing environmental legislation and policies that incorporate environmental justice in Maryland,” said Chispa Maryland Program Director Ramon Palencia-Calvo. “With many community members experiencing income loss due to lay-offs or significant reduction of work hours, and many unable to access federal assistance programs, we consider continued support for the community to be an urgent priority.”

Last May, Maryland LCV Education Fund and Chispa Maryland partnered with the Langley Park Civic Association to also assist its immigrant residents during the coronavirus pandemic. Jointly, the two raised over $10,000 through a 10 day GoFundMe campaign to help families with emergency assistance for rent, food, medicine, and other essential items.

“During that same May period, we applied for the $20,000 grant for the community from the national League of Conservation Voters’ COVID-19 Fund,” said Palencia-Calvo. “We are thrilled that the funds have now been awarded, because the community of Langley Park continues to experience hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Those who are interested in supporting Chispa’s COVID-19 community relief efforts should contact Maryland LCV at rpcalvo@mdlcv.org

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The Maryland LCV Education Fund, a non-profit, non partisan organization, works to strengthen the Maryland environmental community by growing a base of conservation-minded voters across the state. A leading environmental organization in Annapolis, we have advocated for smart environmental policies working to make Maryland a healthy and prosperous place for families and communities. Maryland LCV Ed Fund protects public health by fighting for restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and local waters, preserving green spaces, promoting smarter growth and increasing Maryland’s investment in clean energy.

Chispa, meaning “spark” in Spanish, is a program of Maryland League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund launched in 2014. Chispa Maryland has been working to ensure that Maryland Latino families and community leaders are a powerful voice for protecting the environment, our health, and our future. Chispa works with Latino families, community groups, faith-based organizations, and legislators to identify and address unique environmental issues facing Latino communities in Maryland

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-07-15T13:26:03-04:00July 15th, 2020|Categories: Press|Tags: CO-VID19, Grant, LPCA|0 Comments

Racial Justice Response Statement

June 4, 2020

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Maryland LCV Education Fund share your outrage, grief, and pain over the killings of George Floyd and other members of the Black community. We steadfastly stand in solidarity with those calling for justice, accountability, and an end to the systemic racism and insidious cycle of violence that is inflicted upon the community. For too long, too many Black communities have been disenfranchised, marginalized, polluted, and prevented from voting, speaking up, or even living without fear of arrest, injury, or worse. Black people have a right to safety, to enjoy the outdoors, to live without being harmed by environmental pollutants, and to vote. And we all have the responsibility to fight for these rights.

Maryland LCV commits to holding ourselves accountable to ensure racial equity is embedded in our programs and operations. We also commit to redoubling our efforts to elect and hold accountable leaders who will ensure the security and rights of all people equally and to continue our work to guarantee that all Marylanders – especially our Black and Brown brothers and sisters – have an effective political voice and access to clean air and water and safe and healthy communities. We commit to being an organization that works tirelessly on behalf of all Marylanders, but especially members of Maryland’s Black and Brown communities, to protect the right to vote, to protest, to breathe.

For all in the Conservation Voter Movement and beyond who want to act now to be part of the solution, we urge you to seek out organizations and individuals that have been working on the front lines of this essential work to protect protestors and our basic human rights and dignity during this time. We also strongly urge you to be part of the solution this November by exercising your right to vote.

National LCV’s statement

Below are a few articles that we will be taking to heart:

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-06-04T17:21:44-04:00June 4th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Diversity, Press|Tags: George Floyd, racial justice|0 Comments

Maryland LCV Education Fund Responds to Urgent COVID-19 Need by Raising Funds for Langley Park Latino Community

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2020

Contact: Dannielle Lipinski, 443-617-7257, dlipinski@mdlcv.org En español

Maryland LCV Education Fund Responds to Urgent COVID-19 Need by Raising Funds for Langley Park Latino Community
Longtime Maryland LCV partners have been disproportionately harmed by coronavirus pandemic

Annapolis, MD – Maryland League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund (Maryland LCV Ed Fund) is responding to the COVID-19 crisis by launching a fundraiser for a key Latino community
partner in Prince George’s County.

“Through our Chispa Maryland program, we have partnered with many Latino community groups who share our goal of protecting our air, land, water, and public health,” said Chispa Maryland Program Director Ramon Palencia-Calvo. “The Langley Park community in Prince George’s County, where upwards of 80% of the residents are Latino, has been an especially committed and effective partner. Because the community has been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, we want to do all we can to help them weather this storm.”

“The coronavirus pandemic has created an extreme need in the Langley Park community, one of the most affected in Maryland”, said Palencia-Calvo. “Immigrant community members are experiencing income loss due to layoffs or significant reduction of work hours, and many have been unable to access federal assistance programs or other relief efforts”.

In response, Maryland LCV Education Fund and Chispa Maryland are partnering with the Langley Park Civic Association, a nonprofit organization that serves individuals residing in Langley Park, to assist its immigrant residents during the coronavirus pandemic. Jointly, the two organizations are setting up a GoFundMe page to raise funds that will help provide families with emergency assistance for rent, food, medicine, and other essential items. Maryland LCV Ed Fund is also fundraising from other sources for the community.

“This pandemic has highlighted the inequities that exist in our communities,” said Angela Gonzalez, board president of the Langley Park Civic Association. “We have families, youth, and seniors who have contributed greatly to Maryland’s economic development by working hard and paying taxes, yet many of them do not have access to the most basic services such as health insurance, financial assistance, and other support. We have learned of many families with extreme needs that are not being met and it is our duty as fellow neighbors and community members to step up and fill this void so our families can survive and navigate this crisis.”

The organizations plan to have the GoFundMe go live on Thursday May 21. For more information, visit the Maryland LCV Education Fund website at https://www.marylandconservation.org/

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The Maryland LCV Education Fund, a non-profit, non partisan organization,works to strengthen the Maryland environmental community by growing a base of conservation-minded voters across the state. A leading environmental organization in Annapolis, we have advocated for smart environmental policies working to make Maryland a healthy and prosperous place for families and communities. Maryland LCV Ed Fund protects public health by fighting for restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and local waters, preserving green spaces, promoting smarter growth and increasing Maryland’s investment in clean energy.

Chispa, meaning “spark” in Spanish, is a program of Maryland League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund launched in 2014. Chispa Maryland has been working to ensure that Maryland Latino
families and community leaders are a powerful voice for protecting the environment, our health, and our future. Chispa works with Latino families, community groups, faith-based organizations, and legislators to identify and address unique environmental issues facing Latino communities in Maryland.

By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-05-21T09:02:50-04:00May 21st, 2020|Categories: Press|Tags: Chispa, Langley Park|0 Comments

Top Environmental Advocacy Group touts legislative victories with truncated legislative session

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2020

Contact: Dannielle Lipinski, dlipinski@mdlcv.org

Top Environmental Advocacy Group touts legislative victories with truncated legislative session

Annapolis, MD – For the first time since the Civil War, the Maryland General Assembly has ended ahead of schedule in order to help combat the spread of the coronavirus. Alongside crucial legislation to assist our state through this crisis, our elected leaders worked hard to protect our air, land, water, and communities.

“We applaud the members and staff of the Maryland General Assembly and the Department of General Services for their diligence, leadership and commitment during extraordinary circumstances. They exemplified that when we work together, we can achieve great things. Marylanders are fortunate our leaders accomplished top priority actions while also protecting public health.” Kim Coble, Executive Director of Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

A few shining examples of their efforts include passage of an essential oyster bill and banning the dangerous pesticide, chlorpyrifos. The Oyster Fisheries Management Act creates a new collaborative process and opportunities to improve oyster fishery management. The ban on chlorpyrifos is one of the first in the nation to take effect. The legislators also worked on a suite of bills that assist with community resiliency around the climate crisis. Lawmakers passed these in the final hours of session.

And some bills simply suffered from time running out and the legislative session ending early due to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of our priority bills were passed out of one chamber but there wasn’t enough time for the second chamber to move the bills. These organizational priorities were the Transit Safety and Investment Act to fully fund MTA, the Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act, and the Plastics and Packaging Reduction Act, which would have prohibited the use of single-use bags.

While some bills were not able to cross the finish line because of lack of time in an abbreviated session, several were blocked by negative votes or deliberate inaction including removing trash incineration from the Renewable Portfolio Standard, the Clean Coal Community Transition Act, and a bill to electrify the MTA Bus Fleet.

Advancing strong environmental legislation is essential as we face the global crisis of climate change. Maryland LCV will be keeping a close watch over the special session planned for May and has plans to release a 2020 Environmental Scorecard in the coming months.

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By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-03-18T20:38:41-04:00March 18th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Press|Tags: maryland general assembly, maryland politics|0 Comments

Maryland LCV Announces Delegation Scores from LCV’s 2019 National Environmental Scorecard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 12, 2020
Contact: Dannielle Lipinski, dlipinski@mdlcv.org , 443-617-7257

Maryland LCV Announces Delegation Scores from LCV’s 2019 National Environmental Scorecard

Annapolis, MD – Maryland LCV today released the Maryland delegation’s scores on the League of Conservation Voters’ 2019 National Environmental Scorecard. The Scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of every member of Congress, and is available for download here, in Spanish here, and online at scorecard.lcv.org

“As the Trump administration continues to roll back environmental protections and actively put our health at risk, Congressman Andy Harris refused to stand up for Maryland’s air, water, land, and communities,” said Maryland LCV’s Executive Director, Kim Coble. “Instead of rubber stamping Trump and Mitch McConnell’s polluter agenda, we need our representatives in Congress to fight for Maryland’s communities — and thankfully we can count on Senators Cardin and Van Hollen to push back. We’re more determined than ever before to hold members of Congress accountable for denying our families’ fundamental rights to clean air, safe drinking water and a healthy environment.”

The 2019 Scorecard measures votes cast during the first session of the 116th Congress. In Maryland, seven House members and Senators Cardin and Van Hollen earned a score of 95 percent or greater, while one House member earned an abysmal score of 10 percent or less. The average House score for Maryland was 85 percent and the average Senate score was 100 percent. The full delegation’s scores for 2019 are:

Senator Cardin – 100%

Senator Van Hollen – 100%

Representative Harris – 0%

Representative Ruppersberger – 97%

Representative Sarbanes – 97%

Representative Brown – 97%

Representative Hoyer – 97%

Representative Trone – 97%

Representative Cummings* – 100%

Representative Raskin – 100 %

“We are grateful to Speaker Pelosi and her pro-environment majority for prioritizing climate action and protections of our air, water, lands, wildlife, and democracy,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “While pro-environment leaders supported policies that will protect communities across the country, especially low-income communities and communities of color, from the negative impacts of climate change-fueled extreme heat, natural disasters, and toxic pollution last year, Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s refusal to act on hundreds of important House-passed bills put the health of our children and families at risk for the benefit of his corporate polluter friends.”

When Congress fails to protect our fundamental rights to clean air and safe drinking water, our communities are the ones most impacted,” said National Director of LCV’s Chispa program, Johana Vicente. “We are incredibly thankful for the environmental champions in both chambers of Congress who stood up and fought for us in 2019. We will not forget the senators who voted against the health of our families when they sided with Trump and polluters time and again.”

The 2019 Scorecard includes 35 House votes that span the chamber’s assaults on clean air and water, lands and wildlife protections, investments in clean energy and so much more. In the Senate, the majority of the 14 votes scored are confirmation votes on Trump’s anti-environmental nominees.

LCV has published a National Environmental Scorecard every Congress since 1970. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from about 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored. LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including energy, climate change, public health, public lands and wildlife conservation, and spending for environmental programs. The votes included in the Scorecard presented members of Congress with a real choice and help distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. More information on individual votes and the Scorecard archive can be found at scorecard.lcv.org.

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By Dannielle Lipinski|2020-03-12T12:24:56-04:00March 12th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Press, Uncategorized|0 Comments

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