Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

A community cannot thrive without a clean, healthy place to live. I know it's possible for Maryland to produce the energy its resident's need, while ensuring our 17 national parks, 66 state parks, rivers, forests, and the Chesapeake Bay are all protected and improved for generations to come.
My plan to defend our environment and invest in renewable sources of energy:

Ensuring Maryland Leads the Nation in Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources
Maryland has already begun to take its place as a national leader with EmPOWER Maryland, a program designed to reduce demand and promote energy efficiency. EmPOWER Maryland also establishes a renewable energy portfolio standard requiring 20% of the State's energy to come from renewable sources by 2022.
I believe it is vital to support programs such as EmPOWER Maryland in a robust fashion, as it will be key to securing our energy future in an environmentally sensible way. I intend to work on legislation encouraging Maryland's energy companies to make long-term investments in sustainable alternative and renewable energy resources like wind energy.
Getting People Out of Their Cars
This past session, Governor O'Malley, signed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which will ultimately invest $680 million for construction of the Purple Line. I am passionate about the Purple Line and will continue to fight for the requisite State funding needed to complete the project in an environmentally sound and developmentally sensitive way.
The Purple Line will run through the heart of District 20. When completed, it will take nearly 70,000 people and 17,000 cars off the road each day. I am a strong supporter of its construction, as it will ease congestion and reduce carbon emissions. The Purple Line is also essential to smart economic growth and the district's progress toward becoming a more walkable community.
Anti-Fracking
Maryland sits on top of the Marcellus Shale, which contains an enormous amount of natural gas. Unfortunately, with existing technologies the only way to gain access to the gas is through a process called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." During this process, almost 600 chemicals are injected into the ground along with millions of gallons of water. This process is relatively new, and while the long-term environmental effects are not fully known, there is evidence to suggest it can be immediately damaging to the health of local residents as well as trees and wildlife. I am dedicated to preventing any fracking projects in Maryland before a complete and thorough study of the process is conducted, to fully understand the short- and long-term effects on the environment.

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