Protecting Our Environment and Natural Resources
Martin O’Malley believes everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy Maryland’s environment and natural resources, but – most of all – everyone should benefit from our treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. Martin O’Malley understands the vital importance of environmental stewardship – Maryland’s quality of life depends on the care we show to the land, air, and water. As Mayor of Baltimore, Martin O’Malley has led new programs to clean-up the Bay and protect it from contamination. His revitalization in Baltimore has focused on cleaning up neighborhoods, encouraging Smart Growth, protecting parks and promoting new bicycle paths.
- Martin O’Malley took bold action and stood up to Maryland’s dirtiest power plant polluters by bypassing the Ehrlich Administration’s irrational decision not to join the federal lawsuit to reduce dangerous mercury emissions and improve Maryland air quality. Mercury at high levels may lead to birth defects by harming the developing nervous system. According to the Baltimore Sun, “Environmental groups, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, praised O’Malley for stepping up and showing environmental leadership while Ehrlich sided with industry.”
- Martin O’Malley supports the Healthy Air Act and believes that Maryland must lead the nation by setting higher standards for air quality.
- Martin O’Malley addressed the decades-long neglect of Baltimore’s sewer system, initiating a $1 billion capital improvement program, which will protect public health and help restore the Chesapeake Bay.
- Martin O’Malley secured innovative partnerships with groups like Adopt-a-Waterway and the Baltimore Urban Watershed Cooperative to direct public and private dollars into the watershed restoration campaign.
- Martin O’Malley has led 10 city-wide neighborhood clean-up efforts, collecting over 15,000 tons of trash and attracting over 5,000 annual volunteers.
- Martin O’Malley stressed energy conservation in government operations by retrofitting city facilities, improving vehicle fuel efficiency, and improving recycling services – thereby reducing the generation of global warming pollution.
- Martin O’Malley’s pro-environment record earned him scores above 90% in the rankings by the League of Conservation voters as a member of the City Council. As Mayor, he has cracked down on urban polluters, reclaimed 5,000 vacant properties for redevelopment, and placed $800 million of Brownfield development in the project pipeline.
- Martin O’Malley fought for greater lead paint abatement and reduced by 85% the number of children exposed to damaging high levels of lead.
- Martin O’Malley’s leadership in revitalizing Baltimore’s neighborhoods, promoting parks and bike paths while creating new, vibrant live-work-play communities have stemmed Baltimore’s population loss and made the city a model for large-scale Smart Growth.
- Martin O’Malley signed the Reservoir Watershed Protection Agreement, which ensures area leaders will “pursue land use policies designed to protect the drinking water for 1.8 million metropolitan residents.”
