Ruppersberger Meets with Newly Formed Environmental Advisory Council

(Washington, D.C.)-  Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) met with members of his newly created Environmental Advisory Council at the Marshy Point Nature Center in Eastern Baltimore County on Monday, September 19th, 2005. Congressman Ruppersberger created the council to provide a forum for environmental groups to discuss important environmental issues facing the Maryland 2nd District and the rest of the region.

"The Environmental Advisory Council is a vital way for me to gain first-hand expertise from Maryland's top environmental authorities on our pressing environmental challenges. By creating a partnership with local experts, we can work toward finding federal solutions to local environmental needs," said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD).

The Environmental Advisory Council meeting covered a variety of topics including pesticide security, natural gas issues, the 2007 Farm Bill, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, and the Endangered Species Act. The Environmental Advisory Council meeting included representatives from The Sierra Club - Maryland Chapter, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Trust for Public Land, MaryPIRG, The Maryland Conservation Council, The Nature Conservancy, Maryland Pesticide Network, 1000 Friends of Maryland, The Maryland League of Conservation Voters, The Chesapeake Waterkeeper Alliance, and The Natural Resources Defense Council.

Congressman Ruppersberger is a strong supporter of protecting the environment. He advocates energy policies that promote long term solutions through technical advances and energy conservation while preventing environmental degradation.

Congressman Ruppersberger sponsored legislation that will help cut fuel consumption and encourage Marylanders to drive environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles by offering valuable tax credits for people who purchase a hybrid. The legislation reinstates the Clean Fuel Vehicle tax credit that expired at the end of 2004 and extends it to $4,000. The language was included in the energy bill that recently passed Congress.

As the Baltimore County Executive, the Ruppersberger Administration invested over $230 million dollars into water treatment and sewage system modernization to keep our water safe and clean. The Administration initiated the Baltimore County and City Watershed Agreement which combined city, county, business, and citizen groups to protect our region's watershed areas. Through a coordinated regional effort, we mitigated the effects of development on the Chesapeake Bay through stream restoration, storm water management and control of shore erosion. Together we vigorously worked to preserve valuable farmland, forests, and wetlands, earning Baltimore County a 7th place national ranking on the list of Top Local Farmland Preservation Programs. In addition, we quadrupled Baltimore County's park, recreation, and open space to more than 800 acres.

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