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EPA Report Recognizes Maryland’s Progress in Preparing for Sea Level Rise
Annapolis MD (January 16, 2009) —According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report released today, Maryland leads the mid-Atlantic coastal states in its level of preparedness for a dramatic increase in storm surge flooding and coastal erosion because of climate change.Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region, which assesses impacts of sea level rise on the infrastructure and ecosystems in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina, finds that rising sea level will likely contribute to more frequent flooding that could have major consequences for transportation and commerce. However, the report also states that “Maryland has taken a proactive step towards addressing a growing a problem by committing to implementation of [its sea level rise response] strategy and increasing awareness and consideration of sea level rise issues in both public and governmental arenas.”
“Our State is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change -- including sea level rise -- and our human activities clearly contribute to its causes and consequences,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Through the efforts of the Maryland Climate Change Commission, we are making real progress in both preparing for the impacts of climate change but also in reducing the actions that contribute to it.”
In April 2007, Governor O’Malley signed an Executive Order creating the Maryland Commission on Climate Change, charging the State’s best scientists with determining what Marylanders can do to adapt to the consequences of climate change and to begin reversing global warming trends. In August 2008, Maryland’s Commission on Climate Change issued a Climate Action Plan detailing the effects global warming will have on our state and recommending 61 specific actions to reduce global warming pollution and protect Maryland’s people and property from rising sea levels and changing weather patterns.
A preliminary analysis indicates that, by 2020, implementation of these strategies could result in a net economic benefit to the state of approximately $2 billion, and a study by the Baltimore-based International Center for Sustainable Development shows that Maryland could create between 144,000 and 326,000 “green collar” and research and development jobs by developing clean energy industries, contributing $5.7 billion in wages and salaries boosting local tax revenues by $973 million and increasing gross state production by $16 billion.
“As we chart a course for the future for all Marylanders — even as we seek to address serious challenges such as climate change, a national fiscal crisis, rising energy costs and more — we must remember that the connection between a strong economy, a healthy ecosystem and our preferred quality of life is inherent. Each of us should be inspired by this knowledge as we explore our individual roles in achieving our shared goals for a smarter, greener more sustainable Maryland,” added Governor O’Malley.
Under the O’Malley-Brown Administration, Maryland has begun to reduce pollution and address the serious issue of climate change through: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Clean Cars Act, and EMPOWER Maryland programs; increasing Renewable Portfolio Standards to increase our use of clean energy; enacting “living shorelines” requirements; strengthening the Critical Areas Act to protect sensitive shorelines; adopting new green building standards for public buildings and investing in green technology for schools; transitioning the state’s fleet to hybrid buses; fully funding land conservation programs; and reinstituting the Office of Smart Growth; supporting transit-friendly development; improving mass transit options; encouraging smart growth BRAC zones; and, providing both technical and financial assistance to Maryland’s coastal counties to adapt to sea level rise.
January 16, 2009 Contact: Kara Turner
410-260-8021 office
katurner@dnr.state.md.usIntroduced by Governor Martin O’Malley in October 2008, Maryland’s Smart, Green & Growing initiative was created to strengthen the state’s leadership role in fostering smarter, more sustainable growth and inspire action among all Marylanders to achieve a more sustainable future. The Initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses and citizens to create more livable communities, improve transportation options, reduce the state’s carbon footprint, support resource based industry, invest in green technologies, preserve valuable resource lands and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.