The League of Conservation Voters, the state?s major environmental political action group, will officially endorse Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley for governor today, after the mayor promised a long list of environmental initiatives at a fundraiser for the organization Tuesday night.
O?Malley also gave a long critique of Gov. Robert Ehrlich?s environmental record, accusing him of lax or no enforcement of laws and regulations. The league had already given Ehrlich the grade of D two weeks ago.
“The distinction between the two candidates is just as clear as night and day,” said league Chair Charles Fox, who said the group reaches 200,000 environmental voters.
O?Malley said he would work with the governors of Virginia and Pennsylvania to create a Chesapeake Bay Financing Authority.
He would also restore budget cuts Ehrlich had made in the departments of the Environment and Natural Resources, and “start recruiting experts who actually understand Bay issues.”
The mayor also promised to “look into ways we can establish a dedicated environmental fund” to sustain conservation practices on farms.
O?Malley also said he would fully fund Program Open Space, and try to preserve “more land each year than consumed by development.” Ehrlich used Open Space money to balance a budget deficit in his first two years, but he has since restored the funds.
O?Malley would also re-establish the Office of Smart Growth, to encourage development in areas that have infrastructure. Ehrlich does not support this state involvement in local planning decisions.
The Democrat also would invest more money into mass transit and telecommuting.
“He was pretty clear that he wanted to set out a bold agenda and he did,” said Cindy Schwarz, the league?s executive director. “I don?t think we would have endorsed him if hadn?t promised to be bold.”
Ehrlich spokesman Henry Fawell said the league?s endorsement of O?Malley represented the league?s “long-time partisan” agenda, and failed to give the governor credit for preserving 60,000 acres of open space since taking office and authored the groundbreaking Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act, which will upgrade sewage treatment plants.
The act, funded by the “flush tax” on sewer and septic systems, had broad bipartisan support, but O?Malley said the improved plants will also allow more development in sensitive environmental areas.
