Derwood-area residents turned out in large numbers Wednesday to let Montgomery Council members know of their opposition to the Intercounty Connector, but even road opponents admit the council’s ability to halt the project are limited.
Those devoted to stopping the project have pinned their hopes to kill the 18-mile, multibillion-dollar highway on late intervention by Gov. Martin O’Malley or two federal lawsuits, both set to begin in October, that have been filed by environmental groups.
“The one person who can sit back and reassess whether this is the right thing for Maryland is the governor,” said Mike Harold, global warming director for the Audubon Naturalist Society. “It is certainly within his capability … but we need the governor to have the courage to take the political risk to stop this going forward.”
About 200 people attended the meeting, with several speakers voicing passionate opposition to the highway, citing everything from potential health risks to children from road construction to the increase in noise the project will bring to its impact on the environment.
Montgomery Council Member Phil Andrews said he would like this council to vote to oppose the project, but he wasn’t sure it would happen.
“The County Council can weigh in,” Andrews said. “That is the main impact we can have at this point. … We don’t have control, we’re not the decision-making group on this issue, and no county money is being spent on the ICC. We can ask questions that residents want us to ask of the state, to call attention to their concerns and to urge [the state] to be responsive.”
Harold said council efforts are helpful to highlight residential opposition to the projects and mobilize political will.
He applauded Prince George’s County Council members, who unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday in opposition to the project.
“The Montgomery County Council could send a strong signal to Gov. O’Malley in passing a similar resolution,” Harold said.
