Gov. Martin O’Malley went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday and told senators he was concerned about the effects of global warming in Maryland.
But environmental advocates said there was a disconnect between the governor’s words and his support for construction of the Intercounty Connector.
O’Malley testified at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing Wednesday morning to highlight the impact of global warming on the Chesapeake Bay, telling legislators that “climate change is perhaps one of the most daunting challenges facing Maryland.”
“We now know with certainty that human activities — including coastal development, the burning of fossil fuels and increasing greenhouse gas emissions — are contributing to both the causes and consequences of climate change,” O’Malley said at the hearing. “In Maryland, as a state, we are implementing aggressive initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Mike Harold, global warming director for the Audubon Naturalist Society, said he was impressed O’Malley referenced the link among global warming, land use and transportation, but doesn’t understand how O’Malley could have that knowledge and continue to support construction of an 18-mile toll highway that would connect Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
“Although he showed a very strong grasp of the issue and made good points about what he’s doing in his stateand how we need federal action, he also continues to fail to put those words into deeds when he moves along with the ICC,” Harold said.
State studies found the highway’s construction would result in a 20 percent increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled in a large section of the county by 2030.
Road opponents say the increase in vehicle miles traveled will add to the emissions linked to global warming.
O’Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese said the governor supports both construction of the ICC and efforts to combat global warming.
“The governor has instructed the Maryland Department of Transportation to make sure the project is constructed in the most environmentally friendly way possible,” Abbruzzese said. “… The governor is greatly concerned with global warming and its effects on the Chesapeake Bay, but at the same time he’s mindful of the role that traffic and gridlock play in degrading the quality of life for people in Prince George’s and Montgomery County.”
Montgomery County Council Member Phil Andrews said for O’Malley to discuss global warming without referencing ICC construction is like “ignoring a bull in a china shop.”
