Cross-Posted from: Here
If you live in Maryland(or if you know someone in Maryland who would be interested) this post is for you!
The bill being considered in the State Senate and House of Delegates right now would strip the Inter County Connector, a monstrous 18 mile highway being built in Maryland, of its 4 billion dollars worth of funding. The environmental implications of this road are far-reaching, and killing it would be a huge victory. Just related to global warming, the ICC is going to increase driving by 750 million miles a year by 2030, making it very difficult to reduce transportation emissions. At the same time it will deplete state funds that could go to mass transit.
Here are a couple of columns myself and a friend wrote on the ICC in case you want more info: column 1, column 2
I’m pleading with you to take 5-10 minutes of your time and e-mail or call all 3 of your delegates, and your state senator asking them to support to bill to defund the ICC. These are 4 calls/e-mails anyone who wants to stop global warming and protect the environment should be making. The action alert is below. Thanks so much.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————
ACT: Please call 1-800-492-7122 Ask your Senator and Delegates to vote FOR
House Bill 27 / Senate Bill 753 to defund the Inter County Connector highway.
FIND: your Representatives at http://www.mdelect.net/electedofficials/ or http://www.congress.org/
or call the General Assembly switchboard at 1-800-492-7122
State Senator’s emails are firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us
STATUS: Soon, the bill to defund the $4 billion dollar 20 mile long toll ICC highway will be heard in the House Appropriations & the Senate Budget & Taxation committees.
Opponents will try to kill the bill in committee, because if the bill gets to the floor of the full House or Senate, it becomes very difficult for legislators to oppose such a common-sense measure in such difficult economic times. We need your support to get this bill out of committee with a favorable committee report.
This is a good time to contact your representatives in Annapolis to let them know you want them to reduce wasteful spending and take a stand against this environmentally destructive project.
DESCRIPTION: There is debate on the amount of money that would be saved overall by not building the ICC since money has been spent already, however, let’s not throw good money after bad. The negative effects of building it (increased traffic congestion, global warming gas emissions) are too great.
Text of the bill http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb0027.htm
More information: http://maryland.sierraclub.org/action/p0157.asp
Please join us AND write your legislators to ask them to vote FOR HB27/SB753 to come out of committee and onto the floor. Thank you!
