[APWG] Happy Holidays part 1
Marc Imlay
ialm at erols.com
Fri Dec 22 21:28:19 CST 2017
A Year for Maryland to Be Proud Of
Protecting Endangered Species, Evicting Invasive Ones, and Dealing with Deer
Ticks
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/volunteer_inv
_sp.jpg>
What do the Baltimore Checkerspot, the Grey Petaltail, and the Eastern
Hellbender have in common? All have great names--and all are threatened in
Maryland. In 2017 the Maryland Sierra Club's Endangered Species team began
compiling data on which to base a statewide strategy for promoting
biodiversity.
Some species, on the other hand, are quite the opposite of endangered. In
fact, invasive plants are the biggest threat to biodiversity after loss of
habitat and water pollution. Enter our interns, who work alongside Sierra
Club leaders and Park personnel learning to identify native plants versus
invasive weeds, how to remove them, and how to run an invasive plant removal
outing. In 2017, 45 interns and volunteers from the Chapter's College Park
office put in 620 hours to fill over 96 bags with invasive weeds such as
bush asiatic honeysuckle, garlic mustard, multiflora rose, and wavyleaf
basketgrass, saving hundreds of types of native plants and animals.
Interns also helped develop a process to assess and publicize which parks
are safest to hike in during peak Lyme disease season. Based on the fact
that deer ticks are scarce where deer density is the naturally occuring
twenty per square mile or less, this process has now been adopted in
Pennsylvania and other states. The students followed up by creating a
brochure
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8418c0e15328107c595cc5
4a2e9a4a9add0951cc8ef486d8cae12d088c6809bfa2371b213627860d8e18315bd81d52d0bb
> to educate the public about the connection between deer overpopulation
and Lyme disease.
In 2017, 26 interns worked hard side by side with staff and volunteer
leaders, protecting our local parks and gaining real-world experience in
other aspects of running a grassroots nonprofit
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8438a98148dfcd0d0aa045
8bbb2cb613cc251a51cbf4597f917fb4dc7245abc646b9818d82b65cd46dfbecc894a7b68dd6
> . For some, the experience is life-changing, helping to form the next
generation of activist leaders. Meet some of our summer interns here
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84e4834bac04b6092ce459
5b77228476343c6abd41eb8c8b8d6bac0dff15d2cd50cf23388c018ecfe776ed79674ed3b6ec
> . We appreciate their efforts on behalf of Maryland's wild places.
_____
From: Sierra Club Maryland Chapter [mailto:reply at emails.sierraclub.org]
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 3:21 PM
To: ialm at erols.com <mailto:ialm at erols.com>
Sub
ject: A Year for Maryland to Be Proud Of
And How YOU Made It Happen
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84a3e5e7b0288d08a441fb
c804b5cc40bdf129f3d89d25fd13bb16d265aa11a54611d8b1a4b09aa44d3d7997322a5857eb
>
A Year to Remember: A Message from The Director
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/Capture+Frack
ing+Ban+croppoed.JPG>
Dear Alice Lee,
I am thrilled to share with you the Maryland Sierra Club's 2017
year-in-review. In looking back over the past year, we found plenty of doom
and gloom, but I think we've all had enough of that to last a lifetime.
Instead, I want to share with you inspiring stories of how thousands of
everyday Marylanders like you came together to respond.
Moments of crisis can reveal a lot about a person--and an organization. In
the response to the challenges of the year, I witnessed thousands of Sierra
Club volunteers and staff join together to defend our planet and sustain
this important movement we are building. I couldn't be prouder of the Sierra
Club that was revealed this year.
The Sierra Club's biggest asset is its people power. In Maryland, almost
5,000 new activists joined our ranks, for a total of 18,674 members and
supporters. We marched in the streets of Annapolis and Washington DC to
demand action on climate. Our county groups organized over a hundred outings
to help thousands of Marylanders get outdoors. We planned film screenings
and lectures to educate our communities, and held trainings to give us the
skills we need to be agents of change.
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/DirectorsPic+
3thumbnail.JPG> This focus on people is why thousands of new members joined
the Maryland Sierra Club this year. They, too, wanted to be part of an
organization that is facing these challenges head-on. Renewed energy gave us
the inspiration and capacity not only to fight against federal rollbacks,
but also to permanently ban fracking and win other huge environmental
victories here in Maryland.
Out of adversity, we have created a stronger, more resilient community. And
we're just getting started. I am thankful to be part of such an amazing
organization and surrounded by passionate staff and volunteers. I'm inspired
by the tireless effort and endless spirit of our team. I'm looking forward
to working toward our shared vision in 2018.
Josh Tulkin
Director, Sierra Club Maryland Chapter
_____
Climate Action Marches Forward, Advances Social Justice
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_PCM_logo.
png> On April 29th, 25 busloads of Sierrans from every corner of Maryland
converged on Washington to demand climate action. Our local Groups undertook
a massive effort
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84572202706c8640337971
18917f4293730af1aa49fb98d3ca449753e53d1610f2bb5c7cb503a9877829cd22b39192f598
> to coordinate the transportation, while also creating important
connections with other local organizations. Together, these teams
distributed flyers, phone banked, and posted on social media for weeks ahead
of the March to spread the word.
Our organizing embodied the theme of the event, "To Change Everything, We
Need Everyone." The alliances that were forged during Climate March planning
will continue to pay dividends. In Baltimore, the Sierra Club joined two
dozen other community groups--advocating for issues from public health to
fair housing and workers' rights--to form the "Baltimore Table" of the
People's Climate Movement. The partners decided that the March would mark a
beginning, rather than an end--that they would work together long after
April 29th to build "the new energy and economic future by undoing
environmental racism."
Since so many social justice issues have an environmental
component--incinerators are often sited in poor neighborhoods, for
instance--being part of the Baltimore Table will allow the Sierra Club to
receive and share expertise as part of equity campaigns throughout the city,
multiplying the Club's reach many times over. In June, losing no time, the
Table persuaded the City Council to pass a resolution supporting the Paris
Climate accords. Although nonbinding, the resolution lays out specific steps
to take toward an equitable, clean-energy future.
_____
Advancing Clean Energy in Maryland and our Region
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_clean_ene
rgy.jpg> In the absence of federal leadership, climate action closer to home
took on vital importance in 2017. The Maryland General Assembly took a step
forward in February by overriding Governor Hogan's veto of the Clean Energy
Jobs Act, so that Maryland will continue to increase its financial support
for renewable energy generation. Later in session, the General Assembly took
another important step passing legislation to ensure continuation of our
state's ambitious energy efficiency program.
Progress continued in August, when the nine states--including Maryland--that
make up the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) agreed to extend that
program from 2020 to 2030 and to cut power plant emissions by an additional
30%. To do so, Maryland will need to significantly reduce dependence on
fossil fuel power plants, embrace clean energy, and increase energy
efficiency. Each RGGI state will now take the proposal through its
individual regulatory update process.
Originally implemented in 2009, the RGGI's cap-and-invest program requires
polluting power plants to pay for the carbon they emit, and then reinvests
the proceeds in clean energy and energy efficiency. David Barrow of the
Catoctin Group knows firsthand how families can benefit from RGGI funding.
An RGGI grant allowed him to install solar panels, upgrade insulation, and
replace his HVAC system with geothermal-- changes that slashed his energy
bill from $6,000 per year to about $60. Grants like these foster thousands
of jobs for home energy technicians and insulation installers, driving
significant economic growth.
What RGGI has been to power plants, the Transportation and Climate
Initiative (TCI) may soon be to fossil-fueled trains, planes, and
automobiles. In November, at the Bonn Climate Change Summit, Maryland, six
other states, and the District of Columbia announced plans to develop
regional policies to reduce emissions from the transportation sector. With
transportation poised to become the state's largest source of greenhouse
gases, the announcement comes none too soon. In 2018, as TCI begins seeking
public input on potential policies, our Chapter's new Clean Transportation
team will be there, urging the modernization of our transportation systems
through the rapid deployment of public transit, electric vehicles, and
walkable/bikeable communities.
_____
Fracking Ban Becomes Law, though Gas Pipeline Still Threatens the Potomac
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_fracking.
jpg> In its 2017 session, the General Assembly acted to make the 2015
fracking moratorium permanent, and Governor Hogan signed it into law. This
victory was the culmination of years of work by the Sierra Club, dozens of
other organizations, and thousands of activists. As part of the "Don't
Frack Maryland" Coalition, the Sierra Club worked hand in hand with partners
from Western Maryland and across the state. Chapter volunteers worked
tirelessly to promote the permanent ban--for instance, gathering a hefty
5,500 petition signatures. This law has made history by making Maryland the
third state to officially ban fracking, and offered a much-needed reminder
of what is possible when our communities work together.
Since this victory, the Beyond Gas Committee has continued its fight by
organizing and informing Marylanders regarding the proposed Potomac
Pipeline--a gas pipeline that would threaten Maryland's drinking water
supply, the C&O Canal National Historical Park, property rights, and more.
In October, the newly formed No Potomac Pipeline Coalition
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8405adb84a0b95b3b0b1fc
d60dde66866d1169d914f3ae889ffcce121a76ae45f97bef38ce6677079764cebffe8a1710bd
> brought people throughout the entire DC-Maryland-Virginia area to join
hands across the James Rumsey Bridge connecting West Virginia and Maryland
to protest the building of this pipeline. Meanwhile, the Southern Maryland
Group is working hard with coalition partners against infrastructure permits
that would allow the export of natural gas from Cove Point.
To support the movement and ask Governor Hogan to prevent this dangerous
project, please sign the petition
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8409ea8546e37f31e63ee0
608e7d16051b116c5e0d73e827f7761075ad9d61cc376c10602e6dd64ba1b58f1d93f0c0d310
> against the Potomac Pipeline.
_____
Real Protections Established for the Mattawoman Creek after 25-Year Fight:
Focus Increases on Reducing Runoff
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_Mattawoma
n.jpg> It took a generation--but the Chesapeake tributary of Mattawoman
Creek was worth the fight. "It's Maryland's most productive fish hatchery,"
says veteran activist Bonnie Bick, "with ideal conditions that cannot be
duplicated." In 1990, Bick and others discovered that the area in Charles
County known as Chapman Forest was slated to be bisected by the Outer
Beltway and developed into a town the size of Annapolis. An epic battle
ensued, which came to victory in June when the Charles County Board of
Commissioners voted to establish the Watershed Conservation District (WCD),
rezoning more than 30,000 acres in the Mattawoman Creek and Port Tobacco
River watersheds to prevent further development.
The Southern Maryland Group worked for years to win county residents and
commissioners to the cause. Bick's favorite way to win converts was to
arrange canoeing trips: "Simply paddling the creek was enough. People saw it
was special and fell in love with it." (Note: A proposal to create a
National Marine Sanctuary including the creek--the first Sanctuary in the
Chesapeake Bay--has collected many hundreds of of favorable comments on the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website, but under the Trump
administration, action is unlikely.)
Bulldozing forests, and paving ground that could otherwise absorb and filter
water, has created stormwater runoff problems that ultimately threaten the
Potomac and the region's drinking-water reservoirs. In December, the
Montgomery County Group and the Clean Water team welcomed a
standing-room-only crowd to an Educational Forum, "Where Does my Drinking
Water Come From
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac844cb4439bafe2f99c76ae
bc31cce46a290d5e27b540fc2dba7d9be331c60b2e38b593de293d90e909e9dfac32d23f1fe7
> ?" Representatives from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission ,
Montgomery County Parks, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac
discussed the challenges and increased water treatment costs posed by runoff
and opportunities to improve stream maintenance and restoration. Four 2018
candidates for County Executive spoke on their plans for water management if
elected, proving that, yes, politicians are well aware of the importance of
clean water to their constituents.
Both strong stormwater remediation techniques and smart development
principles are essential to protect the valuable resources of our local
waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. In 2018, the Clean Water team plans to
continue public education efforts with a focus on Howard, Montgomery, and
Charles Counties. Meanwhile, in Annapolis, the Chapter will be working to
strengthen overall protections for Maryland's forests, which will bring
cleaner air and help mitigate climate change at the same time they protect
our waterways.
_____
Public Health Meets Responsible Agriculture: Legislators Pass 'Not One, but
Two Offshore Wind Projects Get Green Light
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/offshore_wind
s_Josh.jpg>
For five years, thousands of Maryland members have rallied, written,
emailed, and crowded hearings and community meetings in support of the
offshore wind revolution. Their dedication and enthusiasm paid off this year
as the Maryland Public Service Commission approved financing for a pair of
offshore installations that will produce 368 MW of clean power and create an
estimated 9,700 direct and indirect jobs. Though it's news to celebrate,
more work lies ahead: We need to continue educating the public on the
benefits of offshore turbines, defend against any rollbacks threatening the
projects, and monitor construction plans to minimize the impact to ocean
life.
_____
Public Health Meets Responsible Agriculture: Legislators Pass 'Keep
Antibiotics Effective' Act
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_agricultu
re.jpg>
This year marked the launch of the MD Sierra Club's Public Health Committee.
As its first coordinated effort, our team joined a multi-organization effort
to address antibiotic overuse in livestock. The prophylactic use of
antibiotics in many food animals--not occasionally, to treat illness, but as
often as daily, to prevent disease--is contributing to the development of
"superbugs" that are resistant to antibiotic treatment. Some 23,000
Americans die each year from infections that can no longer be treated
effectively.
The Keep Antibiotics Effective Act of 2017 limits most agricultural
antibiotic treatment to sick animals only. As part of an impressive
coalition that included the Maryland Nurses Association, Fair Farms, and the
Natural Resources Defense Council, members of our Public Health Committee
lobbied, offered testimony, and sponsored several public education events in
service of this important bill. It passed the legislature in April, becoming
law without Governor Hogan's signature, and the Public Health Committee is
now turning its focus to pesticide overuse and the risks of artificial turf.
_____
Chapter Study Offers Path to More Solar in Maryland
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_solar_pan
el.png>
If you want to build a solar farm, you'll need somewhere to put it. That
means getting the okay from your county, which controls land use. "As solar
has moved off roofs and onto the ground, residents raised concerns and
counties came out with moratoriums and restrictions," says Al Bartlett, who
gathered a team to study the ins and outs of solar siting. They listened to
the questions raised and worked to find responsible answers, then developed
a formal policy and tools to help citizens encourage solar on the scale that
is needed for a clean-energy future. Now, Bartlett says, local volunteers
are needed to take the discussion to their communities. His short slide show
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8409f176d55d67d725947a
ac1c63aacb9e4a112abee1f94ca0d83e7a6bec6c6d864bda1f0bd452d5fddfeb887cbe356501
> clarifies the issue.
_____
Maryland Volunteer Wins National Recognition
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_ainsworth
.jpg> In September, the National Sierra Club honored Prince George's Group
Chair Martha Ainsworth with a Special Service Award "for strong and
consistent commitment to conservation over an extended period of time."
Sierra Club President Loren Blackford cited Ainsworth's "outstanding
leadership skills, sharp intellect, fierce tenacity, and organizational
savvy on behalf of the Sierra Club in Maryland." Under Ainsworth's tenure,
the Group has re-engaged members and attracted new volunteers by expanding
its activities and launching field surveys around reusable shopping bags and
foam food containers, in support of local and state environmental
legislation.
_____
Foam Ban: Let's Take it Statewide
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_foam.jpg>
In recent years, local Sierra Club Groups worked successfully to ban food
containers made of EPS (expanded polystyrene, often referred to incorrectly
as Styrofoam) in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. After bans were
passed, the groups helped businesses comply with the new laws. In 2017, for
instance, PGSC and MoCo volunteers intensified their outreach, conducting
face-to-face education outreach with over 500 food service businesses and
retailers in 50 shopping centers. As a result, compliance with the ban rose
from 76% to 91%.
For 2018, the Chapter has prioritized achieving a full statewide ban of foam
containers and packing material by passing legislation in the General
Assembly. Closing down Maryland's two remaining trash incinerators--which
burn "renewable" supplies of garbage, but which also emit toxic ash and
fumes--is another important focus of the Chapter's Zero Waste Committee.
_____
Pushing the Pledge for Pesticide-Free Yards
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/pesticide_fre
e_yard.jpg>
As the populations of bees and other pollinators throughout the world have
declined, food production and other important ecosystem components face
decline as well. Because pollinators are so crucial, the Maryland Chapter
started the campaign for Pesticide-Free Yards, educating homeowners on
options that let them easily yet effectively improve the health of bees and
other pollinators. By eliminating insecticides, herbicides (weed-killers,
"weed and feed"), fungicides, and other chemical pesticides, home gardeners
decrease the chemical runoff from their yards into local streams and
waterways, and limit the exposure of pets, bees, pollinators, and even
humans to negative health risks associated with these chemicals. Click here
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac845aba7c34a88595ed2992
84d1a43bd2630c22ecd7f1908d98a28d433650a5184e9f28aa4609ab8fcd99f2155106655a07
> to take the pesticide-free pledge! If you'd like a free sign to proudly
display in your yard, email pesticidefree at mdsierra.org
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84b6d6248d7292bf1dfc17
aa7084ba4edc3af1d0fe1f3ed7bf2ea95646a681582ee98e7bbdcb874c7dcb4729dc66532d9f
> .
_____
Outings Galore
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/outings_galor
e.jpg>
Enriching on many levels, Sierra Club outings combine engagement in nature
with education and activism. The Chapter and local Groups held 137 outdoor
hikes, walks, kayak trips, and stewardship field days in 2017. Some were
primarily treks to learn from and connect with nature; others were
issues-focused, such as the hike to view the Chalk Point coal plant
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84862d2e93fd7bd773a25c
c76d8521cd557bd12dc69185129b3390b854fc90522fd5af3f0cd4285e1663d9afc6beff6357
> , source of arsenic- and selenium-laden runoff.
The granddaddy of Chapter outings is the biennial Jamboree
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac841e1dfcc2fabf4a86f335
8c15d5748c8dca8608d7842cecda5690fe3fa5b199ebd50c4a089b73f9a7cd532c7b3b0d6888
> - -a family-friendly weekend of hikes, discussions, nature study,
workshops, karaoke, live bluegrass, and s'mores. In October, some 150 Sierra
Club members, friends, and kids convened in Sharpsburg to explore this
year's theme, "Where do we go from here? Engaging together for a greener
tomorrow." National Sierra Club President Loren Blackford gave the keynote
address; other activists spoke on ways to turn the current environmental and
political upheavals into community-building, movement-strengthening
opportunities. Over the weekend, during the "Bioblitz," participants
identified over 150 plant and animal species within the park, including a
threatened Glade Fern.
Outings don't hold themselves, of course, and so the Chapter held two
trainings this year to teach the skills needed to plan and conduct them.
Kudos and welcome to the rising class of outings leaders, who will ensure
Maryland members continue to savor and learn from our wild spaces. Join us
on the trail! Events are posted regularly on the calendar
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8406867ac762624a3a4d79
a69346dde93b01f6311da0b5aca1c5ae544b8d82a7e9f44498b898928a180617dd31f0d7d51f
> .
_____
Protecting Endangered Species, Evicting Invasive Ones, and Dealing with Deer
Ticks
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/volunteer_inv
_sp.jpg>
What do the Baltimore Checkerspot, the Grey Petaltail, and the Eastern
Hellbender have in common? All have great names--and all are threatened in
Maryland. In 2017 the Maryland Sierra Club's Endangered Species team began
compiling data on which to base a statewide strategy for promoting
biodiversity.
Some species, on the other hand, are quite the opposite of endangered. In
fact, invasive plants are the biggest threat to biodiversity after loss of
habitat and water pollution. Enter our interns, who work alongside Sierra
Club leaders and Park personnel learning to identify native plants versus
invasive weeds, how to remove them, and how to run an invasive plant removal
outing. In 2017, 45 interns and volunteers from the Chapter's College Park
office put in 620 hours to fill over 96 bags with invasive weeds such as
bush asiatic honeysuckle, garlic mustard, multiflora rose, and wavyleaf
basketgrass, saving hundreds of types of native plants and animals.
Interns also helped develop a process to assess and publicize which parks
are safest to hike in during peak Lyme disease season. Based on the fact
that deer ticks are scarce where deer density is the naturally occuring
twenty per square mile or less, this process has now been adopted in
Pennsylvania and other states. The students followed up by creating a
brochure
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8418c0e15328107c595cc5
4a2e9a4a9add0951cc8ef486d8cae12d088c6809bfa2371b213627860d8e18315bd81d52d0bb
> to educate the public about the connection between deer overpopulation
and Lyme disease.
In 2017, 26 interns worked hard side by side with staff and volunteer
leaders, protecting our local parks and gaining real-world experience in
other aspects of running a grassroots nonprofit
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac8438a98148dfcd0d0aa045
8bbb2cb613cc251a51cbf4597f917fb4dc7245abc646b9818d82b65cd46dfbecc894a7b68dd6
> . For some, the experience is life-changing, helping to form the next
generation of activist leaders. Meet some of our summer interns here
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84e4834bac04b6092ce459
5b77228476343c6abd41eb8c8b8d6bac0dff15d2cd50cf23388c018ecfe776ed79674ed3b6ec
> . We appreciate their efforts on behalf of Maryland's wild places.
_____
2018 General Assembly Convenes in Two Weeks
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_Lobby_Nig
ht.jpeg>
We enjoyed amazing success in the General Assembly's 2017 session, enacting
all four of our priority bills. This included (as discussed above)
overriding Governor Hogan's 2016 veto of the Clean Energy Jobs Act,
supporting the state's energy efficiency program, banning fracking, and
prohibiting the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals. In February, a
record turnout (over 400 people!) attended the Chapter's Lobby Night in
Annapolis municipal.
Our legislative efforts are being led by Mark Posner (who also serves on the
Chapter Executive Committee and is the Chapter's delegate to the Club's
national Council of Club Leaders). During the legislative session, he
coordinates our tracking of myriad bills as they move through the
legislative process. His team developed and submitted testimony on more than
70 bills in 2017, on subjects ranging from remedying food deserts to
protecting Chesapeake Bay oyster sanctuaries.
The team is now preparing for an equally busy 2018. Legislative priorities
this coming session include protecting Maryland's forests; taking the ban on
EPS foam statewide; reforming how the Public Service Commission reviews
proposals for new gas infrastructure; and securing dedicated funding for the
DC area's Metro system. Make a resolution now to get involved. Contact your
legislators asking them to support our priority bills, volunteer, and join
us February 26
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84573bfc5b06cb8b4c37b9
cfd0929fc45940ca6288d29c56bba33fcf0409e774d998d1aaf6de4d6d2f5df3cf3e2e1130c8
> to make Lobby Night 2018 another record-breaker.
_____
Elections: 2018 Endorsements Underway!
<http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9713727460057a77/m/1/new_vote.jpg>
Although poll action was limited in Maryland in 2017, there were solid
victories. The Anne Arundel and Catoctin Groups endorsed winning candidates
in Annapolis and Frederick municipal elections--and the Howard County Group
helped pass a referendum creating public financing of elections in that
county. With Montgomery, Maryland now has two counties with small-donor
public financing programs for county elections. The Prince George's County
Group is working toward passage of a similar program in 2018.
Because Sierra Club endorsements make a difference to so many voters, our
local and state teams are already hard at work vetting an unusually long
list of candidates for 2018, and plans to Get Out the Vote and work the
polls are already on the table. Want to add your energy to this important
effort? Contact your local Group
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84b4ec61a0fdaf8bf55326
fad40b9b06240c5da9dfc338eabbad11e8d0852535678da56c15aa6d3d777d167b4335589c6d
> or email state-level lead Betsy Johnson
<http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=5650b682a19fac84a0e6af277a76e0250a51
de1c08d8fca46c2b34cfc8d7f7534bffff81219a41c3a5485f9e0dd2f394ab2868666a9bdf71
> .
To learn more about the work of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, visit our
website
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