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May
2007
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The following news "briefs" highlight recent news regarding
transportation-related environmental issues, primarily air quality, affecting
the Baltimore region. Please note that this brief is not all inclusive of the
variety and magnitude of activities in the region. It is intended for
informational purposes only; refer to the source, guidance, or program for
additional information.
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Clean
Commute Month is Here! |
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Ah, May! It's the time when the days become noticeably longer and flowers
bloom. It's also the month when both temperatures and pollution levels rise
throughout the Baltimore region. That's why May is Clean Commute Month, a time
for all of us to consider how our transportation choices affect everyone else.
As they have for the last ten years, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and
the Clean Commute Partnership are asking people to explore transportation
options and try at least one alternative to driving alone. Clean Commute options
include riding transit, biking, teleworking, and carpooling.
For this year's Clean Commute campaign, BMC staff will participate in
outreach events throughout the region, including the Baltimore Flower Mart, the
Towsontown Festival, Baltimore Ecofest, Bike to Work Day, as well as the Clean
Cars for Clean Air Clinics (funded by MDE). Additionally, a thank-you to those
regular riders of mass transportation is planned for the morning of May 23 at
the BWI Rail Station.
Photo:
BMC Executive Director Larry Klimovitz and Harford County Executive David R.
Craig unveil the new Clean Commute magnets.
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Bike to
Work Day 2007 |
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Between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 18, bicycle commuters throughout
the Baltimore region will converge on four locations:
- War Memorial Plaza, Baltimore
- City Dock, Annapolis
- County Office Building, Bel Air
- Courthouse Square, Towson
Registered participants will receive an event t-shirt, an on-the-go snack
with java, and the chance to win bike accessories.
Bike to Work Day promotes a "clean commute" and kicks off Clean Commute Month
in the Baltimore region. May is the beginning of the ground-level ozone season,
when we hear about Code Red and Orange Ozone Action Days. On those days, the air
is dangerous to breathe - especially for the young and for the elderly. Single
occupancy vehicles produce 20% of the dangerous ozone-emission pollution in the
Baltimore area. Bike commuting can improve the air we breathe.
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Clean
Car Clinics |
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Motor vehicles are a significant source of the emissions that pollute our
region's air. Individual maintenance and driving habits can make a big
difference in how much a vehicle pollutes, so it is important to keep up with
basic preventive measures - ensuring fluids are changed regularly, engines are
tuned properly, worn belts are replaced, and tires are inflated to the correct
pressure. These are simple things to accomplish, but they are often overlooked.
The Maryland Department of the Environment, the Baltimore Metropolitan
Council and Precision Tune Auto Care have teamed up to offer Clean Cars for
Clean Air Clinics. The Clinics provide an opportunity for motorists to have
their vehicles inspected for free by Precision Tune Auto Care technicians, and
learn simple ways to maintain their vehicles to keep them running cleanly, while
optimizing fuel use, minimizing repair costs, and extending vehicle operating
life.
The program kicked-off on Earth Day, April 22, at Towson University. Watch
for more clinics being held in May! Contact Russ Ulrich at
rulrich@baltometro.org for more information on the program.
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Clean
Car Bill Passed |
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On April 24, Governor O'Malley signed the Maryland Clean Car Bill into law.
This law requires the state to adopt California emissions standards for
automobiles which are stricter than the federal standards. Additionally, lower
carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas, will be required. Nine other states
around the country have also adopted the California standards.
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Maryland
Joins the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative |
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On April 20, the Governor signed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a
multi-state cap-and-trade program in the Northeast United States, used to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. This program will reportedly reduce
carbon dioxide emissions in Maryland by around 10 percent, by 2019.
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Climate
Change Commission Established for Maryland |
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Also on April 20, Governor O'Malley issued an Executive Order to create the
Climate Change Commission. The Commission will be asked to look at how to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions as well as how to prepare for the impacts of climate
change.
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Open for
Public Review: First Draft FY2008-2012 Baltimore Region
TIP |
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The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board has released a first draft list
of projects submitted for the FY 2008-2012 Transportation Improvement Program.
The TIP is a list of transportation priorities and projects that are requesting
federal funding over the next 5 years.
The full list of proposed projects can be viewed in our online database at:
bmc.baltometro.org/tips_web. A public review and comment period will be held
from April 27 to May 29, 2007. Please submit all comments in writing to the
address below or online using our public comment form.
Please send all comments to: The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board,
2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21224, by fax to
410-732-8248, or by e- mail to mhaines@baltometro.org. All comments must be
received by 4:30 p.m. on May 29, 2007.
For more information contact Tyson Byrne at tbyrne@baltometro.org or
410-732-0500 x1048.
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