Governador de Maryland, Martin O'Malley, estará em Niterói na quinta

Delegação do Rio de Janeiro reúne-se em Annapolis (MD) com o governador de Maryland, Martin O'Malley, para debater a cooperação entre a Baía de Guanabara e a Baía de Chesapeake. Julho de 2013.

O governador do estado americano de Maryland, Martin O'Malley, estará em Niterói na próxima quinta feira, dia 05 de dezembro. Amanhã, quarta feira (04 de dezembro), O'Malley assina um acordo de parceria com o governador Sérgio Cabral para cooperação e intercâmbio de experiências na despoluição entre a Baía de Chesapeake e a Baía de Guanabara.

As duas baías iniciaram os trabalhos de despoluição na mesma época (início da década de 1990) embora tenham tido pontos de partida bem diferentes. No caso da Baía de Chesapeake, as prioridades foram as fontes não-pontuais de poluição: microdrenagem (águas pluviais e de enxurrada), fertilizantes das áreas agrícolas, etc. No caso da Baía de Guanabara, a nossa prioridade inicial foi a coleta e tratamento de esgoto, destino para o lixo e o controle da poluição industrial. Ou seja, em outras palavras, na Guanabara, tivemos que priorizar a solução de problemas do século XIX.

Em Niterói, o governador O'Malley vai se reunir com os prefeitos e secretários de meio ambiente de todos os municípios da bacia hidrográfica da Baía de Guanabara, para compartilhar o modelo de gestão adotado na Baía de Chesapeake, que tem como base as ações locais.

Também em Niterói, o governador comemorará os 50 anos da parceria entre os estados do Rio de Janeiro e Maryland promovido pela organização Companheiros das Américas. Por coincidência, o almoço que selou a parceria entre RJ e Maryland ocorreu no restaurante que funcionava, onde hoje é a sede do Projeto Grael. Portanto, teremos a honra de receber o governador de Maryland na sede do Projeto Grael.

Maryland é um estado com reconhecida tradição de pioneirismo e vanguarda nas políticas ambientais. Para que se tenha uma ideia dos avanços daquele estado nos temas ambientais, reproduzimos duas notícias recentes de políticas públicas adotadas em Maryland.

• Estado de Maryland cria incentivo fiscal para quem plantar ou proteger florestas
• Município de Maryland aprova legislação para que todo prédio público tenha eficiência energética

Além da gestão das baías, a cooperação entre os estados do RJ e MD abrange também as áreas da cultura, saúde, esporte, educação, gestão de parques, ciência e tecnologia, urbanismo, saneamento, negócios, etc.

Axel Grael


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Maryland Rewards Citizens for Forest Stewardship

Maryland is implementing a really impressive law - the first in the country to reward people for being stewards of forests.

The Forest Preservation Act of 2013, now in effect, requires the state to stay at or above its current tree canopy of 40%. This will benefit the state in so many ways, such as creating and protecting habitat, improving the water quality of Chesapeake Bay and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions.

Imagine being able to get a tax deduction for converting your lawn into forest and for many other crucial stewardship activities - planting trees, creating and maintaining forested stream buffers, controlling invasive species, and other best management practices. 

Citizens with as little as 3 acres of land and up to 1000 acres can deduct these forestry expenses from their taxes.

Local governments get help maintaining forests through a statewide forest resource inventory conducted at least every five years. State foresters will help both private and public landowners improve their management of forests.

"Climate disruption is real," says Governor O'Malley. "If we want to stabilize climate, safeguard human health and protect the future of our planet we must act today to ensure our forests are healthy and abundant for the generations of tomorrow."

The new law will enhance forestland and the urban tree canopy, improving air and water quality, flood control, moderating climate, adding to Maryland's natural areas and its beauty, while also  increasing property values. 

Under Governor O'Malley's leadership, Maryland has become a national leader in forest conservation. Over the past four years, citizens have planted more than 100,000 trees through his Marylanders Plant Trees program, and inmates have planted more than a million trees on public lands through the Forest Brigade. More than 200,000 acres of Maryland State forest have received dual sustainable forestry certification.

Part of Maryland's Climate Plan

The legislation is part of Maryland's stellar Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan released this summer. It also includes targets to create a zero-waste state through expanded recycling and composting (preventing food waste from converting into methane in landfills), double transit ridership by 2020, and increases the renewable energy used in the state.

Maryland's goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 (from 2006 levels). The Plan raises the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard to 25% by 2020 (from 18%).
It also sets a goal of cutting electricity demand 15% by 2015 through the state's EmPOWER program.

And it does something few states do - it connects the dots between recycling and climate change. While recycling levels have plateaued across much of the US, Maryland raised the target to 60% (current levels of recycling are an impressive 45%). 

In all, more than 150 programs are included in Maryland's Greenhouse Gas Reduction plan, including The Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, passed earlier this year - the first state to pass legislation that subsidizes offshore wind.

The state participates in the Northeast cap-and-trade program (RGGI) and is one of 8 states that just signed a pact to get more electric cars on the road. It also ranks among the top states for installed solar.
Here is Maryland's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan:


Website: http://climatechange.maryland.gov/publications/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-act-plan/

Fonte: Sustainable Business

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Maryland County Requires Buildings to Install Renewable Energy

SustainableBusiness.com News

A Maryland county has passed a precedent-setting clean energy bill - it could be the first in the US to require all government buildings to run on renewable energy.

That is, when a county building is renovated (50% or more of gross floor area) or newly built, renewable energy must be integrated into the design. 

Prince George County Council unanimously approved the bill. The legislation requires the county to budget an additional 2% in construction costs for every building to pay for a renewable energy installation. Every building must have 1 kilowatt of clean energy for every 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.

They define renewable energy as solar, wind or geothermal.

The county is part of the Baltimore - Washington DC metro area and is home to about 860,000 people.

"I am thrilled the Council has adopted one of the most ambitious policies for clean energy on public buildings in the country," says Council Member Mary Lehman, who proposed the measure. "This bill will spur clean energy jobs for our workforce, energy savings for our taxpayers, and a cleaner environment for our children."

The local Sierra Club chapter and Chesapeake Climate Action Network worked with Lehman on the bill. Another goal is to raise Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard to require 40% renewable energy by 2025, even stronger than California's 33% standard.

Maryland is on a tear right now, recently passing a series of progressive laws. Last month, the state passed the first law in the country that rewards people for being stewards of forests.

The legislation is part of Maryland's stellar Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan released this summer. Besides setting targets for greenhouse gas cuts, electric demand cuts and increased renewable energy, it includes targets to create a zero-waste state and to double transit ridership by 2020.

Fonte: Sustainable Business