ENVIRONMENT

My first major legislation after being elected to County Council extended a 200 foot no-build buffer along the entire length of the C&O Canal in Montgomery County, protecting the hillsides and view of this natural and manmade wonder from encroachment by new construction.  I also worked closely with fellow councilmember Roger Berliner on his ground-breaking environmental legislation designed to attack global warming on several fronts. We are working to produce a forest conservation bill that will move the County closer to a policy of no-net-loss of forest cover. I am working to support appropriate land use and adequate public transportation which protect the environment.

Much remains to be done. As the county moves toward full build-out and higher densities along our transit corridors, we must keep a watchful eye on the environmental impacts of existing and future development.  I am closely monitoring the following issues:

The Agricultural Reserve  This year, Montgomery County celebrates the 30th anniversary of its unique preservation program for 93,000 acres of agricultural land in the northern and western parts of the county. Home to almost 1,000 farms and horticultural enterprises, the Ag Reserve provides fresh local produce for thousands of county residents, preserves habitat and historic areas, offers recreational and scenic opportunities, and serves as a “green lung” that cools and cleans the air, protects our drinking water supply, and contributes to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. But protecting this resource requires vigilance. Some continue to view it as a “holding ground” for future development and industrial or institutional uses. Others seek ways to misuse county policies to facilitate non-agricultural development. Although deemed off-limits to requests for water and sewer extensions, the Ag Reserve faces continuing threats from sand-mound alternatives to traditional septic systems and from private institutional uses seeking exceptions to the no-extension policy. Another major threat comes from Virginia, which continues to push for a Potomac River bridge crossing and highway that would bisect the Ag Reserve. I am committed to protecting the Ag Reserve's natural resources and vital farmland.

Clarksburg’s Ten Mile Creek  The 1994 Clarksburg Master Plan included a controversial provision allowing significantly increased densities in the Ten Mile Creek watershed, an extremely high-quality fragile stream system that feeds into our drinking water supply. However, the plan also calls for a pause that gives the County Council a chance to assess the impacts of development from the first stages of build-out and make adjustments to land use if necessary to protect the health of the stream. I am looking forward to receiving recommendations from an Ad Hoc Work Group convened to assess the status of the stream system and make recommendations for next steps. I am hopeful that we can find a way to create a viable Clarksburg community without sacrificing the viability of Ten Mile Creek.