Governor Ehrlich Announces Urban Canopy and Hybrid Bus Initiative
Governor Ehrlich Announces Urban Canopy and Hybrid Bus Initiative
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. announced today two environmental initiatives to improve air quality in Maryland, a $300,000 urban canopy initiative for local governments and the introduction of electric-diesel hybrid buses into the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) fleet. The $300,000 for urban tree canopies restores funding cuts by the Maryland General Assembly in the 2006 legislative session. These initiatives will help reduce emissions from MTA buses while absorbing carbon dioxide gases by planting trees in urban areas. Both programs build upon the landmark Clean Air initiative Governor Ehrlich signed into law earlier this month.
Urban Canopy Initiative: Governor Ehrlich announced that The Chesapeake Bay Trust, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has created the Community Greening Initiative Grant Program. The $300,000 grant program will aid communities in Maryland by providing funding for the implementation of "greening" plans that increase forest canopy, reduce storm water runoff, improve air quality, and enhance the quality of life in urban areas.
"We have already developed an Urban Tree Canopy plan for Annapolis, Baltimore City and Cumberland," said Governor Ehrlich. "The Chesapeake Bay Trust deserves great credit for helping restore the General Assembly's funding cuts so that these plans can be implemented. Our canopy initiative will help make Maryland a healthier place to live."
"The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to fund this new grant initiative to help increase green space in our urban communities," explained David J. O'Neill, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. "This new program will provide catalyst funding to help communities achieve adopted greening and urban tree canopy goals that benefit neighborhoods and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay."
The program will award grants of up to $50,000 to local governments and/or non-profit organizations working in cooperation with local governments for on-the-ground restoration activities that support the implementation of an adopted plan to green communities in Maryland. In addition, direct technical assistance will be provided to assist grantees in the development and implementation of urban tree canopy plans.
Expanding the green spaces in urban areas is important to protecting and restoring the health of local streams and rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. According to the USDA Forest Service and the Chesapeake Bay Program, by increasing urban tree cover and expanding the green areas in urban places, storm water runoff and stream channel erosion can be reduced, water and soil quality can be improved, air borne pollutants such as particulates, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide can be filtered, and summer temperatures and resulting ozone pollution and energy use can be reduced.
Furthermore, greening urban areas is a cost effective conservation practice that has clear economic benefits. According to a study by American Forests, tree cover in the Baltimore-Washington area declined by 14 percent between 1973 and 1997. The cost to construct storm water treatment practices to intercept the polluted water runoff created by this loss is estimated at more than $1 billion. Studies show that urban trees, green space, and parks play an important role in providing a higher quality of life to urban residents and enhance local economic development opportunities.
Local governments interested in applying for the new grants should contact the Chesapeake Bay Trust at (410) 974-2941 or visit www.chesapeakebaytrust.org.
Hybrid MTA Buses: Demonstrating his ongoing commitment to improve Maryland's environment and strengthen the State's transportation network, Governor Ehrlich arrived at today's event at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center aboard one of ten new electric-diesel hybrid buses purchased by the Maryland Transit Administration.
The new buses will begin service in Baltimore this spring. Should they perform as expected, Governor Ehrlich announced he will direct the MTA to purchase an additional 300 hybrid buses over the next six years so that roughly half the MTA bus fleet will be hybrids by 2012.
"By converting half of the MTA bus fleet to electric-diesel hybrids, we can strengthen Maryland's leadership role in improving air quality by providing a safe, reliable and cleaner alternative for the hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who rely on our local bus service everyday," said Governor Ehrlich.
Benefits of the electric-diesel hybrid buses include up to a 20 percent increase in fuel economy and up to a 90 percent reduction in particulate matter as compared to standard diesel engines. The hybrid buses also have been shown to improve bus performance and passenger comfort by providing a quieter and smoother ride.
http://www.governor.maryland.gov/pressreleases/2006/UrbanCanopyInitiative.html