As 2023 comes to a close, I want to share some highlights from this year and how we are making Maryland a cleaner, greener, healthier state.
Back in June, we began the process of receiving input from the public to build our Climate Pollution Reduction Plan due to the governor and General Assembly at the end of this month. It creates a pathway to reach our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2031. We gathered the data, the science, and your ideas to come up with the best plan possible.
In October, we announced with Attorney General Anthony Brown one of the biggest environmental crime settlements in state history related to the Curtis Bay Energy special medical waste incinerator. The operator was fined $1 million for violations related to improper handling of medical waste and directed to pay $750,000 to communities surrounding the facility for environmental projects. Inspections continue at the facility, and we continue strictly enforce clean air, water and land regulations.
I was in Prince George’s County last month as they announced their plans to electrify their bus transit fleet, and boarded a boat as we toured the Anacostia River with local leaders and discussed our plans for restoring our beloved Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. It was great to see so much progress.
And speaking of the Bay, this summer Governor Moore announced a new approach to meeting our clean water goals. The multi-faceted program includes better coordination between state agencies, focusing water quality improvement projects in specific areas with the most potential to improve wildlife habitat and populations, and bolstering shorelines from rising sea levels.
We are just getting started. 2024 will be an even better year for our environment because we are working together to fight pollution and climate change. I am representing Maryland at the COP28 global climate conference to share our ideas on how to reach net zero emissions by 2045 and learn what strategies other governments are using.
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