Bill Positions

Bill Number: HB 1595

Bill Title: Intercounty Connector - Public Health Impacts from Air Pollution - Assessment

Bill Sponsor(s): Delegate Mizeur, et al.

Subject: Environment & Energy

Committee: ENV

Bill Summary: This bill prohibits the State and the Maryland Transportation Authority from expending specified funds for the Intercounty Connector until a specified assessment is completed; specifies parameters for the assessment; requires the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Environment jointly to create models and to quantify emissions, impacts, and risks, as specified; requiring an assessment of impacts, an analysis, publication of results, public hearings, public comments, and written responses, as specified; etc.

History: None

Chamber Position: Oppose

Position Summary: The Intercounty Connector has been studied for decades and is already under construction. In November 2007, the federal court denied attempts by environmental groups to stop construction of this important transportation project. ICC opponents raised the same arguments that form the basis of this legislation in their court challenge and those claims were found to be without merit. HB1595appears to be another attempt to stop progress on the ICC. Stopping construction at this time would result in millions of dollars in penalties from contractors already working on construction. For those reasons, the Maryland Chamber opposed HB 1595.

Position Statement: Click here to download a pdf version of the Maryland Chamber's position statement.

Chamber Staff: Allyson Black

General Assembly: Click here to view the bill on the Maryland General Assembly's website.