MaryPIRG Foundation Joins Potential Lawsuit Against Mirant

MaryPIRG Foundation and three other organizations notified the Mirant Corporation in June of their intent to sue the company for illegal emissions of nitrogen oxide pollution at the Dickerson Power plant in Montgomery County. The violations that took place last winter involved nearly 500 tons of illegal emissions—the equivalent of what 40,000 SUVs would release in a year of driving.

Mirant agreed to reduce its emissions in exchange for a permit to construct a new power plant. However, as they develop the new plant, they have not met the terms of the agreement.

MaryPIRG Foundation, the Environmental Integrity Project, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network will decide this fall whether to proceed with the lawsuit.

The MaryPIRG Foundation litigation project is also part of a lawsuit against the U.S. EPA over proposed rules on mercury emissions. As part of the rules, the EPA has reclassified mercury so that it is not considered toxic. This allows them to grant energy companies more flexibility, but was done without scientific documentation.

Open Space Coalition Expands

Partners for Open Space now contains more than 130 organizations throughout Maryland and continues to expand. Recent additions include the Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust, Allegany Expeditions and Conservancy for Charles County.

In the past legislative session, the coalition had three successes—restoring $73 million that had been cut from Program Open Space, creating stronger guidelines for funding in future years, and ensuring that protected land is not sold without ample checks and balances.

Since 1969, Maryland’s land conservation programs have created 4,300 local parks, saved half a million acres of farmland, and saved 250,000 acres of wilderness areas. In the past two years, however, the state used only 41 percent of the land conservation money it collected for its intended purpose.

MaryPIRG and the coalition will continue to advocate an increase in land conservation funding in the coming legislative session.

Clean Energy Resolution Passes

CLEANER CARS FOR MARYLAND—MaryPIRG's Chris Fick generated extensive media coverage for the clean cars campaign.

Baltimore City Council has passed a resolution to develop a plan that includes getting 5 percent of the city’s power from renewable sources. MaryPIRG testified in support of the resolution and has been asked to join the workgroup that will develop the plan.

Because Baltimore is a member of a regional buying group, its decision may have a positive impact on electricity purchasing in Anne Arundel, Howard, Carroll and Harford counties.

At that state level, MaryPIRG is developing policy recommendations to increase support for solar power. Maryland lags far behind other states in the level of incentives offered for homes and businesses that install solar panels.

New Law on Identity Theft Takes Effect

A MaryPIRG-backed law to help victims of identity theft took effect on October 1.

The law requires police departments to take police reports for victims of identity theft, either in the county where the crime occurred or the county where the victim lives. This eliminates the common problem of victims getting shifted around to different jurisdictions without finding anyone to help them.

Another identity theft bill limiting the use of Social Security numbers will go into effect January 1. Over the next three years, companies will phase out the printing of Social Security numbers on ID cards and other documents.