Hogan Signs Bills To Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Expand Open Space

"Maryland must sharply reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and restore funding to preserve open space as a result of two bills that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) signed into law Monday. ...

The environmental bill, which takes effect Oct. 1, reauthorizes and sets new targets for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, a landmark bill passed in 2009 that required Maryland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 2006 levels by 2020. The new target is to slash emissions to 40 percent below 2006 levels by 2030. ...

The legislation for preserving the state’s open space includes a requirement that Hogan increase the amount of grant money that is provided to Baltimore City for parks. Instead of spending $4.5 million over the next three years, the bill allocates $10.5 million to parks in Baltimore over the next three fiscal years."

Ovetta Wiggins and Josh Hicks report for the Washington Post April 4, 2016.