On Tuesday, April 29, the Baltimore County Council is holding a public hearing on next year's County budget. How is the County spending your money? Is the City investing enough in clean water, clean air, healthy communities, and Zero Waste? Speak out at the County Council budget hearing to share your budget priorities!
County Executive Klausmeier has introduced a proposed budget (read it here) and the County Council will be holding a series of workshops and hearings in April and May before they vote on the budget on May 22 (see the schedule here). This public hearing is your first chance to tell the County Council what you think they should prioritize in spending your money.
At Clean Water Action, we're looking at the Solid Waste Management budget. Baltimore County currently sends much of its waste to the BRESCO incinerator in Baltimore City, a significant source of health-harming air emissions and greenhouse gasses. A few years ago, the incinerator even sued Baltimore County for not sending it enough trash, something the County's current contract with the incinerator would allow to happen again! Community leaders in Baltimore City have filed a Civil Rights Act complaint against the City government for its use of the incinerator, and Maryland's General Assembly just finally declared that trash incineration is no longer considered renewable energy. Incineration is not a good solution for our waste, and it's not in Maryland's future.
Trash from Baltimore County is almost half of the waste burned at BRESCO, and Baltimore County's current contract to send trash there ends in September 2026. Will Baltimore County renew it? Is Baltimore County ready with Zero Waste alternatives to manage its trash? Is the County investing enough in waste reduction, recycling, and composting?
Speak out at the County Council's budget hearing for these priorities and more! Sign up here, and we'll follow up to support you signing up to testify and developing your testimony.
