Testimony for the County Council: Bill 15-07, amending the Forest Conservation Act

Presented by Diane Hibino, president of the LWVMC - July 24, 2007

I am speaking to oppose Bill 15-07 to amend the Forest Conservation Act. The League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County have a long history of caring about the environment and promoting the protection and enhancement of natural resources. The League promotes an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest. Relevant to bill 15-07, we believe that it would not be in the public interest to reduce the reforestation and afforestation requirements of the Forest Conservation Act.

Of direct relevance in opposition to the bill is the League’s stance on global climate change:

Global climate change is one of the most serious threats to the environment, health, and economy of our nation. Recent scientific studies show that global warming is already causing environmental changes that will have significant global economic and social impacts.

The League believes that now is the time to act on global climate change. We can reduce global warming pollution by using existing technologies to make power plants and factories more efficient, make cars go farther on a gallon of gasoline, and shift to cleaner technologies. Cities, states and individuals are already adopting many of these solutions, which also reduce our dependence on oil, reduce air pollution, and protect pristine places from oil drilling and mining. State and local initiatives are proving that answers exist.

County positions

The positions that the county has recently taken that we applaud are the county's recent steps to encourage energy conservation and combat climate change and global warming.
In light of your votes on these vital matters, we view bill 15-07's proposed amendment of the Forest Conservation Act as problematic. It would be a step backward and counterproductive to the county's own goals regarding increasing energy conservation and decreasing global warming.

Purpose of bill 15-07

As you know, the aim of bill 15-07 is to lighten the responsibility of churches to live up to the forest conservation requirements of whatever zone they are in. Instead they would be moved into the "institutional" category that includes schools and governments and which requires less in the way of reforestation or afforestation (new, replacement trees on another site).

Effect of passage of the bill

Allowing churches to do this would decrease the amount of reforestation that the county badly needs to reduce the deficit in tree canopy in the county. Trees are remarkably helpful for the environment through cleaning the air and water, preventing soil erosion, and reducing carbon dioxide, the major contributor to global warming.

A more appropriate and productive position

It seems to us that it would be more logical for the county to choose to examine ways to increase the percentage of trees in all zones rather than passing a bill that would reduce forest conservation requirements. We look forward to a more comprehensive, productive, and appropriate set of amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, such as are currently being work shopped by both Council member Elrich and the MNCPPC.

Thank you for allowing us to speak today on this matter.