Information shared from Howard County Councilmember Liz Walsh on December 14th:

VETOED. We got word earlier today that County Executive Calvin Ball has vetoed this forest conservation bill pending since July, with four out of five Council votes—Chair Opel Jones, Councilwoman Christiana Rigby and Councilmember Deb Jung, plus me—in its favor.

Thank you to everyone who near unanimously testified in support of CB56 and CB78—the Audubon Society of Central Maryland, Clean Water Action Maryland, Sierra Club Howard County, Howard County Citizens Association, IndivisibleHoCoMD, Progressive Democrats of Howard County, Preservation Maryland, Maryland LCV, Maryland Ornithological Society, Patapsco Valley, Safe Skies Maryland, Savage Community Association, The People’s Voice, TransitionHoCo, Howard County Bird Club, Maryland Preservation Council, and all the many, many individual constituents who wrote in and testified in July, August, September and October of this year.

We will keep you posted on the override.

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Another interesting fact about this VETO by County Executive Ball (via Twitter from Councilmember Walsh):

“Third veto of a D1 bill by this Administration, if you’re keeping count.”

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Here is the previous update on December 10th from Councilmember Walsh:

Monday night — by 4-1 vote — #HoCoMd’s County Council passed CB78: https://apps.howardcountymd.gov/olis/LegislationDetail.aspx?LegislationID=12873&fbclid=IwAR3IKj38Lb6BBva3r-_CssubAYemZqf8uU4ZG9vtBG3LytIoaZ5yHw4f6vc, f/k/a CB56: https://apps.howardcountymd.gov/olis/LegislationDetail.aspx?LegislationID=12814&fbclid=IwAR1VGnOBQWJeZ3YkAUCxpfHKNDVqi3nJ-6HmQb-ulBL4i0POt2uiJelQufk

61 days from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s signing, this bill adds to our local forest conservation law highest-priority status to 24”-diameter (down from 30”).✨

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The VETO override vote SHOULD not be an issue (as the vote was 4 to 1)…that is unless one of the Councilmembers changes their mind. This will be one to watch play out.

Scott E