For Immediate Release: Friday, September 11, 2020
The T&E Committee will meet virtually on Monday, Sept. 14. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Committee review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Committee agendas can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity).
Meeting: Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee
Time: 2:30 p.m.
T&E Committee: Council Vice President Tom Hucker (Chair) and Councilmembers Evan Glass and Hans Riemer
Topics:
Bill 6-20, Solid Waste (Trash) - Release of Balloons
The T&E Committee will review Bill 6-20, Solid Waste (Trash) – Release of Balloons, which would generally prohibit the intentional release of balloons into the atmosphere. Council Vice President Tom Hucker is the lead sponsor. The bill includes the following exemptions: a balloon that is released unintentionally, a balloon that is released by a minor child without the permission of an adult, or a balloon released indoors. Moreover, balloons used for scientific or meteorological purposes are not covered by the legislation.
Bill 6-20 would require the Director of the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct public outreach and education regarding the prohibition against releasing balloons. Several jurisdictions, such as Queen Anne's County in Maryland, have adopted laws to restrict balloon releases in response to concerns about the environmental harm caused by balloons.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Program classification for the Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2022 Operating Budget
The T&E Committee also will review the program classification for the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Operating Budget. The Recommended FY21 Operating Budget aggregated many budget program categories into larger categories, which has made it difficult for the Council and the general public to track how the funding is intended to be spent.
As the County preparations for the FY22 Operating Budget begin, the Committee will review how the program funding will be displayed. Council staff has been working with staff in the Department of Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget to develop a revised way to display DOT’s budget that, if approved by the Committee, could be used as the basis for crafting the net budget.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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