A red-letter day for the environment

Governor makes environmental rules law with the stroke of a pen

O’Malley also signed bills to prohibit the commercial harvesting of diamondback terrapins, require stricter stormwater management guidelines and replenish the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster habitat, three other signature environmental measures that gained approval during this year’s legislative session. The bill signing coincided with Chesapeake Bay Week and a series of appearances by O’Malley designed to promote the environment.

‘‘At the end of the day, I don’t think there is another issue that more underscores the common good and our shared future together and our shared responsibility than the environment,” said O’Malley, who was flanked by Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and House Speaker Michael E. Busch.

O’Malley joked that the bills received less visibility because of the General Assembly’s consensus toward the environment

‘‘Some of the things happened with so little controversy, without the need for a divisive debate and a veto and a veto override that I don’t think they got as much attention as they otherwise would have,” he said, making a veiled reference to the dozens of bills vetoed by his predecessor, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). ‘‘So I’m inclined to veto all of these just so we can go back and vote for all of them again because they felt so good.”

Environmental advocates heralded the bill signings as a first step in preserving the state’s natural resources.

‘‘It’s a great day for the environment,” said Cindy Schwartz, executive director for the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. ‘‘Overall, we think it’s just a harbinger of things to come.”

The clean cars proposal generated some opposition from Republicans who questioned ceding the state’s sovereignty to a regulatory panel in California who sets the emissions standards. They also argued that it could cost thousands of dollars more to buy a car and hurt automobile dealers located near the border of states who do not adhere to the California guidelines.

Other environmental-related legislation signed Tuesday were bills that will increase the production of solar energy and streamline the public approval process for wind generating stations.

Another bill among the 174 that became law Tuesday will allow any convicted felons who have completed their sentence to regain their voting rights. Proponents say the law will help rehabilitated criminals become productive members of society, while opponents say the loss of voting rights should be a life penalty.

‘‘We think that voting is a right that you’re granted automatically,” said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market. ‘‘Being convicted of a felony is one of those things that removes those rights.”

List of new laws

Go to www.mlis.state.md.us⁄2007rs⁄Signings⁄index.pdf