Conservation News
25,000 acres marked for conservation
By Stephen Manning
Maryland plans to preserve nearly 25,000 acres of land under a proposal by outgoing Gov. Parris N. Glendening's administration, a $22 million deal coming in the last month of the governor's term that some lawmakers say the state can't afford.
The plan would be Maryland's second-largest conservation project, protecting forest and wetlands on the Eastern Shore and in Southern Maryland from development. State officials say it also creates $28 million each year from limited logging on most of the land.
The purchase would cap Mr. Glendening's extensive environmental record, a key part of the governor's agenda during his eight years in office.
But it first must be approved by the Board of Public Works, a three-member panel that includes the Democratic governor and his frequent critic, Comptroller William Donald Schaefer. The board will consider the proposal at its Dec. 18 meeting.
Some influential lawmakers have questioned whether Maryland can spend $22 million while facing a $1.2 billion deficit next year.
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