Maryland has an area of 12,407 sq. mi. (32,134 sq. km.), with inland water making up 680 sq. mi. (1,761 sq. km.) and coastal water making up 1,843 sq. mi. (4,773 sq. km.). Maryland’s average elevation is 350 ft. (107 m.) above sea level, with a range in elevation from sea level on the Atlantic Ocean, to 3,360 ft. (1,024 sq. km.) at Backbone Mountain. Chesapeake Bay is an estuary (were salt water and fresh water meet). The Chesapeake region is a flat coastal plain, and the western edge has the Appalachian Mountains. The Chesapeake Bay divides Maryland in half. Maryland’s three major land regions are the Appalachian Mountains, the Piedmont Plateau, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
The climate of Maryland is characterized by generally hot, humid summers and cool winters. In comparison with the eastern shore and other lowland areas, the upland sections in the west have colder and longer winters, and cooler and shorter summers. Baltimore’s average annual temperature is about 55 degrees F (13 degrees C), with an average January temperature of 32 degrees F (0 degrees C), and an average July temperature of 76 degrees F (24 degrees C). The highest temperature recorded in the state was 109 degrees F (43 degrees C) on July 10, 1936 and the lowest temperature recorded in the state was minus 40 degrees F (minus 40 degrees C) on January 13, 1912. The average annual precipitation is 43 in. (109 cm.). The Atlantic Coastal Plain, warmed by the Gulf Stream, has a high humidity, with the majority of precipitation in the form of rain. Winter snowfall potential in the Appalachian Mountain region is 80 in. (203 cm.), but in the Piedmont Plateau it is only 10 in (25 cm.).
Tobacco is grown in the southern region. Much of the state grows corn, especially the Piedmont region. Soybeans are grown in the eastern region along with peaches, strawberries, and melons. Maryland’s economy also relies on livestock and poultry, greenhouse products, and dairies. Manufacturing includes chemicals and scientific instruments, and mining is primarily for crushed stone.
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Maryland has already experienced rising sea levels (7 in. or 18 cm. per century in Baltimore) and beach erosion. Climate models vary on temperature increases for Maryland, from 1-7 degrees F (1.8-12.6 degrees C) in spring, and from 2-9 degrees F (3.6-16.2 degrees C)in summer, autumn, and winter by the end of the century. Potential risks include rising sea levels (affecting barrier islands, developed ocean front, the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay with freshwater and salt marshes, causing flooding, loss of coastal wetlands, beach erosion, saltwater contamination of drinking water, and damage/decreasing stability of low-lying property and infrastructure), decreased water supplies, population displacement, changes in food production with agriculture improving in cooler climates and declining in warmer climates, and change in rain pattern to downpours with the potential for flash flooding and health risks of certain infectious diseases from water contamination or disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and rodents. Warmer temperatures can cause heat-related illnesses and lead to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution, causing respiratory illnesses (diminished lung function, asthma and respiratory inflammation), especially in cities with smog, like Baltimore and the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
HUMAN-INDUCED CONTRIBUTIONS
Based on energy consumption data from the Energy Information Administration, Maryland’s total carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion in million metric tons for 2004 was 81.36, made up of contributions by source from: commercial, 5.00; industrial, 7.80; residential, 7.13; transportation, 31.01; and electric power, 30.42. Maryland passed legislation to join the New England and some mid-Atlantic states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a mandatory cap-and-trade program. Carbon emissions from power plants will be capped at current level, 2009-15, and will be incrementally reduced by 10 percent before 2019.
The governor of Maryland established the Climate Change Commission (MCCC) on April 20, 2007 by executive order. The commission is made up of members of the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration, and others affected by potential initiatives (such as businesses and energy providers) to assess climate change impact, develop a strategy for greenhouse gas and carbon footprint reduction, and recommend actions for reducing vulnerability to risks associated with climate change. Maryland joined the Climate Registry, a voluntary national initiative to track, verify, and report greenhouse gas emissions, with acceptance of data from state agencies, corporations, and educational institutions beginning in January of 2008.
Maryland provides tax credits for commercial developers meeting certain energy-efficiency standards, for generating and selling electricity from biomass, and for purchasing electric or hybrid vehicles. Additional legislation new in 2007 includes the Maryland Clean Cars Act, requiring stronger emissions regulations. The Maryland Green Council is tasked with advising policy makers on using environmentally friendly technology in future construction projects, and the Storm-water Management Act of 2007 will improve management of storm water runoff. On a local level, the city of Annapolis has created several environmental initiatives, including a commitment to replace the city vehicle fleet and public transit vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles and to search for renewable energy options.
The University of Maryland is setting an example for public and private sectors; the president of the university joined other college presidents and chancellors around the country in taking a community leadership role in minimizing global warming emissions. In addition to the Center for Integrative Environmental Research, the university is assisting regionally in understanding the complex challenges of global warming and developing information and research to supply to policy makers like the MCCC for creating strategies to mitigate global warming.
