A memo from the new U.S. transportation secretary appears to threaten Maryland’s transportation projects, particularly those dealing with the effects of climate change or the expansion of electric vehicle equipment, but perhaps across the board.
The memo from Secretary Sean Duffy lists initial steps the USDOT will take to implement President Donald Trump’s executive orders on energy, climate change, diversity and gender.
The vast majority of Maryland’s transportation projects are reliant on federal funding.
Del. Marc Korman, a Democrat who chairs the House committee on transportation and the environment, called on the Maryland Department of Transportation and Attorney General Anthony Brown to review the recent memos, along with Trump’s executive orders, for compliance with federal law.
To Korman, the recent order appears to threaten the existence of at least two federal programs — one for carbon reduction and another for national electric vehicle infrastructure.
The two programs — which the state has relied on for building electric vehicle chargers and paying for transportation projects, including roadway safety in Korman’s district — are expected to contribute nearly $30 million for Maryland’s transportation budget next fiscal year.
Click here to read the rest of the story written by Jack Hogan over at The Daily Record
