Today, the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, which provides analysis of the budget and policy issues for the Maryland General Assembly issued its report on the proposed budget for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The full report, which is available here, suggests, among other proposed cuts, to eliminate all state spending on land conservation for the entirety of fiscal years 2026-2029. The report recommends diverting funding “for land preservation programs – POS State, POS Local, Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program, and Rural Legacy Program – to the General Fund.”
[A look at the positive impacts of Program Open Space since its creation in 1969]
In practice, this would not just eliminate funding for the state to purchase and protect land for state parks or forests. This recommendation could also potentially eliminate funding for:
- Program Open Space “Local” – funding counties and municipalities use to create local parks and pay for upgrades, playgrounds, ballfields, etc.
- Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program, and Rural Legacy Program – funding that supports the vast majority of agricultural easement programs in the state and which protect our most vulnerable and productive farmland.
- Maryland Heritage Areas – Although missing from the text of the DLS analysis, if the entirety of the Program Open Space transfer tax stateside funds were diverted, it could potentially curtail all spending on heritage tourism at a time when communities need to continue to invest in attracting new spending.
- DNR’s Natural Resources Development Fund – Additionally, while the proposed DLS recommendation suggests providing the Maryland Park Service $40 million annually to supplant existing (and diverted) funds, the recommendation is unclear on how it would address the funding routinely provided (25% of POS) to support DNR’s Natural Resources Development Fund which makes the operation of the agency, parks, and public lands possible.
How Big of a Problem Is This Recommendation?
In short, this is perhaps the most damaging recommendation for historic resources in parks, state public lands, and the long-term survival of Maryland’s rural, agricultural landscape in recent memory. No corner of the state would escape unscathed – from Baltimore City to Westernport – every locality in Maryland benefits from Program Open Space.
The budget deficit is causing every program, agency, and part of state government to do their part – but a $3 billion deficit cannot be made up by eliminating Program Open Space, nor should this program bear the burden at 100 percent of funding.
How to Stop These Recommendations?
Fortunately, the Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates and the Budget & Taxation Committee of the Senate can reject these cuts.
Contact your legislator (learn who they are here) and take action by calling or emailing them by simply telling them:
Please reject the DLS recommendation to eliminate funding for Program Open Space.
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Support our work and keep us on the ground in Annapolis speaking out on behalf of the policies that make preservation possible in Maryland.
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