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Montgomery County (web | news) , Md. - With Maryland expected to grow by another one million people in the next 25 years, Governor Martin O'Malley unveiled a series of initiatives designed to protect the land and its resources.

The governor along with the task force on the future for growth and development released their year-long report. The 98 page report focuses on sustainable growth for the state and offers more than 50 recommendations. Already, O'Malley took action on six of those recommendations by creating 6 bills that would direct Maryland in the right path for a sustainable future and protecting the state's natural resources.

The diverse task force, made up of state and local lawmakers and citizens, focused on protecting Maryland so future generations will benefit from everything the state has to offer. "Montgomery County for example has taken a third of its area and has made it off limits to sprawled development, preserved it as an agricultural area. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Maryland could make the same kind of commitment," said Derick Berlage, task force member.

Task members recommended all land use decisions conformed to the overall comprehensive plan, develop actual measures of sustainable growth and reauthorize the historic tax credit program. "The effect of the tax credit that allows historic renovations to go forward that otherwise go forward has an incredible multiplying affect returning four or five times the economic benefit to the state that the credit itself costs," said Jon Laria, task force chair.

Despite the tough economy, O'Malley says he has been able to set aside money for the past two years to protect more than 1,600 acres of land in the state. "That's four times as much as we're protected in the comparable period of time of our predecessors. That's progress and we're going to continue to make it even in these tough times," said O'Malley.

With 20% of land I n Maryland already protected, O'Malley says what they do with the remaining land will have an impact on the state's future. "We haven't located jobs, housing, and transportation systems in a way that in a way that is super efficient. We have to do that in the future because we're going to add more people and more jobs, and that's good, but that congestion is going to get worse and the quality of life is going to go down," said O'Malley.

The work of the task force isn't complete yet. They will take part in legislative sessions and will continue to make additional recommendations before it dissolves in December 2010.

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