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Sayings
In the January 20 address marking the inauguration of his second term as Maryland's Governor, Parris N. Glendening included these remarks:
"We have been the keepers of the Chesapeake Bay, the defenders of the rivers and streams against toxic Pfiesteria, the opponents of sprawl brought about by overdevelopment and the protectors of open spaces and clean air. And I say to you now: We have only just begun.
"We reject the excuse that we have to abuse the environment in order to grow the economy. Lasting prosperity does not come from pollution. Rather, our prosperity depends on the natural wonders that have been and will be our greatest resource. Let every special interest know that this common interest of ours is not for sale! We are not owners but the stewards of the world that God made, and we are determined to pass it on better than we found it.
"Just as we must carefully plan for and invest in our capital infrastructure—our roads, our bridges and water lines—we must also invest in our environment, our green infrastructure—our forests, our wetlands, our streams and our rivers. And just as we carefully plan for and invest in the human infrastructure—education, health services, care for the elderly and disabled—we must also invest in our green infrastructure. At the dawn of the 21 st century, let us act with foresight and without favoritism, so that our grandchildren's grandchildren can breathe clean air, sail and fish the wonderfully alive Chesapeake Bay and see the best of this land preserved from the mountains to the shore. Let this be the beginning of Maryland's century of the environment." |
