Climate change soon could alter the rules regarding the
construction of state buildings and roads. New directives that
the Maryland Department of Natural Resources already is using
could influence how and where agencies build and manage
infrastructure, especially projects vulnerable to sea level
rise, DNR Secretary John R. Griffin told a congressional
committee Wednesday. Olivia Campbell, DNR's legislative
director, said a draft of proposed rules might go to Gov. Martin
O'Malley “in a couple of weeks” for him to consider issuing as
an executive order. The department, which Griffin said has been
working with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science since the early 1990s to research the impact of sea
level rise, is attempting to acquire “key pieces of land that
allow for the landward migration of wetlands,” according to a
written copy of testimony Griffin presented to the U.S. Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works. DNR is “shifting
away” from conserving land that is less than 2 fee