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Co-Chairs Hon. Maggie McIntosh, Chair Delegate Senator Pam Beidle Hon. Kumar Barve, Chair Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo Senator Malcolm Augustine Appropriations Committee Delegate Environment and Transportations Committee Delegate House Office Building Members Delegate Annapolis, MD 21401 Delegate Carl Anderton Delegate Delegate Sandy Bartlett February 25, 2020 Delegate Regina Boyce Delegate Delegate Alice Cain Re: HB 1367 – Western Maryland MARC Rail Extension Study Delegate Al Carr Delegate Delegate Paul Corderman Delegate Brian Crosby Dear Chair McIntosh and Chair Barve: Delegate Delegate Debra Davis Delegate The purpose of this letter is to express the support of the Maryland Transit Caucus Delegate for HB 1367 - Western Maryland MARC Rail Extension Study. The Transit Senator Arthur Ellis Delegate Jessica Feldmark Caucus chose to not only endorse this legislation but to select this bill as one of Delegate Wanika Fisher Delegate Catherine Forbes our legislative priorities for the 2020 session. It is clear that residents in Western Delegate Jim Gilchrist Maryland need another option for commuting to and from work Delegate Senator Guy Guzzone Delegate The Western Maryland MARC Rail Extension Study would address this unmet Delegate Shelly Hettleman Delegate Terri Hill demand. We know that urban sprawl makes communities reliant on cars, degrades Delegate Delegate Carl Jackson the environment, and contributes to public health inequities. Possible MARC Senator expansion would make the region less automobile dependent, unlocking economic Delegate Delegate opportunity in an environmentally sustainable way. Delegate Ken Kerr Delegate Delegate Carol Krimm This bill would require the Maryland Department of Transportation to study the Senator Susan Lee Delegate Mary Lehman feasibility of expanding commuter rail service to Western Maryland via the Delegate MARC Train line and/or currently inactive rail lines. Delegate Delegate Delegate The Transit Caucus recognizes that not all areas of the state are equitably served Delegate Delegate Sara Love by public transit systems, and that Western Maryland is long overdue for more Delegate Senator Cory McCray effective transit connectivity with the greater Washington region. The Caucus Delegate Maggie McIntosh respectfully requests a favorable report for this legislation. Delegate Mike McKay Delegate Delegate Thank you for your consideration. Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk Delegate Delegate Kiril Reznik Senator Jim Rosapepe Delegate Delegate Stephanie Smith Delegate Jared Solomon Delegate Delegate Vaughn Stewart Delegate Jen Terrasa Delegate Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith Delegate Delegate Alonzo Washington Senator Mary Washington Delegate Courtney Watson Delegate Melissa Wells Delegate Delegate Nicole Willams Delegate Senator Ronald Young Senator Craig Zucker