The breaking news from the 16^th Annual Maryland Bike Symposium was more political than legislative or policy focused.

Del. Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore County), chair of the state’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus and a longtime member of state’s Green Caucus, confirmed what he’s long been openly mulling — that he will be a candidate to become Maryland’s next attorney general in 2014.

Cardin, of course, holds uncle Sen. Ben Cardin’s old seat. Montgomery County state Sen. Brain E. Frosh has previously announced he will run for attorney general in 2014. Current Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler is expected to be a leading contender for governor in 2014, along with Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

Coincidentally, Ulman, pictured above (right) with Race Pace Bicycles owner and Bike Maryland board president Alex Obriecht, delivered the keynote address at the symposium, hosted by Bike Maryland, and was received warmly by the bicycling community. Ulman, who initiated the Healthy Howard program to increase access to health care in the county, also created the Howard County Office of Environmental Sustainability and has supported efforts to expand safe bicycling in the county, including the development of the county’s first Bicycle Master Plan.

Legislatively, in terms of bicycling bills, there doesn’t seem to be much moving in Annapolis this session.

House Bill 445, which would’ve clarified and repealed an exemption to Maryland’s existing 3-foot passing law, received an unfavorable report in the Environmental Matters Committee in February.

Also, House Bill 339, a controversial mandatory helmet law for all bicyclists, introduced by Baltimore City Del. Maggie McIntosh — and opposed by most bicycling advocates because of studies showing that helmet requirements deter bicycling — appears likely to stall this year. Currently, only bicyclists under the age of 16 are required to wear a helmet at all times in Maryland.

Another topic of conversation among the alternative transportation advocates, if not directly addressed at the symposium, was need for a transportation revenue bill to help fund maintenance and new, light rail projects, such as the proposed Red Line, connecting Baltimore County and Baltimore City, and the proposed Purple Line, connecting Montgomery and Prince George’s County.

Maryland Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, profiled by Baltimore magazine in January, recently said he expects Gov. Martin O’Malley to offer a new transportation revenue bill soon.

Maryland’s bid to become the first state to build an offshore wind farm took a step forward this week when the House of Delegates approved a wind energy infrastructure bill.

If signed into law, the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 would help create about 40 wind turbines off Ocean City's coast, according to The Washington Post. The Post also notes that several states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Delaware, are currently working towards developing offshore wind programs. Maryland's proposal passed a second reading in the House of Delegates Wednesday.

Gov. Martin O’Malley is a strong advocate for the wind power legislation, which has failed twice in recent years in the General Assembly.

“Wind is one of Maryland’s two most abundant natural resources,” O'Malley said in a finance committee hearing on the proposal. “The U.S. Department of Energy estimates we could be generating 10,000 megawatts off the coast of our state alone. That’s enough energy to power every home in Maryland. This bill would get the ball rolling with 200 megawatts.”

Earlier this month, the House Economic Matters Committee passed the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 out of committee with a vote of 14 to 7.

The state Senate, where the bill failed last year, has not had its second reading on its companion bill. Senate President Mike Miller has said he supports the measure.

Most state house observers expect wind power legislation to pass both houses and be signed into law.

The wind power proposal could eventually cost rate payers up to an additional $1.50 a month and include a 1.5 percent rate increase for businesses starting in 2017, once turbines begin generating electricity — still years away. However, Del. John Olszewski Jr. in a recent Op-Ed said ultimately that cost of wind power will come down in relation to fossil fuels:

“Much has been made of what could be up to $1.50 a month to support these projects,” Olszewski wrote in a piece published on the Dundalk Patch website. “While many feel that the investment is worth the employment, health, and national security improvements alone, the truth is that this cost will be reduced over time as the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise.”

A Dundalk Democrat, Olszewski added that he believes an offshore wind energy program can create local jobs while providing clean energy, “improving our health, establishing long-term electric price stability, and keeping our air and water clean.”

Don’t put that Ray Lewis jersey away just yet. The Ravens’ Super Bowl celebration isn’t done.

The last-Friday-of-every-month Baltimore Bike Party’s February ride will be taking on a decidedly purple hue next weekend with a Ravens-themed ride honoring Charm City’s championship team. Bicyclists are encouraged to deck out their bikes and persons in everything purple and Ravens-related.

Per tradition, bicyclists will meet at Mount Vernon’s Washington Monument at 7 p.m., with the ride leaving promptly at 7:30 p.m. Post-ride festivities will be held at Federal Hill’s Little Havana. 

For newcomers, Baltimore Bike Party is a large, casual group ride “ through the streets of Baltimore celebrating bikes, Baltimore, and all things fun!”

The Baltimore Bike Party website can be found here. The Facebook page for the February ride can be found here. Kudos, by the way, to Ryan Dupre for creating this month's Ravens' Bike Party poster.

Hey, doesn’t Ray ride a bike?

The pic below is a shot of Ray outside's Hamden's Twenty20 Cycling shop. (Courtesy: Twenty20 Cycling's Facebook page)

Charm City can feel a little better about itself today. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) released its final recycling report for 2011 (not sure why the numbers lag a year) and Baltimore’s recycling rate has increased by almost a full percentage point — from 27.01 percent in 2010 to 27.89 percent in 2011.

Overall in the city, 203,809 tons of Maryland Recycling Act (MRA) recyclables — paper, plastics, glass, steel and aluminum cans among other items — were collected from residents, businesses and institutions, according to a press release Monday from the City Department of Public Works.  Only MRA recyclables are used in calculating the City’s recycling rate.

Additionally, Baltimore City recycled 252,191 tons of construction materials, oils and scrap metals — items not figured in calculating the city’s recycling rate.

Passed in 1988, the Maryland Recycling Act mandated a 15 percent recycling rate for counties with populations of less than 150,000 and 20 percent recycling rate for counties with a population greater than 150,000.

Last year, the General Assembly passed legislation mandating “that counties with a population less than 150,000 to recycle 20 percent of their waste while counties with a population greater than 150,000 must recycle 35 percent of their waste” by the end of 2015.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. recycling rates overall have been slowly increasing, but remain far below their potential. As of 2009, for example, San Francisco recycled 72 percent of its waste, according to one study.

To increase recycling, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works has begun the “Drive to 35” campaign.

As part of that promoting that effort, the Department of Public Works will host an art exhibition, Salvage, from March 22 to May 22, at the Baltimore Public Works Museum at 751 Eastern Ave.