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Intentional鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宺eleases鈥 鈥宑ould鈥 鈥宐e鈥 鈥宐anned鈥 鈥宎cross鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宻tate, 鈥宨f鈥 鈥宐ipartisan-supported鈥 鈥宭egislation鈥 鈥宼hat鈥 鈥宖ollows鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥 model鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宻everal鈥 鈥孧aryland鈥 鈥宑ounties鈥 鈥宨s鈥 鈥宎dopted鈥 鈥宒uring鈥 鈥宼his鈥 鈥 year鈥檚鈥 鈥孏eneral鈥 鈥孉ssembly鈥 鈥宻ession. 鈥
The鈥 鈥宧ealth鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宲lanet鈥 鈥宒epends鈥 鈥宱n鈥 鈥宨t, 鈥 鈥宎dvocates鈥 said鈥 鈥孴hursday. 鈥
鈥淚n鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宐est-case鈥 鈥宻cenario, 鈥 鈥宨t鈥檚鈥 鈥宭itter, 鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥寃orst鈥 鈥宑ase, 鈥 鈥宨t鈥 鈥宬ills鈥 鈥寃ildlife,鈥 鈥 鈥孡aura鈥 鈥孊ankey, 鈥 鈥寁ice鈥 鈥宲resident鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宑onservation鈥 鈥宎t鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孨ational鈥 鈥孉quarium, 鈥 鈥宼estified鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孲enate鈥 鈥孍ducation, 鈥 鈥孒ealth鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥孍nvironmental鈥 鈥孉ffairs鈥 鈥孋ommittee鈥. 鈥
Bankey鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥宐irds, 鈥 鈥宲onies, 鈥 鈥宼urtles, 鈥 鈥宒olphins, 鈥 鈥宖ish鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥宑ountless鈥 鈥宱ther鈥 鈥宎nimals鈥 often鈥 鈥宮istake鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥宖ood. 鈥
And鈥 鈥宻oft鈥 鈥宲lastics鈥 鈥宎re鈥 鈥宮uch鈥 鈥宮ore鈥 鈥宭ikely鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宑ause鈥 鈥宒eath鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宎nimals鈥 鈥宼han鈥 鈥宱ther鈥 鈥宒ebris, 鈥 鈥宎s鈥 鈥宼hey鈥 鈥宑an鈥 鈥宐lock鈥 鈥宎n鈥 鈥宎nimal鈥檚鈥 鈥宒igestive鈥 鈥宼ract, 鈥 鈥孊ankey鈥 鈥宻aid. 鈥
Senate鈥 鈥孊ill鈥 鈥28鈥屸 鈥寃ould鈥 鈥宔nact鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宑ivil鈥 鈥宖ine鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥寀p鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥$250鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥寁iolators, 鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥寃ould鈥 鈥宐e鈥 鈥宮onitored鈥 鈥宐y鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孧aryland鈥 鈥孌epartment鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孍nvironment鈥 鈥宎s鈥 鈥寃ell鈥 鈥宎s鈥 鈥宭ocal鈥 鈥宭aw鈥 鈥宔nforcement agencies. 鈥
鈥淭he鈥 鈥宐ill鈥 鈥宨s鈥 鈥宯ot鈥 鈥宐eing鈥 鈥宎dvanced鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宲rosecute鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥7-year-old鈥 鈥宼hat鈥 鈥宎ccidentally鈥 鈥宭ets鈥 鈥実o鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宎t鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宐irthday鈥 鈥宲arty,鈥 鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥孞ay鈥 鈥孎alstad, 鈥 鈥宔xecutive鈥 鈥宒irector鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥孮ueen鈥 鈥孉nne鈥檚鈥 鈥孋onservation鈥 鈥孉ssociation. 鈥 鈥屸淚t鈥檚鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥宨ntentional鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宺eleases.鈥濃
This鈥 鈥宨ncludes鈥 鈥宑elebrations, 鈥 鈥宖unerals, 鈥 鈥実raduations鈥 鈥宱r鈥 鈥宎ny鈥 鈥宱ther鈥 鈥宔vent鈥 鈥寃here鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宮ight鈥 鈥宐e鈥 released鈥 鈥宨ntentionally. 鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚鈥 鈥宎kin鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宮ass鈥 鈥宭ittering,鈥 鈥 鈥孎alstad鈥 鈥宻aid. 鈥 鈥屸淏ut鈥 鈥宲eople鈥 鈥宒on鈥檛鈥 鈥宼hink鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宨t鈥 鈥宼hat鈥 鈥寃ay.鈥濃
Falstad鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥宧e鈥 鈥宖irst鈥 鈥宐ecame鈥 鈥宎ware鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宎mount鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥寃aste鈥 鈥寃hen鈥 鈥宧e鈥 鈥宖ound鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宑luster鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥寃hile鈥 鈥宑anoeing鈥 鈥宯ear鈥 鈥宧is鈥 鈥宧ome鈥 鈥宱n鈥 鈥孶nicorn鈥 鈥孡ake. 鈥 鈥學hen鈥 鈥孎alstad鈥 鈥宑alled鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宲hone鈥 鈥宯umber鈥 鈥寃ritten鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宲en鈥 鈥宱n鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宐alloons, 鈥 鈥宧e鈥 鈥
learned鈥 鈥宼hat鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宧ad鈥 鈥宼raveled鈥 鈥宯early鈥 鈥500鈥 鈥宮iles, 鈥 鈥宖rom鈥 鈥孌ayton, 鈥 鈥孫hio, 鈥 鈥宱ver鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宑ourse鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宖our鈥 鈥宒ays. 鈥
After鈥 鈥宼hat, 鈥 鈥孎alstad鈥 鈥宻tarted鈥 鈥宯oticing鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宖arm鈥 鈥宖ields, 鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宼rees, 鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥寃aterways. 鈥
鈥淭hey鈥檙e鈥 鈥宔verywhere,鈥 鈥 鈥宧e鈥 鈥宻aid. 鈥
Farmers鈥 鈥宯ear鈥 鈥宧is鈥 鈥宧ome鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥宼hey鈥 鈥宎lso鈥 鈥宖ound鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宼heir鈥 鈥宖ields鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥宱ccasionally鈥 鈥宧arming鈥 鈥宼heir鈥 鈥宭ivestock. 鈥 When鈥 鈥孎alstad鈥 鈥宻tarted鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宧ashtag鈥 鈥宱n鈥 鈥孎acebook, 鈥 鈥#stopreleasingballoons, 鈥 鈥宧undreds鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宲eople鈥 鈥宲osted鈥 鈥宲ictures鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宒ebris鈥 鈥宼hey鈥 鈥宻aw. 鈥
Falstad鈥 鈥宐egan鈥 鈥宲ushing鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宭egislation鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥孮ueen鈥 鈥孉nnes鈥 鈥孋ounty, 鈥 鈥寃hich鈥 unanimously鈥 鈥宲assed鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宐an鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥孉ugust, 鈥 鈥宐ecoming鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宖鈥宨rst鈥 鈥宑ounty鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥孧aryland鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宧alt鈥 鈥宔nvironmentally鈥 鈥宧armful鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宺eleases. 鈥 鈥屸學icomico鈥 鈥孋ounty鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥孎rederick鈥 鈥孋ounty鈥 鈥宖ollowed鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥孌ecember. 鈥
Queen鈥 鈥孉nne鈥檚鈥 鈥孋ounty鈥 鈥宧as鈥 鈥宯ot鈥 鈥寉et鈥 鈥宖ined鈥 鈥宎nyone鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥宎n鈥 鈥宨ntentional鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宺elease. 鈥
鈥淲e鈥 鈥宖ind鈥 鈥寃hen鈥 鈥寃e鈥 鈥宲ass鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宭aw, 鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥寁ast鈥 鈥宮ajority鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宲eople鈥 鈥寃ill鈥 鈥宖ollow鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宭aw,鈥 鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥屸孮ueen鈥 鈥孉nne鈥檚鈥 鈥孋ounty鈥 鈥孋ommissioner鈥 鈥孋hristopher鈥 鈥孋orchiarino鈥 鈥(R)鈥.鈥 鈥孒e鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥宐usinesses鈥 鈥宯ow鈥 鈥宬now鈥 鈥宼hat鈥 鈥宼hey鈥 鈥宑annot鈥 鈥宎llow鈥 鈥宼heir鈥 鈥宑ustomers鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宒o鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宺eleases鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥宑elebrations鈥 鈥宱r鈥 鈥宱ther鈥 鈥宔vents. 鈥
鈥淭here鈥檚鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宭ot鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宐uzz鈥 鈥 鈥 鈥 鈥宨t鈥檚鈥 鈥宺eally鈥 鈥実etting鈥 鈥宱ut鈥 鈥宼here,鈥 鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥孠errie鈥 鈥孊unting, 鈥 鈥宲resident鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥孫cean鈥 鈥孭ine鈥 鈥孋hamber鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥孋ommerce, 鈥 鈥寃ho鈥 鈥宲ushed鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宭egislation鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥學icomico鈥 鈥孋ounty. 鈥 鈥屸淚t鈥檚鈥 鈥宐ecoming鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宲oint鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宔ducation, 鈥 鈥寃hich鈥 鈥宨s鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宲oint鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宨t, 鈥 鈥宯ot鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥実et鈥 鈥$250鈥 鈥宖rom鈥 鈥宼hem.鈥濃
Unlike鈥 鈥孮ueen鈥 鈥孉nne鈥檚鈥 鈥孋ounty, 鈥 鈥寃hich鈥 鈥宐ans鈥 only鈥 鈥宯onbiodegradable鈥 鈥宧elium鈥 鈥宐alloons, 鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宻tate鈥檚鈥 鈥宐ill鈥 鈥宨s鈥 鈥宭ooking鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宐an鈥 鈥宎ll鈥 鈥宐alloons, 鈥 鈥寃ith鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宔xception鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宧ot鈥 鈥宎ir鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥寀sed鈥 鈥宖or鈥 鈥宺esearch鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宧igher鈥 鈥宔ducation鈥 鈥宻ettings. 鈥
Even鈥 鈥宐iodegradable鈥 鈥宐alloons鈥 鈥宑an鈥 鈥宼ake鈥 鈥寉ears鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宐reak鈥 鈥宒own, 鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥寃hen鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宐alloon鈥 鈥宭ands鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宱cean, 鈥 鈥宻altwater鈥 鈥宲revents鈥 鈥宨t鈥 鈥宖rom鈥 鈥宐reaking鈥 鈥宒own. 鈥 鈥孊alloon鈥 鈥宺ibbons鈥 鈥宎re鈥 鈥宯ot鈥 鈥宐iodegradable. 鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚鈥 鈥宺aising鈥 鈥宎wareness,鈥 鈥 鈥宻aid鈥 鈥孲en. 鈥 鈥孋larence鈥 鈥孠. 鈥 鈥孡am鈥 鈥(D-Howard), 鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孲enate鈥檚鈥 鈥宭ead鈥 鈥宻ponsor鈥 鈥宱f鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥宐ill. 鈥 鈥屸淚t鈥檚鈥 鈥実iving鈥 鈥宲eople鈥 鈥宎鈥 鈥宲ause鈥 鈥宼o鈥 鈥宼hink鈥 鈥宎bout鈥 鈥寃here鈥 鈥宼hese鈥 鈥宼hings鈥 鈥宎re鈥 鈥宎ctually鈥 鈥実oing.鈥濃
The鈥 鈥宐ill鈥 鈥宨s鈥 鈥宑o-sponsored鈥 鈥宐y鈥 鈥孲en. 鈥 鈥孧ary鈥 鈥孊eth鈥 鈥孋arozza鈥 鈥(R-Lower鈥 鈥孲hore), 鈥 鈥孲en. 鈥 鈥孯onald鈥 鈥孨. 鈥 鈥孻oung鈥 鈥(D-Frederick)鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥孲en. 鈥 鈥孲tephen鈥 鈥孲. 鈥 鈥孒ershey鈥 鈥孞r. 鈥 鈥(R-Upper鈥 鈥孲hore). 鈥 鈥孴he鈥 鈥宐ill鈥 鈥宧as鈥 鈥宺eceived鈥 鈥宯o鈥 鈥宱pposition. 鈥
The鈥 鈥宑rossfile, 鈥 鈥孒ouse鈥 鈥孊ill鈥 鈥13, 鈥 鈥宑o-sponsored鈥 鈥宐y鈥 鈥孌el. 鈥 鈥學ayne鈥 鈥孉. 鈥 鈥孒artman鈥 鈥(R-Lower鈥 鈥孲hore)鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥孌el. 鈥 鈥孯egina鈥 鈥孴. 鈥 鈥孊oyce鈥 鈥(D-Baltimore鈥 鈥孋ity), 鈥 鈥寃ill鈥 鈥宐e鈥 鈥宧eard鈥 鈥宨n鈥 鈥宼he鈥 鈥孒ouse鈥 鈥孍nvironment鈥 鈥宎nd鈥 鈥孴ransportation鈥 鈥孋ommittee鈥 鈥宯ext鈥 鈥學ednesday. 鈥 鈥 鈥