Annapolis (Map, News) - Less than a month after the Annapolis City Council voted to replace his plastic bag ban with a tempered environmental bill, a city council alderman is calling for public support in once again amending the bill.

“I hope anyone with any input on this legislation will be there, because this is the right thing to do,” said Alderman Sam Shropshire, D-Ward 7, who is hoping environmentalists who backed his bag ban will return to speak at the City Council meeting tonight.

“There is no value in this bill without measurable objectives. We need to amend this bill so we can see changes in eight to nine months.”

The revised bill, which was introduced by Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer, encourages residents and business owners “to use reusable and recyclable materials and to purchase goods from companies that practice energy use reduction and sequestration of carbon dioxide.”

The bill also establishes an Environmental Review Committee to evaluate the city’s existing environmental policies to “assure that its policies and procedures foster the use of materials that are compostable, recyclable, and reusable,” according to the bill.

But Shropshire says he wants clear goals, specifically targeting plastic bags and the pollution they cause.

Moyer could not be reached for comment.

The public may speak about the revised bill tonight at the public hearing and propose ideas for the legislation.

Shropshire said he plans to introduce several amendments and put the bill’s focus back on plastic bags, with specific goals such as reducing plastic bag use by 20 to 30 percent in the next nine months. He also wants to see an increase in the number of grocery stores selling or distributing reusable bags.

“It should be an interesting evening,” he said.

Previous meetings about the bag ban have attracted nationwide attention from environmentalists who tout reasons for eliminating their use, such as dangers to marine life. But the bill was also met with a backlash from retailers and business owners, who say plastic bags are cheaper and more user-friendly.

The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com