Landmark Bill Would Promote Clean Energy
in Maryland
Annapolis – The
Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee voted Friday
evening to pass SB 309, the Global Warming Solutions Act. The committee unanimously embraced amendments
offered by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
The vote to send the bill to the full Senate was 6-3. Voting for the bill were Sens. Conway, Dyson,
Harrison, Lenett, Pinsky and Rosapepe. Voting against the bill were Sens. Colburn,
Greenip and Harris.
The lead sponsors of the bill are Sen. Paul Pinsky (Prince George’s) and Del. Kumar Barve (Montgomery). The bill has the strong support of Gov.
Martin O’Malley.
“After more than a year of consideration, it’s wonderful to
see this bill moving forward,” said Environment Maryland State Director Brad
Heavner. “Some legislators are still
denying that global warming even exists, but thankfully a majority of this
committee is prepared to make Maryland
a leader.”
A similar bill was introduced last year but did not come to
a vote. Gov. O’Malley appointed a blue
ribbon commission to study the policy, and that commission recommended passage
of the bill in a December report.
The House Economic Matters and Environmental Matters
committees held a hearing on the bill on Feb. 29, but have not yet scheduled it
for a vote.
Supporters
of the legislation contend that Maryland can
address global warming while stimulating innovation, creating jobs, lowering
costs to consumers and businesses through energy efficiency upgrades, and
making our power system more secure and reliable by diversifying our energy
sources.
This bill
will help us develop a long-term plan for an orderly transition toward a modern
clean energy system, according to the Alliance for
Global Warming Solutions. By phasing in
the start-up costs appropriately, this transformation will come at a net
savings to the state and boost the economy, they say.
