MD lawmakers push for clean jobs act following climate report
Back in November, a nationwide climate report was released detailing the impacts climate change could have on the northeast including Maryland.
Now, state delegates are using the latest data to urge fellow policymakers to support and pass a bill next session that would increase the state’s use of clean energy.
“The underlying goal is to ensure that we are moving closer towards renewable energy sources and looking at the holistic picture of how things are affecting our climate,” said Delegate for District 37 A, Sheree Sample-Hughes.
The Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2018 would set a new statewide renewable portfolio standard , requiring Maryland to ensure that 50% of electricity come from renewable energy sources. Officials say this could possibly lead to the expansion of offshore wind projects across the state, and bring thousands of jobs to Maryland.
“When you have solar farms or the wind energy to be an option to get us towards renewable energy resources to get us to that 50% and we have the subsidies available then we might as well use them,” said Sample-Hughes.
But other officials aren’t on board with the idea. Their biggest issue? Cost.
“What we’re looking at are compromised proposals that are going to be very difficult to have passed frankly. These are yes jobs, but to go to 50% renewable energy, those costs have to pass to someone and it ends up being the taxpayer and the rate payer,” said Delegate for District 37 B, Christopher Adams.
While there’s no solid plan put in place just yet, officials say it’s important to keep the conversation going.
“With all of those pieces of information, bringing together, coming together, having those conversations, we all can figure out what we can do to move the needle to move in a direction of making sure our environment is cleaner,” Sample-Hughes said.
Maryland delegates across the state are set to discuss the Clean Energy Jobs Act when the General Assembly re-convenes for their 2019 session, beginning on Wednesday, January 9th.
