The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) hosted a public hearing on Thursday, September 1st gauging sentiment for various Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon pollution reduction proposals as a part of the RGGI review process currently underway across the region. The 85 local leaders and organizations that attended the hearing overwhelmingly expressed support for a strengthened RGGI program which would decrease pollution from power plants five percent annually over the next decade. Proponents argued that these pollution protections would strengthen economic investment in energy efficiency, vehicle electrification and modern, cleaner, forms of electricity.
“The people have spoken and we’re not surprised that Maryland residents want stronger limits on carbon pollution to keep their families healthy while reinvesting money into the state,” Johana Vicente, Community Organizer for Chispa, Maryland League of Conservation Voters said. “With the support of neighboring states, we hope Maryland steps up to the plate to help the region meet the goals it needs to create good paying clean energy jobs and curb climate disruption. At Chispa, our work has shown us that Latinos along with other low income communities and communities of color are often overburdened by air pollution. We hope that Maryland will become a leader in achieving climate justice and protecting of these vulnerable communities”
The hearing comes just as Massachusetts’ Republican Governor Baker announced his support both for the RGGI program and strengthened RGGI pollution safeguards which would lower carbon emissions by five percent annually between 2020 and 2030. In contrast, under Governor Hogan’s direction, Maryland’s Secretary of the Department of the Environment, Ben Grumbles, publically threatened to leave the program; one which has provided electricity bill assistance, energy efficiency and jobs to tens of thousands in the state.
“This hearing underscores the fact that Maryland residents support strong carbon pollution protections, while they are deeply concerned that Governor Hogan has no real plan to meet the state’s current climate goals,” David Smedick, Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign Representative in Maryland said. “The fact that another Republican Governor is supporting RGGI and advocating for stronger pollution limits only reinforces that this is not a partisan issue, it’s a Hogan issue and it’s time for him to stop dragging his feet and support smart, sustainable carbon pollution reductions under RGGI.”
Aside from the hearing, last month, the Sierra Club released the results of a bi-partisan survey that polled Maryland voter sentiment on RGGI. Based on a description provided to voters, 79 percent of Marylanders polled support their state’s participation in the RGGI program. Additionally, when asked if they support strengthening carbon pollution limits from power plants to five percent annually throughout the region, over 8 in 10 voters in Maryland approved, tying with Massachusetts as a state showing the most support for the change.