Media Contact: Josh Tulkin, josh.tulkin@mdsierra.org, 650-722-3171
Climate Leaders React to Maryland Climate Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions 60% By 2031
In response to the Maryland Department of the Environment’s newly released climate plan, Climate Partners have released the following initial statement and quotes:
MARYLAND – Today, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) revealed its long awaited climate plan, Maryland’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan. We commend MDE for its leadership and this critical step towards a clean energy future for all Marylanders.
Climate Partners is a coalition of over one hundred environmental, faith, consumer advocacy, and social justice organizations working to build a clean energy future in Maryland. In October 2023, Climate Partners provided MDE a comprehensive set of recommendations for how the state should meet Maryland’s ambitious pollution reduction mandates, as set out in the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA). At an initial glance, we are enthusiastic that the plan released today includes bold recommendations as to how the state will achieve 60% greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2031 and net-zero emissions by 2045 including, zero-emission heating equipment standards, removing municipal solid waste incineration from the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, expanded building decarbonization and electric vehicle incentives, and modifications to the EmPOWER Maryland energy efficiency program.
The plan mentioned several times that action will require participation not only from MDE, but from the whole state government, and all Marylanders. As Climate Partners, we look forward to working with the state and its agencies to ensure that the state reaches its climate goals by 2031 and 2045. We will be reviewing the climate plan offered by the Maryland Department of the Environment thoroughly in the next few weeks, with an eye towards environmental justice, specificity, and funding. Actions speak louder than words and we will be looking closely at whether proposed new policies and modifications to existing policy are ready to be implemented.
Where warranted or helpful, we will offer solutions, suggestions, and fine tuning. Overall we are eager to support MDE and the Moore Administration on implementation of Maryland’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, including increased funding and new programs. A series of Climate Partners organizations have provided initial impressions of the plan. Our further analysis will come in early January.
Susan Miller, Senior Staff Attorney at Earthjustice said, “Today, MDE issued an extensive, well-researched and remarkably comprehensive plan for achieving Maryland’s climate mandates. However, this plan is not self-executing. The baton is now passed to the Moore-Miller Administration, the General Assembly and State agencies to aggressively implement the plan’s proposals. Maryland has an opportunity to strongly combat climate change and be a model for the Nation, but without a dedicated focus on achieving the plan’s recommendations the State will falter and end up not reaching this vital finish line.”
“Maryland’s Climate Plan includes key commitments to keep Maryland a climate leader, and dovetailed with anticipated funding commitments from the administration will become reality,” said Maryland LCV’s Director of Climate Policy & Justice, Rebecca Rehr. “Many of the policies outlined in the plan – removing municipal waste from the state’s RPS, shifting the goals of the state’s energy efficiency program, and reducing vehicle miles traveled – are key pieces that will be introduced in the 2024 legislative session, giving stakeholders immediate opportunity for action that will move us towards our shared goals, as well as reducing harmful air pollution impacting health statewide.”
“The plan lays out a bold vision. Now we are looking for action,” said Sierra Club Maryland Chapter Director, Josh Tulkin. “All eyes are on the Governor’s legislative agenda, the budget, and executive orders. The next few months are a critical time for the Governor to show he means business. We are eager to work with the state to ensure this plan is carried through and implemented to create a greener future for Maryland.”
Jamie DeMarco, Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network said, “Governor Moore has done what no Maryland Governor has done before: put forward a plan to invest $1 billion a year in the clean energy economy to eliminate our net climate pollution. It is Governor Moore’s responsibility to lead on the question of revenue raising, and not punt the hard choices to the legislature.”
Cliff Majersik, Senior Advisor at the Institute for Market Transformation said, "This bold plan reflects the input of hundreds of stakeholders, including the Governor's Building Energy Transition Implementation Task Force. It recognizes that Maryland has a generational opportunity to fight climate change, create jobs, and protect health by decarbonizing buildings. Achieving the goals of the plan will require continued collaboration and increased resources, and we look forward to partnering to support action."
“Maryland's Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, released today by the Maryland Department of the Environment, takes measurable steps to fulfill the promise of the Climate Solutions Now Act,” said Ruth Ann Norton, President and CEO of the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. “The Plan encourages state leaders to think critically about our collective need to equitably address climate mitigation activities.” she continued. “We are pleased to see advancements on the zero-emissions heating equipment standard and support for a whole-house healthy housing approach. As an organization committed to addressing social determinants of health and racial equity through healthy housing, we encourage the Moore Administration to implement a plan to move to a full all-electric standard for housing renovation, repair, and new construction as a matter of health protection. While we are encouraged by the initial commitments included in the Plan, we recognize that much work remains to be done to ensure it is fully funded so that we lift our most vulnerable communities and protect our planet.”
“This report requires a lot of reading in between the lines to ascertain how the plan will help and prioritize underserved and overburdened communities as well as remediate historical wrongs.” said Jose Coronado-Flores, Climate Policy Analyst at CASA. “While MDE recommends bold efforts like 100% financing of low-to-moderate income household retrofits and finally removing solid waste incineration from Maryland’s RPS, there are significant details that seem to be missing about how many of the included policies will be implemented and impact underserved and overburdened communities.
Maryland residents living in apartments with natural gas situated in over-polluted census tracts next to major roads will have a hard time seeing themselves in this plan as published, but there is no denying the immense benefits the plan’s strategies will have on improving their daily lives in the next 20 years. Advocates like myself are excited to engage with MDE and the state as they develop the finer policy details.”
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