Annapolis, MD – Today, the House Appropriations Committee unveiled a proposed $73 million investment to create a rebate program for energy efficient heat pumps, to help families reduce energy use, save on utility bills, and improve air quality in their homes. The proposal is included in the House budget, which now moves to the floor. This allocation was not part of the Senate budget package approved earlier this week. To become law the proposal must stay intact as the House and Senate negotiate differences.
In response, Josh Tulkin, Director of the Maryland Sierra Club, offered this statement:
This proposed $73 million investment would help Maryland families lower their energy bills, improve home comfort, and reduce pollution. We applaud the Maryland House leadership for this smart investment and look forward to Senate and Governor’s support in the coming days.
Heat pumps deliver more efficient heating and cooling in one system, reduce monthly utility costs, and eliminate exposure to harmful indoor air pollution from fossil fuels. We urge lawmakers to keep this funding intact as negotiations move forward.
Tens of thousands of Marylanders replace broken HVAC systems every year. Each of those is an opportunity to help families adopt a more efficient option that will save them money for decades. With this funding Maryland can launch a program to support Maryland families, especially low and moderate income families, to install more efficient heating and cooling that can save them thousands of dollars across the lifetime of the appliance and reduce pollution. This funding can be used for targeted pilot programs, such as window heat pumps, to find the best offerings to help Marylanders.
###