Tell The House to Move Climate Solutions Now!

Time for Getting Climate Solutions Now to the Senate is Ticking Away

Marylanders deserve a strong response to the climate emergency that we are facing. Changing climate and rising sea levels are already costing livelihoods and ruining farms, businesses and property. We are spending a fortune fighting the destruction that is being caused. We need a Climate Solution Now! Fortunately, the Senate has a strong bill that will put Maryland on a path to solving the crisis in large part by 2030 and completely by 2045. Ask the House to move the Senate bill as soon as possible, and tell your Delegates that you want the strongest possible Climate Solution Now.

As passed by the Senate, Climate Solutions Now raises our greenhouse gas reduction to 60% and gets Maryland to net zero emissions by 2045. It requires most new state buildings and many new public schools to have net zero emissions, and requires large existing buildings to be retrofitted to become more energy efficient, among other provisions.

The House's proposed amendments reduce the greenhouse emissions targets from 60% to 50% (a goal Maryland is already working toward) and eliminates substantive provisions related to building energy efficiency. It removes school energy improvements entirely. Buildings account for nearly 60% of energy consumption in Maryland. If Maryland is going to address the climate emergency and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, it must improve commercial, residential and school building energy efficiency. Instead, House leadership proposes eliminating provisions relating to energy efficiency requirements for retrofits of existing buildings, and eliminates the requirement that new state buildings and schools be net zero.

URGENT Action is required Today. Call and write to your delegates. Tell them to pass the bill out of the House so that the bill can go to conference with the Senate. That is our only chance to fix the bill.