NEWS

Maryland House overrides Hogan in favor of wind, solar

Gino Fanelli
gfanelli@dmg.gannett.com
A large group of solar panels sit on a solar farm site on Neal Parker Road near Oak Hall, Va. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016.

The Maryland House voted against Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2016, the Maryland Climate Coalition reported.

The vote to keep Senate Bill 921, which pledges to place 25 percent of Maryland's energy supply into renewable resources by 2020, passed with 88 delegates for and 51 against. Delegates who passed the bill said the vote was in promotion of economic growth and health concerns, in opposition to the presidential administration's fossil fuel-based energy strategy.

“Not only will this legislation create thousands of good-paying green jobs, it will put the state on the road to meeting our renewable energy goals – a vision shared by both Democrats and Republicans across Maryland,”  said Sen. Brian Feldman.

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In practice, the goal of 25 percent renewable dependency is planned to produce 1,300 megawatts of new renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.7 million metric tons per year; equivalent to taking 563,000 cars off the road. This 25 percent goal is a shift from a former goal of 20 percent by 2022. 2.5 percent of the grid is planned to be produced by solar energy.

"Today's vote will improve the lives of working families in Maryland,” said Dana Sleeper, executive director of the Maryland, DC, Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association.

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Economically the new push for renewable energy, including the growth of offshore wind farms on the Eastern Shore, is estimated to bring 1,000 sustainable jobs to Marylanders over the next three years. Factoring in health gains and investment into clean energy, the surge in renewable energy is estimated to bring $600 million in economic growth.

"The Clean Energy Jobs Act will move us in the right direction in protecting our children's health and welfare,” said Baltimore pediatrician, Dr. Maria Brown.