Maryland lawmakers approved a dramatic investment in renewable energy in the final hours of the 2019 General Assembly\u00a0session, passing a measure mandating that half the state\u2019s electricity supply come from renewable sources by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal appeared doomed as recently as two weeks ago, languishing in the House of Delegates until\u00a0lawmakers revised it to preserve subsidies for the waste-to-energy industry. Senators had voted earlier in the session to stop subsidizing trash incineration as green energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporters say the legislation will stem a downturn in solar industry jobs in the state, and could also boost wind farms and other alternative energy development. It requires utilities across the state to subsidize solar and wind farms, as well as trash incinerators, hydroelectric dams and paper mills powered with a substance known as black liquor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis bill now makes Maryland a true national leader in the fight against climate change and in favor of clean energy,\u201d Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ut critics say the program supports polluting industry, and sends investment from Maryland ratepayers to projects in other states. Except for solar generation, renewable energy projects don\u2019t have to be located in Maryland to receive the subsidies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis will not create jobs for the state of Maryland. This will create jobs for Illinois and Ohio,\u201d said Sen. Stephen Hershey, an Eastern Shore Republican.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Senate Republicans criticized\u00a0Democrats\u00a0for deferring to the House when it came to supporting subsidies for trash incinerators. During earlier debate, lawmakers cited\u00a0Baltimore Sun reporting on a city trash incinerator\u00a0that receives renewable energy subsidies while being Baltimore\u2019s largest single source of industrial pollution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t vote for this,\u201d said Sen. Chris West, a Baltimore County Republican. \u201cWe have to take the incinerators out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legislation heads to Republican Gov.\u00a0Larry Hogan\u00a0for his consideration. Hogan vetoed a similar bill in 2016.\u00a0Democrats overrode that veto\u00a0to set the state\u2019s current renewable energy goal of 25% of the state\u2019s electricity supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From: https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/news\/maryland\/environment\/bs-md-renewable-energy-passed-20190408-story.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maryland lawmakers approved a dramatic investment in renewable energy in the final hours of the 2019 General Assembly\u00a0session, passing a measure mandating that half the state\u2019s electricity supply come from renewable sources by 2030. The proposal appeared doomed as recently as two weeks ago, languishing in the House of Delegates until\u00a0lawmakers revised it to preserve…
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