Maryland on brink of passing nation-leading climate and energy bill
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly passed the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 with a supermajority, bringing the state to the brink of passing a nation-leading, critically needed climate and energy bill.
“The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 is a vital piece of legislation that would boost Maryland’s economy, safeguard its environment, and secure its future in a carbon-constrained world, while also focusing on climate equity,” said Angela Seligman, U.S. State Policy and Advocacy Manager at Clean Air Task Force.
The bill is sweeping in nature, and indicates important support for technologies that enable clean firm power, including carbon capture, electric distribution and transmission infrastructure improvements, and other measures that support a reliable clean energy supply. It includes the following important climate and energy provisions:
- A statewide commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2045, with an interim goal of cutting GHG emissions 60% below 2006 levels by 2032.
- A commitment to transitioning the state government’s passenger vehicle fleet to 100% zero-emissions vehicles by 2031, and its entire light-duty vehicle fleet to 100% zero-emissions vehicles by 2036.
- A mandate for the state’s electric utilities to procure or provide an increasing percentage of verifiable electricity savings to their customers, reaching 2.5% per year in 2027 and thereafter.
The bill also calls for the formation of various important working groups, including two that will help ensure equity and justice for communities in transition. The proposed Just Transition Employment and Retraining Working Group would focus on ensuring a just transition for individuals and communities, while the Energy Industry Revitalization Working Group would help local businesses as they make their way through the transition to a net-zero emissions Maryland.
It would also add Maryland to a growing list of states committing to clean electricity standards and to net-zero emission, with New Jersey, Illinois, and North Carolina passing important climate and energy laws of their own over the past year.
Seligman continued: “The climate and energy provisions in the Climate Solutions Now Act would go a long way to establishing Maryland as a climate and energy leader and provide yet another case-in-point for the way states are taking the lead in safeguarding their futures while ensuring justice and equity for the communities embarking on this transition. This is a well-considered and pragmatic approach to energy and climate in Maryland and we’re looking forward to its enactment.”
Press Contact
Troy Shaheen, Communications Director, U.S., Clean Air Task Force, [email protected], +1 845-750-1189
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world.
