The Maryland Senate passed a comprehensive climate change bill Monday night that would accelerate the timeline to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions to be net-zero by 2045, partly by requiring that large buildings significantly reduce their energy usage by 2035. The bill garnered Democratic support in the Senate and passed in a 32-15 party-line vote, with Republicans opposed.
Main components of the bill are outlined below:
The Climate Solutions Now Act would set the statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction goal to 60% below 2006 levels by 2030, expand the state’s electrical vehicle fleet, direct millions of dollars to school systems to build net-zero schools and establish a “green bank” that would invest state funds into private projects that reduce gas emissions, among many other provisions. –Maryland Matters
The bill also establishes a Climate Justice Corps that would employ young people to work on clean energy and environmental justice projects in communities disproportionately affected by climate change.
The final version of the bill faced backlash from environmentalists who were displeased that the bill sponsor, Senator Paul Pinsky, struck the provision in the bill that would have eliminated the use of fossil fuels and instead required all new buildings to use electric power for all space and water heating by 2024.
Pinsky said the provision was removed after fierce opposition from gas fitters, commercial property owners, and utilities, who said the grid could not handle a switch to all-electric new construction without significant investments in new substations and other grid infrastructure. Some opponents expressed fear that the grid’s reliability could suffer. Small fossil fuel distributors and workers told lawmakers they worried the change could spell the end of their careers. –Baltimore Sun
The bill now requires the Public Service Commission to determine if there is enough capacity within the state’s grid to support an all-electric building code in the future. It also would require buildings of 25,000 square feet or larger to reduce emissions by 30% of 2025 levels by 2035 and to net-zero by 2040. But it exempts private and public schools, agricultural buildings and historic buildings from the new standards. –Maryland Matters
“Delegates said they watched the Senate debate closely and, once they get the bill, expected to bring in proposals of their own to encourage a move away from fossil fuels,” reported the Baltimore Sun. If the House makes those changes quickly enough, they could pass the bill with enough time to allow for the Democratic majority to override the expected veto from Governor Hogan before the legislative session concludes on April 11.
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