Just days after the state released its Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, a coalition of 28 social justice, climate and community organizations released a letter urging the Moore administration to introduce bold climate legislation that redefines what counts as ‘clean energy’ in Maryland to protect environmental justice communities from the harms linked to energy production.

As the letter to the Moore administration states, “A clean energy plan must not only eliminate climate warming-greenhouse gas emissions, but also protect all Maryland communities from toxic and harmful pollutants emitted during or as a result of energy production.” 

For years, community groups have fought to remove subsidies under the state’s renewable portfolio standard that treat dirty energy options as a form of ‘clean energy.’ Given that the administration has indicated they will be drafting a framework for a new clean power standard, the groups are asking that legislation specifically addresses both the emissions of greenhouse gasses and unhealthy co-pollutants.

“Governor Moore has pledged to put Maryland on a path to achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2035. But without strong protections in the plan, dangerous energy production sources like trash incineration, biomass, biogas, and carbon capture could count as clean energy,” said Food & Water Watch Southern Region Director Jorge Aguilar. “The governor must end the practice of counting dirty energy as clean power, and he must craft a plan for Maryland that ensures no community is left behind in the generation of electricity. ”