ANNAPOLIS – Maryland environmental and justice groups rallied today outside of a key hearing to oppose controversial legislation that could open the door to construction of new gas-fired generation facilities in the state. Rally leaders were joined by Delegate Gabriel Acevero (District 39) and Delegate Joe Vogel (District 17), who warned that construction of new gas plants would be hazardous to vulnerable communities and a major setback in achieving the state’s clean energy goals.

The joint hearing of Maryland’s Senate Education, Energy & The Environment Committee and House Economic Matters Committee was scheduled to consider proposed “Emergency Energy Procurement” provisions in the Next Generation Energy Act (SB0937/HB1035). At the rally before the hearing, environmental and justice advocates argued that the bill’s prioritization of gas generation projects would be a tragic step backwards, potentially costing Maryland families thousands of dollars — hurting consumers, public health, and the climate. Further, these provisions will not lower utility bills in the near-term nor stabilize utility costs in the long-term.

Jorge Aguilar, Southern Regional Director with Food & Water Watch, said:

“Fossil fuels have landed us in this climate disaster that is contributing to energy prices skyrocketing, yet the Maryland legislature is recklessly flirting with the idea of building out these dangerous fracked gas power plants. Legislators are in such a mad rush to build out new fracked gas plants they are willing to abandon guidelines for public input and Environmental Justice siting considerations. The Maryland legislature needs to stand on the side of public health and environmental protection by rejecting the Next Generation Energy Act.”

“I hear my constituents and people across the state that are concerned by the rising utility rates. If I believed a new gas plant was the solution to lower those rates, I would think twice about being here. It is not the solution. There are common sense solutions we can take and those solutions are clean energy solutions…,” said Delegate Joe Vogel. “At a time when the federal government is so adversarial to our environment and climate, Mayland has been a standout light of hope. Let’s continue being that light of hope, advancing the kind of common sense, practical, clean solutions that we need to lower utility rates and move Maryland forward while addressing the climate crisis.”

“We are in a climate crisis,” said Jose Coronado-Flores, CASA Research and Policy Analyst for Climate.”Countries all around the world are experiencing chronic famine. Storms are displacing people. We know these phenomena are a result of greenhouse gas emissions. We cannot expand our gas infrastructure and continue business as usual. Our actions here have impacts globally. CASA stands against any new gas in Maryland.”

“We have cleaner, more cost-effective solutions readily available,” stated Britanny Baker, Maryland Director for Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund. “Investing in grid enhancing technologies, utility-scale battery storage, and improved efficiency measures can address our energy needs without compromising our public health or increasing climate change related vulnerability. We urge our legislators to prioritize truly clean energy sources that will benefit all Marylanders.”

Rally organizers emphasized that fossil fuel expansion is not only unwise but also unpopular with Marylanders. Advocates pointed to recent polling data showing that most (61%) of those surveyed oppose construction of a new gas plant and a vast majority (81%) strongly support more wind and solar power development.