Baltimore City, MD — Today, 50+ of Baltimore residents joined Food & Water Watch and Out for Justice for an ice cream social to ‘heat up the movement’ in support of the RENEW Act, a statewide climate superfund bill, similar to legislation passed in New York and Vermont and introduced in a handful of states. 

Last year, Maryland’s General Assembly passed a bill that directs the state comptroller to identify Maryland’s largest greenhouse gas (ghg) polluters and calculate the financial impact of their climate damages. Legislation to require fossil fuel companies to pay for the damages from their ghg pollution is needed to follow up to the bill passed in 2025. 

“Recent heat waves are forcing us to adapt with more ice cream. But we need legislators to do their part to prepare our communities for the heavy cost of the climate crisis by making polluters pay their fair share,” said Jomar Lloyd, Maryland Organizer with Food & Water Watch. “Right now, fossil fuel companies are making record profits and supercharging the climate crisis that we pay for. Marylanders want and deserve legislation to establish a climate superfund in 2027 and make polluters pay — it’s up to the General Assembly to deliver it.” 

“As the federal government continues to erode environmental protections, Maryland must be a leader and continue to prioritize the health of its citizens over corporate interests,” said Trina Selden, Executive Director of Out for Justice. “The RENEW legislation empowers the state to do just that. Baltimore City is not Maryland’s sacrifice zone, and no community deserves that designation regardless of their race or zipcode. With the Climate Solutions Now 2031 deadline approaching in just six short years, it’s critical to build out the infrastructure for that future success today.” 

“It is important to stay vigilant and present as a community member,” said Neka Duckett-Randolph, environmentalist and local resident of District 46. “My District has a lot of power in it. The Senate President is here and the Comptroller used to be a delegate here, so it’s very important for myself and fellow residents to be aware of what’s going on in real time. Maryland is the birthplace of redlining, and its legacy is here plain as day in Baltimore’s Black Butterfly. The RENEW study will help make sure the industries most responsible for creating the Black Butterfly also repair the harm they have inflicted on those communities.”