This week’s climate insider will give you the scoop on CCAN’s 2014 legislative priorities in Maryland and Virginia. Both states’ legislative sessions kicked off on Wednesday, January 8th, and CCAN will be busy pushing climate solutions to the forefront of our legislators’ agendas.
Maryland Climate Agenda: 2014 Legislation
In Maryland, we’ll be focusing on three major priorities. We’re working to fix and strengthen the state’s most important clean electricity law, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). We’re working to protect Marylanders from dangerous fracking by passing a statutory moratorium on this risky drilling practice. Finally, we’re aiming to establish opportunities for community renewable power in Maryland.
Fix & Strengthen the Renewable Portfolio Standard
First, we need to fix the RPS by removing a serious loophole in the existing law that’s forcing ratepayers to subsidize dirty sources of energy. While fellow Mid-Atlantic States get over 70% of their RPS energy from the wind and sun, these resources make up only 15% of Maryland’s portfolio. This is largely because of a loophole in our renewable energy law that supports out-of-state, high-emission black liquor and wood waste facilities. Black liquor is a toxic byproduct of the paper-making process that, when burned, can emit more greenhouse gases and other toxins than coal-fired power plants.
The General Assembly must pass legislation in 2014 to exclude black liquor and wood-waste from the RPS to ensure our renewable energy goals are being met by energy that is clean and truly renewable. Last year, this legislation passed the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 33-13, only to come one vote short of the 12 required to advance from the House Economic Matters Committee. In 2014, it’s time to finally stop this dirty energy rip-off, which would help create up to 1,400 megawatts of new clean energy, while creating new jobs reducing global warming pollution.
After we’ve fixed the RPS, we must strengthen it by raising our renewable energy goals. Maryland can and should produce 40% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. By passing legislation to increase the RPS requirement to 40% renewable energy by 2025, Maryland will be taking steps to lead the mid-Atlantic in renewable energy and fighting climate change. Governor O’Malley has already set a goal for Maryland to reach 20% renewable energy by 2020, but Maryland is capable of doing better. By raising our renewable goal, we also raise the benefits by bringing more jobs and greater reductions in pollution.
Protect Marylanders from Fracking
Neighboring states like West Virginia and Pennsylvania are seeing a boom in dangerous fracking for natural gas. The practice has been directly linked to harmful effects such as contaminated streams and rivers, flammable tap water in surrounding communities, forest fragmentation, and poor air quality. Fracking releases methane gas, and burning the fracked natural gas releases CO2, contributing to climate change.
Governor Martin O’Malley issued an executive order in 2011 that created a commission to oversee studies about whether fracking was safe. Those studies are being rushed to be completed by underfunded departments by the time the executive order ends in August. At that time, Maryland will have no legal protections against fracking. That’s why 2014 is the year the General Assembly must pass a statutory moratorium on fracking. A legislative moratorium will ensure that no fracking permits in Maryland until thorough assessments of the human and environmental risks are completed and the General Assembly and public alike have time to review the results and decide whether those risks are acceptable or not.
Expand Access to Clean Power through Community Renewable Energy
Our third legislative priority in Maryland is to provide opportunities for community renewable energy. Residents, community organizations, businesses, and others can form or join groups to invest in community renewable energy projects that benefit them directly. The General Assembly should pass legislation in 2014 establishing community renewable energy opportunities for Marylanders.
To take action in Maryland, sign this petition to let your legislator know you support raising the RPS to 40% by 2025!
Virginia Climate Agenda: 2014 Legislation
It’s a big year for CCAN in Virginia, where we’re fighting for Climate Solutions, Not More Pollution. We’re working to repeal the unfair hybrid car tax, provide tax relief for solar power projects, and strengthen Virginia’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. In addition, we need to pass legislation that will help Virginia adapt to rising seas and those effects of climate change that are now unavoidable.
Repeal the Hybrid Tax
Last year, Virginia enacted an annual tax on hybrid cars as part of a larger transportation bill. This arbitrary tax claims to be intended to make sure hybrid owners are paying their fair share for roads since they, theoretically, use less gas and thus pay lower gas taxes. However, since some hybrids get fewer miles per gallon than some gas-only models, this tax is unfair. We need to stop taxing citizens who are trying to do their part to reduce their carbon footprint by repealing the hybrid tax in 2014.
Spur Small-Scale Solar Power
Virginia is lagging behind neighboring states in solar power development, and a big cause is the commonwealth’s punishing and inconsistent taxes on solar equipment at the local level. To make sure Virginia sees the economic and energy benefits of solar power development, we need to level the playing field. In 2009, the General Assembly passed tax relief at the state and local level for landfill gas and other “pollution abatement equipment,” with the stated goals of diversifying Virginia’s energy portfolio and creating good jobs. Solar equipment meets both of those goals, so we are calling on the General Assembly to clarify and expressly include solar equipment within this definition.
Reform Virginia’s Clean Electricity Standard
Improving Virginia’s RPS law is also one of CCAN’s priorities this session. While most states have a mandatory RPS, Virginia’s sets a voluntary goal for each utility to get 15% of its energy load from renewable energy by 2025. To comply with the voluntary RPS, utilities have purchased Renewable Energy Certificates from other facilities rather than developing new renewable energy, allowing them to meet the goals with minimal effort and no real environmental benefit. To strengthen the RPS, we must reform the rules that allow utilities to buy renewable energy credits in lieu of real renewable energy generation. We must eliminate renewable energy credits earned by research and development. This research is certainly important, but isn’t renewable energy generation and shouldn’t be counted as such. Finally, we must stop offering double and triple credits for specific energy sources. With voluntary goals set much lower than mandatory requirements in other states, this merely undercuts the goal of more renewable energy production.
Protect Coastal Communities Most Impacted by Climate Change
While the previous three legislative priorities deal with preventing future effects of climate change, Virginia must also adapt to those effects that are now inevitable. Coastal Virginia is already seeing the impacts of climate change. Homes are routinely flooded and families will soon need to permanently relocate. Local businesses are losing revenues and potential new businesses are staying away. The City of Norfolk is spending millions of dollars raising streets, building levees, and protecting its citizens from rising waters. Naval Station Norfolk, the nation’s largest naval base, has already undergone flooding mitigation efforts.
The General Assembly must dedicate time and resources to study the specific effects of climate change in Hampton Roads, the costs to businesses and real-estate for present and future damages, and the costs associated with the implementation of significant adaptation measures. Then, immediate action needs to be taken to protect the people on the frontlines of this climate crisis.
To take action in Virginia, sign up to lobby your legislators on January 27th in Richmond.
