Other environmental bills survive, with multiple victories for the climate

Maryland lawmakers killed a bill last night that would have required major cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. The bill was a victim of the crush of work and lack of time that usually plagues the last day of the session.

For environmental lobbyists, the defeat stung. The global warming bill was one of the top priorities of a coalition of environmental and conservation groups.

“The legislature really dropped the ball,” said Claire Douglass of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Cindy Schwartz, director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, attributed the defeat of the bill in part to fear-mongering. She said the threat of losing jobs due to the bill – even though that’s only conjecture – is a tried-and-true way to kill a bill.

“It’s very powerful to say to someone if this bill passes, they’ll lose their jobs. It’s not a new tactic,” she said in an interview with the Annapolis Capital.

Despite the defeat, there were multiple victories for the climate:

Strategic Energy Investment Program: Create funds to decrease energy demand and increase energy supply.
Energy Efficiency: Set goal of a 15% reduction in per capita electricity consumption by 2015.
Renewable Energy Portfolio: Boost to 20% portion of state energy portfolio derived from wind, solar and other renewable sources.
Energy-efficient buildings: Require new or renovated state buildings and schools to meet standards of efficiency.
Solar Energy Grant Program: Increase amounts of grants available.

For more depth on this session’s climate victories, visit the Maryland League of Conservation Voter’s 2008 Environmental Legislative wrap-up.

CCAN, the Alliance for Global Warming Solutions, and everyone else working on this bill are not giving up. The fight for comprehensive global warming legislation in Maryland goes on.