A couple years ago, the Maryland legislature passed this sweet bill called the Healthy Air Act to clean up our dirty electricity generation. Part of what made the bill so excellent was that it mandated that MD join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (fondly known as RGGI, and pronounced ReGGIe, like the name), the first ever carbon cap program in the United States.
Now that the pollution permit auctions are starting to happen, and the dollars are rolling in, we’re running into some trouble. Last year, the MD General Assembly passed a law stating that the revenues from RGGI would be divided between energy efficiency programs and low-income ratepayer relief. Now that there are budget shortfalls left and right, the RGGI funds – specifically the part that has been set aside for investments in energy-efficiency programs – are being raided. Most of the money is being transferred into additional rate-relief programs.
So why are we worried? With electricity bills on the rise, the threat of global warming, and the economic crisis we’re dealing with, energy efficiency is the clear solution to helping us use less energy, lower our bills, AND do good for the environment at the same time. Funding efficiency programs will lower bills for ratepayers. Permanently.
Oh, and this will also create green jobs – doing things like this:
We can help people pay their bills and lower their bills at the same time, but only if we stick to the plan set forth by the general assembly last year.
Want to take action? If your Senator serves on the Budget Committee, or your Delegate serves on the Appropriations committee, they need to hear from you TODAY. The committees will take up this question in the budget early next week, so it’s important that they hear from as many of their constituents as possible telling them not to steal $70 million from energy efficiency, so take a minute to take action. (don’t know who your Senator/Delegate is? find out here!) Seriously. Take action now!
