MAY 22, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Director of Policy and Advocacy Charles Hernick released the following statement applauding Governor Larry Hogan for his clean energy leadership as the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act (SB 516) becomes law.
“By allowing the Clean Energy Jobs Act to become law and articulating his vision for Maryland’s clean energy future we are seeing just the latest example of Governor Hogan’s continued leadership on energy and climate change. Building off the Clean Energy Jobs Act will ensure that Maryland stands at the forefront of balancing environmental protection with commonsense reform to protect jobs and increase economic prosperity,” said CRES Director of Policy and Advocacy Charles Hernick. “The Hogan administration has captured the opportunity to work on a long-term, technology-neutral approach to reducing carbon emissions. We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Hogan to champion states’ rights and drive clean energy investment in Maryland for years to come.”
Hernick’s statement comes on the heels of a March 6th opinion article which called for an ambitious approach to clean energy in Maryland with the following attributes:
- Technology-neutral – to assure that government doesn’t pick winners and losers and assure that nuclear power – which currently provides 44 percent of Maryland net electricity generation and is a zero emissions source of power – isn’t excluded.
- Establish a goal of no rate increases – to protect Maryland residential and industrial customers who already pay 10 percent more than the national average. With the cost of solar, wind, and natural gas at historic lows there is little justification for rate increases to accomplish clean energy goals.
- Focuses on net zero carbon emissions – to complement integration with the successful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
- Time-bound – to assert Maryland’s leadership position in clean energy and send a signal to the market to drive investment. For example, a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2040 is possible for Maryland given the success of RGGI, availability of off-shore wind and rooftop solar, and availability of nuclear power.
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Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization founded in 2013 to engage Republican policymakers and the public about responsible, conservative solutions to address our nation’s energy, economic, and environmental security while increasing America’s competitive edge.