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Advocates are speaking out over a budget amendment they believe is a major setback to Maryland’s climate goals.
In December, the Maryland Department of the Environment released its Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, advancing new policies that would help the state transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the years ahead.
The department requested close to $1 billion per year from the General Assembly to achieve those goals. Despite the steep cost, Maryland’s secretary of the environment, Serena McIlwain, expressed confidence.
“What I want people to know is, worry not. We’re going to get it done,” she said.
With Session 2024 now over, not only was that funding goal not met, advocates said a key budget amendment could set the state back years.
“It did not happen this session,” Maryland Sierra Club director Josh Tulkin said.
The Maryland Sierra Club is one of the country’s largest environmental advocacy organizations. The nonprofit lobbies to pass environmental laws like the landmark Climate Solutions Now Act that became law in 2022.
Tulkin said, while the General Assembly took positive steps that will help Maryland’s economy shift toward renewable energy by passing bills focused on housing, transportation and solar energy, the legislature also stripped a key provision from the Climate Solutions Now Act. That provision required that large buildings reduce their pollution and increase their energy efficiency, reducing costs for taxpayers.
“The budget amendment delayed the energy efficiency piece of this regulation,” Tulkin said. “The entire budget amendment happened behind closed doors.”
Tulkin isn’t alone in his concern. 11 News Investigates obtained an email written by Gov. Wes Moore’s chief sustainability officer, Meghan Conklin, about the amendment.
“MDE is concerned with the impact (of the budget amendment),” the email said. “This budget amendment would force MDE to withdraw the proposed regulations, remove the energy use intensity provisions and re-propose the regulation.”
The email noted that the elements of the 2022 law that were supposed to happen in the near future would be delayed until 2026. Conklin said this means “this amendment potentially puts federal funding at risk,” to the tune of $195 million.
“It is disrespectful to reverse a provision after so many people have participated in what we were told were the official public processes,” Tulkin said.
Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-District 46, discussed the $1 billion funding target with WBAL Radio.
“Very clearly, the climate is changing. We have got to be leaders, but we have to do it in a thoughtful and balanced way. I think that we’re doing that in investing in solar and wind and in ways that aren’t going to break the bank,” he said.
Tulkin and other advocates said House Speaker Adrienne Jones, D-District 10, was a strong supporter of the budget amendment. A statement from her chief of staff, Jeremy Baker, underscored that there is a fundamental disagreement about what the amendment does.
Baker wrote that Climate Solutions Now was carefully crafted and implementing it requires proper oversight.
“The General Assembly’s budget language is very narrow and simply ensures the regulations follow the letter and spirit of the law. It’s our belief and intent that the vast majority of Climate Solutions Now will continue as scheduled,” Baker stated in part.
Tulkin shared a message with the House speaker.
“We know that you are passionate about many of these issues, but this process hurt trust, and we need to do something to repair it,” he said.
He emphasized that this legislative session did accomplish several climate goals — giving the overall work a five on a scale of 1-10. But Tulkin believes that budget amendment casts a shadow on the other achievements.
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