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Maryland should join move for energy policy creation

Friday, Nov. 11, 2005

It is time for Maryland to take a leadership role on energy policy, especially since the federal government’s efforts have been woefully inadequate.

Energy costs continue to skyrocket, hitting consumers in the pocketbook. The environment continues to suffer with increased dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay, poor air and water quality, and global warming. And Marylanders’ health continues to be increasingly at risk for various respiratory ailments, including lung cancer, as many as 20,000 asthma attacks a year, and thousands of related emergency room visits. The direct and indirect costs to Marylanders are high.

For the most part, the federal government has taken a back-seat approach to addressing these problems. Their solution includes an ad campaign with a cartoon pig called ‘‘Energy Hog” while placing greater investment in traditional fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas.

Other states are stepping in to fill the federal leadership void by instituting policies to invest in greater renewable energy sources, reduce air pollution and increase energy efficiency. Although Maryland has made some past strides, it has recently been sitting on the sidelines. It is time for Maryland to build on previous efforts and take the following next steps:

1. Increase solar energy incentives. In 2004, I authored the Solar Energy Grant Program, which provides grants to homeowners, businesses, local governments and non-profits to help defray the cost of purchasing a solar energy unit or solar water heater. Although it has been met with success, the program is meagerly funded. There needs to be additional monies and a dedicated funding source to facilitate a market for solar energy products.

Our ‘‘net-metering” law also needs to be changed to allow consumers who use solar energy to receive greater credits from their utility providers. Increased solar energy use will create many high quality jobs and reduce overall electricity prices for all consumers by reducing demand, while benefiting the environment. In fact, placing a 20-by-20-foot solar panel on a rooftop reduces the amount of harmful carbon dioxide pollution by an amount equivalent to taking one car off the road.

2. Reduce harmful carbon dioxide pollution. Maryland is merely an ‘‘observer” while a nine-state coalition called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative finalizes its plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The regional coalition includes states from Maine to Delaware. Unfortunately, Maryland chose not to be a participant of this coalition, which is supported by Republican and Democratic governors.

The plan calls for capping harmful carbon dioxide pollution from power plants between 2009 and 2015, followed by a 10 percent reduction between 2015 and 2020.

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has acknowledged the problems associated with global warming, including negative impacts to human health, agriculture, and our water resources and coastal areas, the federal government has again sat idle while states seek independent solutions. Maryland needs to be a participant and leader in the coalition to address this issue.

3. Reduce energy consumption. It’s time for Maryland to lead by example and renew its commitment to energy conservation by further reducing energy consumption in all state government buildings by 10 percent. Every kilowatt of energy reduced means less air pollution and greater fiscal savings to the taxpayers with less costly government energy bills.

4. Eliminate the Maryland coal subsidy. It is also time to phase out the Maryland-mined coal subsidy, which is costing taxpayers nearly $20 million a year. According to the coal industry, the there are about 500 jobs benefiting from the subsidy, which amounts to about $40,000 per employee. The state needs to focus our tax dollars on the energy of tomorrow and seek to gain a bigger bang for the buck in job creation, a better environment and public health.

These four initiatives represent a modest step toward taking a more proactive role in promoting renewable energy, reducing harmful pollution, and conserving energy. Our pocketbook, environment, and public health will benefit greatly.

Robert J. Garagiola, a Democrat from Germantown, represents District 15 in the state Senate.