Annapolis, MD - Today, South Baltimore Community Land Trust and partners delivered a letter signed by 60 Maryland climate, environmental justice, community, and civic organizations. The letter, addressed to Governor Moore, Senate President Ferguson, and Speaker Jones, calls on these leaders to endorse the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (HB166/SB146) and pass it before the end of the 2024 legislative session on April 8. This legislation, which would eliminate trash incineration from Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard and redirect tens of millions of dollars per year to support renewable energy through the program at no cost to Maryland’s budget, has not yet received a vote in either chamber.
“Communities can’t afford to wait,” reads the letter, available here. “The Reclaim Renewable Energy Act is ready to pass right now. This is the 7th year in a row that it has been introduced. It is well-vetted, well-understood, and has broad support throughout the state: leaders in the legislature, leaders in local governments that use incinerators, the Governor’s own Climate Pollution Reduction Plan, the Maryland Climate Commission, and the leaders of communities facing trash incineration on the front lines. All acknowledge: burning trash is not clean, renewable energy, and eliminating trash incineration from Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard is the right thing to do.”
The Reclaim Renewable Energy Act secured broad support throughout the 2024 legislative session. Joint testimony was signed by 87 Maryland organizations. The legislation has support from Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Frederick County governments, as well as the Legislative Latino Caucus. Twelve community and business organizations in Baltimore City’s District 46 signed a letter urging Senate President Ferguson, representative of District 46 which houses Baltimore’s trash incinerator, and the rest of the Baltimore City delegation to support the bill. Despite this broad and diverse support, the legislation has not yet been endorsed by Governor Moore, Senate President Ferguson, or Speaker Jones, and has not yet received a vote.
"Passing the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act this year not only fulfills a commitment outlined in the state's Climate Pollution Reduction Plan but also aligns with the unanimous recommendation of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change," stated Maryland LCV Executive Director, Kim Coble. "Given Maryland's current budget constraints, it's imperative that we prioritize state dollars towards genuinely clean, renewable energy sources, which offer not only environmental but also health and economic benefits in the long run."
New analysis released by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Progressive Maryland, and Clean Water Action earlier this month demonstrated the enormous amounts of money Maryland is wasting by classifying trash incineration as “renewable energy.” The analysis found that Maryland utilities have spent approximately $100 million subsidizing trash incinerators between 2012 and 2022, costs passed along to residents through utility bills. The problem is getting worse: Maryland will waste an additional $200 million by 2030 unless the General Assembly passes and Governor Moore signs the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act.
“For over 39 years, the Baltimore trash incinerator has been operating in my community releasing toxins into the air that me and my two children breathe. It is frustrating and insane that we still fund the incinerator through our utility bills,” said Shenae Thomas, a resident of Cherry Hill neighborhood in Baltimore and member of Progressive Maryland.
“Communities near the BRESCO trash incinerator in Baltimore know all too well that incineration is not renewable energy,” said Carlos Sanchez, youth leader with the South Baltimore Community Land Trust. “Forcing us to subsidize the trash incinerator that’s polluting the air we breathe, instead of the wind and solar that would help clean our grid, is adding insult to injury. South Baltimore communities deserve to know that our leaders will stand with us. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Governor Moore said in his State of the State address in February, “We’ve got to spend smarter across all of our state programs in a way that respects the taxpayer, in a way that actually follows data, in a way that responds to the needs of our communities.” But despite the fiscal irresponsibility of continuing to waste money on trash incineration, the clear data demonstrating that trash incineration is not clean or renewable, and the loud community demands for this bill to pass, Governor Moore has remained silent on the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act, and the legislation has yet to be endorsed by leaders in the administration or the General Assembly.
“The Reclaim Renewable Energy Act plainly has the support to pass this year if Governor Moore, Senate President Ferguson, or Speaker Jones give it a green light and bring it for a vote,” said Jennifer Kunze, Maryland Organizing Director with Clean Water Action. “The question is, who will choose to be the climate and environmental justice champion Maryland needs this year?”
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The Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee heard the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act on January 25. The recording is available here. The House Economic Matters Committee heard the bill March 7; the recording is available here.