Governor O

Contact:
Cindy Schwartz, MD LCV: (240) 535-6050
Anne Havemann, CCAN: (240) 396-2022

Governor Rallies for Global Warming Solutions
Hundreds of Concerned Citizens Join O’Malley in Calling on General Assembly to Take Action on Global Warming

ANNAPOLIS, March 5th – Governor O’Malley joined over 200 concerned citizens at a rally outside the Maryland State House today in calling on the General Assembly to pass the “Global Warming Solutions Act” in the 2008 legislative session. The bill would require the state to implement a series of clean energy and smart growth policies over the next several years that would result in a reduction of global warming pollution by at least 25% by 2020 in Maryland.

“Today is a historic day,” said Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “”Future Marylanders will remember Martin O’Malley as the leader who began in earnest the clean-energy transformation that strengthened our 21st century economy and saved our children from ever seeing 10 feet of sea-level rise along our cherished coastlines.”

The Global Warming Solutions Act (SB 309/HB 712) was introduced by Sen. Paul Pinsky and Del. Kumar Barve and would require Maryland to reduce its global warming pollution 25% by 2020 as cost-effectively as possible, as recommended by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change. This target, based on what scientists recommend is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, would be the strongest in the nation.

“When the Maryland League of Conservation Voters endorsed Martin O’Malley for Governor in 2006 I said “We believe Mayor O’Malley will be a true leader for the environment,” said MDLCV Director Cindy Schwartz. “I am proud to stand here today and say that not only has he proven himself to be a leader for the environment, but he is emerging as one of our nation’s strongest leaders in the fight to stop global warming.”

“Maryland has a choice of whether to be a leader or a follower in the transition to a clean energy economy,” said Brad Heavner, State Director for Environment Maryland. “If we plan the transition now, we can get the benefits of new jobs without shocks to our economy or negative impacts on traditional manufacturing sectors.”

Nearly 500 Maryland businesses endorsed the bill at a press conference last week saying that it will create new jobs in Maryland. A study by Baltimore-based International Center for Sustainable Development, which was funded by the state Department of Business and Economic Development, found that clean energy industries could generate between 144,000 to 326,000 jobs in Maryland over the next 20 years, contributing $5.7 billion in wages and salaries to Maryland citizens and boosting state and local tax revenues by $973 million. The report can be found here: http://www.solarcities.org/pdf/MCECStudyReport2-28-07.pdf.

“The clean energy industry is the hottest industry on Wall Street right now but Maryland has no stake in the game,” said John Spears, President of the International Center for Sustainable Development. “Investing in the clean energy sector has the potential to create 144,000 jobs in Maryland and increase the gross state product by $16 billion over the next 20 years. Such an investment is good for everybody.”

The bill also has widespread support among students, health, and faith leaders. After the rally, over 100 students from high schools and Universities across Maryland attended a “Student Lobby Day” in Annapolis. Students met with their elected officials to encourage them to take action on global warming.

“As a young person who will live on this planet for many years to come, I feel it is crucial that we do our part to preserve it,” said Michelle Cleveland, a University of Maryland freshman. “Young people today have a strong voice and are demanding that we commit to addressing global warming right now, before it’s too late. We want 25% reductions by 2020. That’s what we need to preserve our future and we won’t settle for anything less!”

“Our Lutheran community has said that we’re responsible for providing an acceptable quality of life for present generations without compromising that of future generations, or taking from our children and our neighbor’s children the blessings of created goodness we know as life on earth,” said Reverend Lee Hudson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. “That is why I support taking action on global warming.”

Recently enacted legislation, including the Healthy Air Act, the Clean Cars Act and other bills, will achieve more than one-quarter of the reductions required by this bill. The rest would come from a major new statewide energy efficiency program, increased use of renewable energy and clean fuels, smart growth measures, green building codes, and the construction of small, efficient power plants to gradually replace massive, old-fashioned plants. Other reductions would come from carbon sequestration projects, such as planting forest buffers along tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, innovative agricultural practices, and saltwater marsh restoration.

The Alliance for Global Warming Solutions is composed of health, faith, business, environmental and community groups working together to find solutions to this global crisis. Visit www.alliancemd.org for more information.
###
Contacts
– Senator Paul Pinsky: (410) 841-3155
– Delegate Kumar Barve: (301) 417-0158
Office of Governor O’Malley
– Rick Abbruzzese, Governor’s Press Secretary and Christine Hansen, Governor’s Deputy Press Secretary: 410.974.2316
– Michelle Cleveland, University of Maryland freshman: (336) 456-2456, mkcleve@umd.edu
– Reverend Lee Hudson, Lutheran Office on Public Policy: (410) 268-4122, messiahodsq@netzero.net
– John Spears, President of the International Center for Sustainable Development: (301) 428-1040, jspears@SustainableDesign.com

Alliance for Global Warming Steering Committee Contacts
– Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Mike Tidwell, mike@chesapeakeclimate.org, 240.460.5838
– Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Cindy Parker, MD, ciparker@jhsph.edu, 410-493-4571
– Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance, Keith Losoya, Keith@CSBAlliance.org, 410-342-1482
– Environment Maryland, Brad Heavner, bsh@environmentmaryland.org, 410-467-0439
– Lutheran Office on Public Policy, Lee Hudson, messiahodsq@netzero.net, 410-935-3696
– Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Cindy Schwartz, cschwartz@mdlcv.org, 240-535-6050
– Sierra Club – Maryland Chapter, Dave O’Leary, dave.oleary@mdsierra.org, 301-277-7111
– Audubon Naturalist Society, Mike Harold, mmharold@gmail.com, 301-652-9188