Students Lobby Annapolis

So this post is a little overdue, I organized a couple of lobby meetings with Delegate Michael Vaughn, and after many attempts to reach him, State Senator Nathaniel Exum. The meeting with Delegate Vaughn went well, we talked with him about the Greenhouse Gas Reductions Act which he hadn’t seen yet, gave him a copy, and told him what was different about the bill this year, and how we thought he could help sheppard it through the Economic Matters Committee. In the end, he ended up becoming a co-sponsor.

The meeting with State Senator Exum was not successful, although we did talk with him for about 45 minutes about the bill, and the issues surrounding it. Exum’s main issue was that Maryland Dept. of Env. had taken longer than it should have to get him a permit for his business, and he felt that they were too incompetent to administer a greenhouse gas reductions plan. The one thing we did learn that was useful was that he planned to introduce an amendment similar to the one he introduced last year, where MDE has to report its plan and proposed programs back to the legislature every year. He said he might “compromise” on 2 years. Obviously this wasn’t acceptable to us, and we do not see eye to eye with Exum. Despite our differences, he was very respectful, and we’re thankful he was kind enough to sit down with us for so long considering we weren’t his constituents and his relationship with the environmental community hasn’t been all flowers and sunshine.

Pictures below

Environmentalists Within 3 feet of Exum! and hes smiling!
Environmentalists Within 3 feet of Exum! and hes smiling!

How did your Rep. vote on GWSA?

The Maryland Global Warming Solutions Act was voted down by the House Economic Matters Committee Tuesday night by a margin of 18-2. The bill, which would have required a 25 percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020, had earlier passed the Senate.

It is important to note that the senate version had a “poison pill” amendment that would have rolled back the regulatory authority of the Maryland Department of the Environment and required multiple future votes by the General Assembly before the state agency could take any steps to reduce pollution.

Among those voting last night to kill the weakened Senate version of the bill were leading Democrats, including Del. Dereck Davis, chairman of the economic matters committee, and Del. Brian McHale of Baltimore, a strong union supporter.

Below is a list of delegates and how they voted. Since the bill had been weakened in the Senate, so much so that the Maryland League of Conservation Voters opposed the final version, it is not possible with just this information to determine whether the legislators voted against the bill because the didn’t want it at all or because they didn’t want the weakened version.

We will be compiling more information on why legislators voted they way they did but while we do that, why not ask them yourself? Below is a list of how your legislator voted, with email addresses: Continue reading

All the dirty details on the MD senate

This is the most in-depth information I’ve found about what exactly happened with the Global Warming Solutions Act in the MD Senate – it even includes a vote breakdown on the major weakening amendment, so scroll to the bottom of the article to see which way your Senator voted! (Thanks Baltimore Sun Bay & Environment Blog!)

Global Warming Bill Dealt Blow

The Maryland Senate today severely weakened a bill designed to reduce global warming pollution in the state.

An amendment approved by a vote of 27-20 would require the Maryland Department of the Environment to jump through several more hoops

Activists Line Annapolis Sidewalks in Chalk, Show 20 Feet of Sea Level Rise

floodannapolisCoalition members got to Annapolis early Monday morning to draw a line along the streets of Annapolis showing how twenty feet of sea level rise would affect the city. There was a good showing of press, with 3 TV cameras and a couple of photographers. People walking across the line on the sidewalk would read the paper explaining what the line represented. At one point a family walking by said “It is great what you are doing, STOP GLOBAL WARMING!”

Click here to watch a video from Monday’s demonstration>>

This is part of our ramped-up efforts to get the Global Warming Solutions Bill passed in the Senate and the House. Monday afternoon the Senate passed the bill with an amendment that would greatly weaken the power of the Maryland Department of the Environment to regulate global warming emissions.

Cindy Schwartz of MD LCV told the press, “Maryland elected officials have an enormous opportunity

MD Student Lobby Day a Huge Success!

Last week over 50 students from across Maryland gathered in Annapolis to demand their elected officials make Maryland a national leader and pass the Global Warming Solutions Act. In the morning the students rallied with Governor O’Malley, received lobby training, and then stormed the halls of the state house.

One of my favorite parts of the day was when Michelle Cleveland, a University of Maryland freshman, told a crowd of cheering students at the rally, “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. Young people today have a strong voice and demand that we commit to addressing global warming right now, before it’s too late. We want twenty-five percent reductions by 2020. That’s what we need to preserve our future and we won’t settle for anything less!”

I had the pleasure to accompany the students on some their lobby visits. A highlight was the student lobby meeting with Delegate Dereck Davis’s Chief of staff, Jim Casen. (Del. Davis is the influential Chairperson of the House Economic Matters Committee).The students prepared for the meeting beforehand on Lawyers Mall, divided the roles between the 16 person lobbying entourage, then bristling with confidence walked to their appointment. There were so many of us excitedly packed into the little room in the Delegate’s office anxiously awaiting the Chief of Staff. The students spoke strongly of how this would boost Maryland’s economy by creating thousands of new green jobs for the state. They also testified to their personal concern for their future. Their concerns were well received when Mr. Casen told the entourage that “the Delegate is fully on board.” Success!

For more on the lobby day here is a press release written by Alicia, a Montgomery county high school student. Just download it here and send to your school newspaper.

The story doesn’t end there! Now back in district the students have been actively organizing letter writing events, call in days, and phone banks to keep the pressure on. Last night alone Towson University got 30 handwritten letters to their state delegates. Keep up the good work!