- Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Friday highlighted details of a $90 million “down payment” toward the Old Line state’s climate goals.
- “We think this is an important statement that it’s a promise that we intend to keep,” Moore said.
- Maryland’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2006 levels by 2031 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Friday emphasized that the state has made a $90 million down payment to meet the state’s ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.
The funding will be funded in three different ways, including $17 million to purchase and lease electric school buses, $23 million to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and $50 million to electrify schools and multifamily buildings to reduce emissions. The money will be allocated to the initiative.
“I think this is an important statement that this is a promise that we intend to keep,” said Moore, a Democrat. “We know it will take time, but now is the time to move forward with speed, and this $90 million down payment is not only a sign of good faith, but also a measure of aggression. We want to address this issue. ”
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The funding is described as a start on how the state will meet ambitious goals to reduce climate change outlined in a bill approved two years ago known as the Climate Action Now Act. ing. The law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2006 levels by 2031.
The administration also aims to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2045. This means that at least as much carbon is removed from the atmosphere as is emitted.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore on February 7, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)
“We know $90 million won’t solve Maryland’s climate crisis, but we also know that by working with the General Assembly we can make a critical down payment now toward a more sustainable future. I want it to be,” Moore said. Such a future, he said, includes clean air and “a future where electricity comes from nature, rather than electricity working against nature.”
Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Celina McIlwain said the funding will help “revitalize Maryland’s green economy.”
McIlwain noted that in Maryland, communities are at risk in Baltimore, where residents are enduring extreme heat. She also pointed to East Coast communities that are losing farmland to saltwater intrusion due to rising sea levels.
In December, McIlwain’s department announced a plan calling for an estimated $1 billion in new state spending a year to transition to clean energy and combat climate change.
“We don’t have time to waste playing around,” he said at a press conference with Moore. “We have to do what we have to do to move forward. Climate change is here.”
The governor emphasized that the funding outlined Friday will go to underserved communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change. For example, extreme heat in some communities has resulted in poor air quality and increased asthma cases more than in others, he said.
Under his proposal, at least 50% of investments must go to communities that have been “historically underrepresented, historically undervalued, and historically underrepresented.”
“Not all communities are affected in the same way, so the way we address this issue needs to be intentional to make sure that ‘leaving no one behind’ means something.” That often means making sure those who were last come first,” Moore said. He said.
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The administration said the $90 million was previously unallocated money from the state’s Strategic Energy Investment Fund. This funding will be included in the Governor’s budget proposal as a one-time payment to advance implementation of the Climate Solutions Now Act and the Maryland Department of the Environment’s climate plan.
