Maryland

Maryland Campaigns

Making Polluters Pay: The RENEW Act

For decades, fossil fuel companies have been ramping up emissions in the name of ever-higher profits. And now, with unprecedented heat records, thousand-year storms, and hellish wildfires, we are the ones paying the price. Taxpayers are getting stuck with skyrocketing bills for climate disasters. We need YOUR help telling Maryland lawmakers to take groundbreaking action. Read more here –>

We’re Electrifying Baltimore County

CCAN will soon launch a campaign to pass a law in Baltimore County requiring new buildings to be electric. Baltimore County Councilmember Izzy Patoka has expressed his full-throated support for introducing such a bill. Now it’s up to us to make sure this bill is introduced and passed as quickly as possible.  Read more here –>

2023 campaigns

VICTORY: We Passed the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act

In 2022, Maryland passed the Climate Solutions Now Act, which sets ambitious goals for climate pollution reduction (60% reduction by 2031). Additionally, Maryland has a renewable energy goal of 50% by 2030, including at least 1200 MW of offshore wind, set by the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019. In order to meet those goals, we must prioritize the rapid deployment of renewable energy and investments in infrastructure to support that transition. That’s why we helped pass the POWER Act, which sets a target for 8 gigawatts of offshore wind in Maryland, enough electricity to power every home! Learn more >>

VICTORY: We’re Electrifying Howard County

On January 3, Howard County Councilmember Christiana Rigby introduced a bill requesting a report documenting changes necessary to require electrification of new buildings, and by March, the bill had passed! CB5-2023, the Clean New Buildings Climate Act, seeks to ensure that future homes and buildings in Howard county use only electric heat, hot water, and other appliances – not burning fossil fuels and creating greenhouse gasses. This is a big step forward for Howard County, similar to recent policies in DC and Montgomery County. It’s clear that electrification is a growing trend. Next up, Baltimore County, and soon, we’ll go statewide! Learn more >>

Past Campaigns:

VICTORY: Electrify Montgomery County, MD

End the use of dirty and dangerous fossil fuels for water heating, space heating, and cooking in our buildings, which account for over 50% of carbon emissions in our county!  Learn more >>

VICTORY: Elect Climate Champions 

We’re running out of time to pass the bold and transformative climate legislation we need to avert a global climate crisis. On the national, state, and local levels, we need strong leaders who will take action as soon as possible. As voters, the collective power is in our hands. Together, we have the power to elect true climate champions who will stand up for our future. It starts with you. It starts today.  Learn more >>

VICTORY: We Passed the Climate Solutions Act

We are in a “code red” climate emergency according to the world’s top scientists, and the only way to fix it is by reducing carbon pollution 60 percent by 2030. This means bold decarbonization in the top-emitting sectors: transportation, electricity, and buildings. In 2019, we tackled the electricity sector by passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Now, we built on that success with the Climate Solutions Act, which takes on buildings and the transportation sector while committing to bolder emissions reduction goals and climate action on the state level. Learn more >>

We Passed a Climate Test for Maryland’s PSC

The world’s leading climate scientists warn that we have 10 short years to drastically move away from fossil fuels. However, gas plants have multiplied in recent years and Governor Hogan wants to “kick-start” a gas pipeline expansion across Maryland. Until recently, the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) has been fueling the fire. It approves new facilities that generate electricity and oversees the gas industry, yet historically does not take climate into account. In 2021, we passed legislation to fix that.  Learn more>>

We Passed the Clean Energy Jobs Act 

In 2019, we worked with a power movement supported by more than 650 community, labor, faith, business, climate, and environmental groups from across Maryland to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act. This bill requires 50% of Maryland’s electricity to comes from renewable sources by 2030, and sets the stage for a future powered by 100% clean, renewable electricity. Learn more>>

We Fought Explosive Oil Trains in Baltimore

The oil industry targeted Baltimore as an easy through-way to export crude oil to refineries along the East Coast, and potentially throughout the world. A crude oil train or port explosion could threaten thousands of Baltimore residents, local property and the environment. In March 2018, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh signed the Crude Oil Terminal Prohibition into law. The law bans the construction of new crude terminals, helping to prevent a surge in the transport of volatile crude oil trains through the city. The law is the first of its kind on the East Coast and follows examples set by Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington in 2016. Learn more>>

Fighting Toxic Trash Incinerators

Incinerators are toxic to surrounding communities and the climate. Incinerators emit high levels of mercury pollution and ultra-fine particulate matter, one of the most dangerous known pollutants to human health. Trash-burning also emits more carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced than does burning coal. Unfortunately, trash incineration is currently included in Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard as a Tier 1 renewable energy source. We aim to right that wrong as we move towards a zero-waste future. Learn more>>