Electing Climate Champs in MD

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. 

Three Steps to Electing Climate Champions

       We have a three-step plan to elect climate champions in Maryland and nationwide: 

  1.   Public Pressure to Find Climate Champions: On behalf of our 60,000 supporters, we’re reaching out to candidates directly and asking them to sign a resolution promoting climate justice in Maryland. We’re working on this effort with NAACP Maryland State Conference, CASA, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26. So far, 150+ candidates have signed our resolution, including 8 gubernatorial candidates.

  2.  Demonstrating our Collective Power: We are recruiting, organizing, and mobilizing climate voters to continuously increase the visibility of our key issues. We’re going to phone bank, text bank, canvass, and more to spread the word. Together, we’ll reach thousands of voters to educate them about the most important elections for our climate. With this effort, we aim to keep important climate champion allies in office and elect new leaders.

  3. Building a Movement for Powerful Legislation: We are building a movement that will last long after the polls are closed, we will turn out to vote and continue to hold our elected officials accountable in this crucial upcoming legislative session on the state and national scale.

CCAN Action Fund Proudly Endorses Maryland Climate Champions

Nine Key Races:

  • Wes Moore – Governor
  • Aruna Miller – Lieutenant Governor
  • Brooke Lierman – Comptroller
  • Anthony Brown – Attorney General
  • Kathy Klausmeier – Senate (D8)
  • Karen Lewis Young – Senate (D3)
  • Ken Kerr – House (D3)
  • Kris Fair – House (D3)
  • Karen Simpson – House (D3)

All Candidates Endorsed by CCAN Action Fund:

Statewide Candidates:

  • Wes Moore – Governor
  • Aruna Miller- LT Gov
  • Brooke Lierman – Comptroller
  • Anthony Brown – Attorney General

State Senate Candidates:

  • Mike Dreisbach, D-1
  • Karen Lewis Young, D-3
  • Katherine Klausmeier, D-8
  • Katie Fry Hester, D-9
  • Ben Brooks, D-10
  • Shelly Hettleman, D-11
  • Clarence Lam, D-12
  • Guy Guzzone, D-13
  • Craig Zucker, D-14
  • Brian Feldman, D-15
  • Susan Lee, D-16
  • Cheryl Kagan, D-17
  • Jeff Waldstreicher, D-18
  • Ben Kramer, D-19
  • Will Smith, D-20
  • Jim Rosapepe, D-21
  • Paul Pinsky, D-22
  • Joanne Benson, D-24
  • Melony Griffith, D-25
  • Sarah Elfreth, D-30
  • Pamela Beidle, D-32
  • Dawn Gile, D-33
  • Michele Gregory, D-38
  • Nancy King, D-39
  • Antonio Hayes, D-40
  • Jill P. Carter, D-41
  • Mary Washington, D-43
  • Charles Sydnor, D-44
  • Cory McCray, D-45
  • Bill Ferguson, D-46

House of Delegates Candidates:

  • Robert Spear, D-1A
  • Carrie Hinton, D-1C
  • Brooke Grossman, D-2B
  • Ken Kerr, D-3
  • Kris Fair, D-3
  • Karen Simpson, D-3
  • Millicent Hall, D-4
  • Courtney Watson, D-9B
  • Adrienne Jones, D-10
  • N. Scott Phillips, D-10
  • Jennifer White, D-10
  • Dana Stein, D-11B
  • Jessica Feldmark, D-12
  • Vanessa Atterbeary, D-13
  • Pam Guzzone, D-13
  • Jen Terrasa,D-13
  • Anne Kaiser, D-14
  • Eric Luedtke, D-14
  • Pam Queen, D-14
  • Linda Foley, D-15
  • David Fraser-Hidalgo, D-15
  • Lily Qi, D-15
  • Ariana Kelly, D-16
  • Marc Korman, D-16
  • Sara Love, D-16
  • Kumar Barve, D-17
  • Julie Palakovich Carr, D-17
  • Joe Vogel, D-17
  • Aaron Kaufman, D-18
  • Emily Shetty, D-18
  • Jared Solomon, D-18
  • Charlotte Crutchfield, D-19
  • Bonnie Cullison, D-19
  • Vaughn Stewart, D-19
  • Lorig Charkoudian, D-20
  • David Moon, D-20
  • Jheanelle Wilkins, D-20
  • Ben Barnes, D-21
  • Mary Lehman, D-21
  • Joseline Pena-Melnyk, D-21
  • Anne Healey, D-22
  • Alonzo Washington, D-22
  • Nicole Williams, D-22
  • Marvin Holmes, D-23
  • Andrea Harrison, D-24
  • Jazz Lewis, D-24
  • Veronica Turner, D-26
  • Kriselda Valderrama, D-26
  • Debra Davis, D-28
  • Edith Patterson, D-28
  • CT Wilson, D-28
  • Shaneka Henson, D-30A
  • Dana Jones, D-30A
  • Sandy Bartlett, D-32
  • Mark Chang, D-32
  • Mike Rogers, D-32
  • Heather Bagnall, D-33C
  • Gabriel Acevero, D-39
  • Lesley Lopez, D-39
  • Kirill Reznik, D-39
  • Marlon Amprey, D-40
  • Melissa Wells, D-40
  • Tony Bridges, D-41
  • Samuel Rosenberg, D-41
  • Paul Konka, D-42A
  • Michele Guyton, D-42B
  • Regina Boyce, D-43A
  • Elizabeth Embry, D-43A
  • Cathi Forbes, D-43B
  • Eric Ebersole, D-44A
  • Sheila Ruth, D-44B
  • Stephanie Smith, D-45
  • Luke Clippinger, D-46
  • Mark Edleson, D-46
  • Robbyn Lewis, D-46
  • Diana Fennell, D-47A
  • Julian Ivey, D-47A

Maryland Climate Justice Resolution

“This is a historic moment. Never before have climate, labor, and justice groups come together to develop anything quite like the Maryland Climate Justice Resolution. We’ve had separate resolutions addressing some of our respective issues but this is the first time we’ve asked candidates for public office to commit to passing legislation to achieve our shared goals. And that is incredibly important because they fit together. You cannot solve one without the other on a warming planet.”    –  Mike Tidwell, CCAN Action Fund

100% Clean Electricity by 2035

(without incentives for trash incineration)

Investments in Underserved Communities

Increased Access to Clean Transportation

Strong Labor Provisions for Major Clean-Energy Projects

The Climate Justice Resolution was developed with input from CCAN Action Fund, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26, CASA, and the NAACP Maryland State Conference. More than 150 candidates – including a majority of Democrats running for the Maryland General Assembly or statewide offices – and over 70 environmental, labor, business, and justice groups have signed this pledge. 

Who has Signed the Maryland Climate Justice Resolution?

Rushern Baker • Peter Franchot • Douglas Gansler • Ashwani Jain • John King • Wes Moore • Tom Perez • Jerome Segal

Raaheela Ahmed • Pamela Beidle • Benjamin Brooks • Tamara Davis Brown • Jill P. Carter •Adam Alphaeus Cunningham • Michael Dreisbach • Cory D. Edwards • Sarah Elfreth • Rou Etienne • Brian J. Feldman • Dawn D. Gile • Michele Gregory • Shelly Hettleman • Cheryl Kagan • Nancy J. King • Ben Kramer • Sarah F. Lacey • Clarence Lam • Susan Lee • Mary Ann Lisanti • Rashad D. Lloyd • C. Anthony Muse • Collins Odongo • Shawn Demetrious Perry • Paul G. Pinsky • Jonathan Rosero • Will Smith • Max Socol • Jeff Waldstreicher • Mary Washington • Lawrence Williams • Karen Lewis Young 

Gabriel Acevero • Saqib Ali • Ruben Amaya • Marlon Amprey • Vince Andrews • Vanessa Atterbeary • Ben Barnes • Lisa Belcastro • Reginald Benbow • Sarahia Benn • Robert Bird • Adrian Boafo • Josh Bokee • Steven M. Bolen • Tony Bridges • Renaud Deaundre Brown • Jon Cardin • Mark Chang • Lorig Charkoudian • Augusta Christensen • Jocelyn Collins • Charlotte Crutchfield • Bonnie Cullison • Patrick Cusack • Debra Davis • Joe De Maria • Valarie Alisha Dove-Swaringer • Joshua Dowling • Eric Ebersole • Mark Edelson • Richard Elliott • Elizabeth Embry • Jessica Feldmark • Diana M. Fennell • Linda Foley • David Fraser-HidalgoJeff Garcia  Cameron E. Green, Sr. • Brooke Grossman • Michele Guyton • Pam Guzzone • Millicent A. Hall • Kevin Harris • Andrea Harrison • Regg Hatcher, Jr. • Anne Healey • Carrie R. Hinton • Edward Holland • Marvin Holmes, Jr. • Faye Howell • Chiquita Jackson • Korey Johnson • Andre Johnson, Jr. • Angela Jones • Rachel Jones • Anne Kaiser • Aaron M. Kaufman • Ariana Kelly • Ken Kerr • Aisha Khan • Paul V. Konka • Marc Korman • Robbyn Lewis • Brooke Lierman • Nathaniel Logan • Lesley Lopez • Sara Love • Ashanti Martinez • Daniel J. McGinty • Sherricka McGrier-Douglas • Gillian A. Miller • David Moon • Becca Niburg • Patrick Paschall • Edith Patterson • Joseline Pena-Melnyk • N. Scott Phillips • Milad Pooran • Lily Qi • Pamela Queen • William Reid • Kirill Reznik • Mike Rogers • Sandy Rosenberg • Sheila Ruth • Jorge Sactic • Shazia Shah • Emily Shetty • Kathy Shulman • Karen Simpson • Stephen Slater • Stephanie Smith • Clint Sobratti • Jared Solomon • Robert Spear • Jacqui • Steele-McCall • Dana Stein • Christopher Stevenson • Vaughn Stewart • Kym Taylor • Jen Terrasa • Tarolyn Thrasher • Kriselda Valderrama • Joseph Vogel • John Wakefield • LaTasha Ward • Alonzo T. Washington • Jennifer White • Jheanelle Wilkins • Nicole Williams • Chao Wu • Caylin Young • Jianning Zeng 

350.org Baltimore • Assateague Coastal Trust • Baltimore 350 • Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity • Baltimore Blue Green Just • Baltimore Green Space- A Land Trust for • Community Managed Open Space Inc. • Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church Creation Care Action & Advocacy • Benedictine Sisters of Baltimore • Calvert Citizens for a Healthy Community • Carmelite Sisters of Baltimore • CASA • Caucus of African American Leaders • Cecil Solidarity • Cedar Lane Environmental Justice Ministry • Central Maryland Beekeepers Association • Chesapeake Climate Action Network • Clarksburg Sunrise • Climate Law & Policy Project • Climate Reality Montgomery County • Climate XChange • ECO City Farms • Elders Climate Action Maryland • Environmental Focus Group/Kittamaqundi Community • Environmental Justice Team Cedar Lane UU • Friends of Quincy Run Watershed • Genergi, LLC • Glen Echo Heights Mobilization • Greenbelt Climate Action Network • GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic • Heron-There Farm, Croom Maryland • High Note Consulting, LLC • HoCo Climate Action • Homewood Friends Meeting (Quaker) • IBEW Local 26 • Indivisible Howard Co • Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA) • Jewish Community Relations Council of Howard County • Kittamaqundi Church • Maryland Catholics for Our Common Home • Maryland Center on Economic Policy • Maryland League of Conservation Voters • Maryland Legislative Coalition • MaryPIRG Student Climate Action Coalition • MoCo Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions • Mother Earth Project • Mountain Maryland Movement • NAACP Maryland State Conference • Neighborhood Sun Benefit Corp • No Boundaries CoalitionOur Revolution Prince George’s County • Prince George’s Green • Public Justice Center • Quaker Voice of Maryland • Rachel Carson Council • Rebuild Maryland Coalition • SABER • Safe Skies Maryland • Salisbury University Student Government Association • Sierra Club Maryland Chapter • St. Vincent’s Green Team • Strong Future Maryland • Sunrise Movement Baltimore City • Sunrise Movement Frederick • Sunrise Movement Silver Spring • Takoma Park Mobilization • The Climate Mobilization • The Girl & the Vine • Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland • WISE • Women’s Action Coalition, Greater Allegany • 

MD Climate Voters: It's Time to Get Involved!

November 1: Deadline to request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or your local board for the General Election

October 27- November 3 from 7 AM – 8 PM: *Early Voting Gubernatorial General Election *You can vote early at any early voting center in the county you live in.

November 8: Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated ballot drop box by 8 pm for the General Election

November 8: General Election day! To vote in person on election days, vote at your assigned polling place

FAQs: Get the Answers You Need to be an Informed Climate Voter

The Maryland Climate Justice Resolution is sponsored by and was developed with input from CCAN Action Fund, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26, CASA, and the NAACP Maryland State Conference. The resolution offers a shared vision of 100% clean electricity by 2035 (without incentives for trash incineration), investments in underserved communities, and increased access to clean transportation and strong labor provisions for clean-energy projects.

The 2022 MD Climate Justice Resolution and its creation is historic because it is the first of its kind in our state and was developed with input from climate, justice, and labor organizations. By collaborating from the beginning, CCAN Action Fund, NAACP Maryland State Conference, CASA, and IBEW Local 26, worked to build a shared vision which recognizes the intersectional threat of climate change.  In addition to the four primary partners, over 70 justice groups, labor leaders, environmental organizations, and businesses have signed in support of the Resolution’s shared vision of climate justice.

According to data from the Energy Information Administration, in 2020 Maryland’s electricity came from the following sources: Nuclear (41.8%). Coal (9.3%), Natural Gas (38.9%). Oil (0.2%), Hydro (4.7%), Geothermal (0.0%), Solar (1.7%), Wind (1.5%), Biomass and other (1.8%)Source: EIA via Nuclear Energy Institute (https://www.nei.org/resources/statistics/state-electricity-generation-fuel-shares)

Currently, within the state’s RPS system for renewable energy, about 70% is made up of carbon-free electricity sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. Black liquor has recently been about 10% of the RPS, but it is being phased out through legislation enacted in 2021. Although some black liquor contracts are temporarily grandfathered in, by 2030 this projection assumes the 10% black liquor share will be replaced overwhelmingly by carbon-free power. Between black liquor being removed by law, and carbon-free clean energy growing as a share of the RPS,  we estimate the RPS will be 80% clean by 2030 under current law (Fig. 1).

Removing subsidies and incentives for incineration ensures that ratepayers are not paying to pollute their own communities. Trash incineration emits pollution that creates a public health crisis. Incineration facilities such as Baltimore City’s BRESCO plant emit high levels of health-hazardous air pollution, harm water, and soil quality, contribute to respiratory, cardiovascular, and other ailments, and add to climate disruption. A study commissioned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation found that fine particle air pollution from the BRESCO incinerator in Baltimore causes over $55 million in adverse health effects annually. In fact, someone living near the BRESCO incinerator has the same risk of contracting asthma and other health problems as they would if they lived with a cigarette smoker. Incinerators are not something state taxpayers should be subsidizing and promoting as “clean energy.”

In 2018, the IPCC cited the devastating impacts of global warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius and the emissions reduction pathway needed to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Importantly, the IPCC noted that wealthy nations like the United States must reduce climate-disrupting pollution by 60% below 2006 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by mid-century in order to avoid the most catastrophic climate impacts. With the passage of the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, Maryland committed to reaching those emissions targets.

In order to reduce emissions by 60% by 2031 (the benchmark included in the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022), we must reduce emissions in the top-emitting sectors, including transportation and electricity. This means greener, cleaner transportation options and the expansion of renewable energy.

Source: IPCC, 2018:  Global warming of 1.5°C. An  IPCC   Special   Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways,   in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change,  sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty  [V.  Masson-Delmotte, P.  Zhai,  H.  O. Pörtner, D. Roberts,  J. Skea, P.R.  Shukla,  A.  Pirani,  W. Moufouma-Okia, C.  Péan, R.  Pidcock, S. Connors, J. B. R.  Matthews, Y.  Chen, X. Zhou,  M. I.  Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor,  T. Waterfield  (eds.)].  In Press.

Maryland has not defined “historically disadvantaged communities” in code. Taking lead from the President Biden Administration, historically disadvantaged communities can be identified by reviewing income, unemployment rate, racial and ethnic segregation, linguistic isolation, housing cost burden, access to transportation and healthcare, environmental stressor burden, energy cost burden and low energy access, etc. There are several tools that can be used to identify historically disadvantaged communities including the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool

In the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, the State of Maryland defined two terms that relate to “historically disadvantaged communities.” They include “underserved communities” and “overburdened communities.”
“overburdened community” means any census tract for which three or more of the following environmental health indicators are above the 75th percentile statewide: (i) particulate matter (pm) 2.5; (ii) ozone; (iii) national air toxics assessment (nata) diesel pm; (iv) nata cancer risk; v) nata respiratory hazard index; (vi) traffic proximity; (vii) lead paint indicator; (viii) national priorities list superfund site proximity; (ix) risk management plan facility proximity; (x) hazardous waste proximity; (xi) wastewater discharge indicator; (xii) proximity to a concentrated animal feeding operation (cafo); (xiii) percent of the population lacking broadband coverage; (xiv) asthma emergency room discharges; (xv) myocardial infarction discharges; (xvi) low–birth–weight infants; (xvii) proximity to emitting power plants; (xviii) proximity to a toxic release inventory (tri) facility; (xix) proximity to a brownfields site; (xx) proximity to mining operations; and (xxi) proximity to a hazardous waste landfill.
“underserved community” means any census tract in which, according to the most recent u.s. census bureau survey: (i) at least 25% of the residents qualify as low–income; (ii) at least 50% of the residents identify as nonwhite; or (iii) at least 15% of the residents have limited English proficiency.

 

Transportation contributes 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland, according to the 2017 Inventory conducted by the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Questions? Contact: anthony@chesapeakeclimate.org

This message has been authorized and paid for by CCAN Action Fund, PO Box 11138, Takoma Park, MD 20913, Albert Nunez, Treasurer. This message has not been authorized or approved by any candidate.