Dozens rally in Annapolis to demand Clean Energy Jobs!
On the first day of the 2018 Maryland General Assembly session, more than 50 supporters of the Clean Energy Jobs Campaign rallied on a chilly Wednesday morning on Lawyers’ Mall outside the Statehouse in Annapolis to demand action. Campaign supporters demanded an increase in renewable energy generation in Maryland, including rooftop and community solar, and the good jobs that come with the expanding clean energy economy.
You can help by contacting your legislator today and letting them know that you support Clean Energy Jobs!
The rally brought together Marylanders from around the state, including a diverse cross section of the 600 state and local organizations that support the campaign. The rally included a parade of vehicles decorated with clean energy flare and rousing speeches from advocates representing a broad slice of the campaign coalition, including the NAACP, CCAN, Civic Works, and others. Legislators including Del. Cheryl Glenn and Sen. Brian Feldman provided a roadmap for victory, and the energized crowd demonstrated the power for grassroots support.
The Clean Energy Jobs Campaign would require 50% of Maryland’s energy be generated by renewable sources by 2030—doubling the current Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 25% by 2020. Solar energy would get a huge boost from this proposal, jumping from the measly 2.5% required by current law to a robust 14.5% by 2030. The campaign also supports the expansion of the good-paying jobs created by the clean energy economy and will improve community health by reducing our reliance on imported, polluting fossil fuels and reclassifying some of the dirty energy sources that count as “renewable” under the current standard.
Thank you to all the solar supporters who joined us in Annapolis. We’ll need to show our strength by mobilizing to make our voices heard if we want to be successful with the Clean Energy Jobs Campaign in 2018!
