ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Gathered in Lawyer's Mall, Democratic leadership of Maryland's House and Senate vowed to lower energy bills and make Maryland's grid cleaner while doing it.
"These bills will protect everyday Marylanders from rising energy costs," said Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Democrat from Baltimore County.
The package includes three bills to accomplish that goal.
The first requires the Public Service Commission to find and approve projects to match the current amount of energy production in Maryland needed for peak hours.
"Our top priority is to expedite the production of new cleaner in-state energy generation," said Senate President Bill Ferguson.
The second focuses on solar energy.
Strengthening protections for people who install them in their homes and punishing bad actors who put them up.
"In order to advance our clean energy goals and increase this state's energy generation, we must focus on the reliability and overall accessibility of solar energy," said Delegate C.T. Wilson.
The third creates a non-partisan commission to advise lawmakers on the needs of the state's energy grid.
"They will provide the general assembly with the information to make the best decisions for taxpayers and ratepayers," said Senator Katie Fry Hester.
Senate Republicans said they were left wanting more from the Democratic leadership on measures to reduce costs to ratepayers.
"I don't see anything that they've talked about today that is going to solve anything soon," said Senator Steve Hershey.
Republicans said they'd focus more on converting current coal power plants to processing natural gas.
"We have to be able to get some of the coal fire facilities that have been shut down, see if they can convert to natural gas but we have to do something that's much more immediate," said Hershey.
Ferguson was asked how quickly Marylanders could see the benefits of the legislation announced today.
"As quickly as possible, it's hard to set a specific date because it has to be put out to bid, there have to be joint ventures put together but we would like to see by the end of this year that there are projects moving," said Ferguson.
In certain areas, the Trump administration's views on energy production differ from the Democrat-led policies in Annapolis.
One area they do align, the possibility of nuclear.
"In the meantime, we are looking at nuclear energy and this administration has spoken very highly of nuclear energy," said Wilson.
The bills are expected to be introduced today.
With leadership in both chambers behind them, there is a high probability they pass, though amendments could be made between now and then.
