Written by Delegate Kumar Barve
Chair of the Environment and Transportation House committee
I am so proud to be the recipient of the 2017 Legislator of the Year Award from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.
Together with the support of my colleagues in the Maryland General Assembly, I championed the cause to ban the dangerous practice of hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking) for natural gas. Last session we also passed landmark legislation increasing our Renewable Portfolio Standard to 25% by 2020, as well as my own bill to reduce greenhouse gases 40% by the year 2030.
Thank you for standing together with your neighbors in support of the environment. Maryland, and in particular my own District 17 near Washington, D.C., have some of the worst air quality on the East Coast. With these legislative wins, we are now moving our state in the right direction.
The renewable energy industries, wind and solar, are key to revitalizing our economy’s growth and protecting our air quality. Over half of Maryland’s electricity still comes from carbon-spewing fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas. These dirty fuels are bad for our health, our economy, our climate, and our energy security.
With the Federal rollback of environmental regulations, work at the state level is more important than ever. Maryland has always led the way. Now we need to double down on our efforts to continue our progress protecting Maryland’s air, land, water, and public health.
Thanks to activists like you, we were able to: permanently protect Maryland from fracking; override the clean energy veto to increase renewable energy; stop non-therapeutic use of antibiotics on livestock; and close a loophole to stop the State’s use of bee-killing pesticides on pollinator habitats.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Event details:
Wednesday, November 15th
Loews Annapolis