Statement Climate Protection Tariff

I believe that citizens should have the right to become “climate neutral” with respect to their consumption of electricity to combat global warming and be able to voluntarily decide to pay more to do the right thing. That is why in 2006, before being elected to the County Council, I petitioned the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) requesting that they look into taking this action. It is a concept that I freely borrowed from California, home to one of the most progressive utilities in the country and one of the most environmentally and energy efficiency conscious state utility commissions.

In January of 2009, the Maryland PSC held a hearing on my petition and has agreed to study my “Climate Protection Tariff” proposal. In deciding to establish the study group, the commission overruled a recommendation from its staff to take no action on the proposed demonstration program. A work group will be formed which will bring all relevant stakeholders together to determine if we can make a carbon neutral tariff work in the state of Maryland and is expected to report its findings to the Commission in six months. The voluntary additional tariff would support initiatives such as the planting of trees or other measures to achieve neutrality.

Montgomery County has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80%, a goal that Governor O’Malley and our state are equally committed to. What we know already as we begin to put the programs in place to move us in this direction is how hard it is going to be to get there. We are going to need every tool in the toolbox to have a chance. This climate neutral tariff would be a handy tool to have

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