On Friday, Gov. Larry Hogan, R-Md., vetoed the Clean Energy
Jobs Act, a bill that would have expanded Maryland’s renewable portfolio
standard (RPS). Before the 2016 Maryland legislative session adjourned in
April, state lawmakers had finalized the bill and sent it to Hogan for
consideration.
Specifically, the legislation would have boosted the current
RPS from 20% by 2022 (with a 2% solar carve-out) to 25% by 2020 (with a 2.5%
solar carve-out). According to estimations from the Maryland Climate Coalition,
the accelerated target would have resulted in approximately 1.3 GW more of
clean energy and hundreds of new jobs. Among other provisions, the bill also
would have established a working group to explore ways to help with clean
energy job training.
