The Sierra Club released the results of a bi-partisan survey today that polled voter sentiment on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and support for reducing carbon pollution from power plants by five percent annually from 2020 through 2030. The results show Maryland voters overwhelmingly support their state’s participation in RGGI, support strengthening carbon pollution limits on power plants, and are worried about climate change throughout the region. In fact, support for RGGI was higher in Maryland than the regional average. The survey, fielded by Hart Research Associates and Chesapeake Beach Consulting, was conducted across all states in the RGGI region between July 19th and 24th and included 1209 registered voters.
"Based on these results it's clear that Maryland voters, on both sides of the aisle, support strong climate action and support RGGI," Maryland Senator Paul Pinsky said. "Marylanders value air quality and personal health, and they want to see stronger carbon pollution limits from power plants. The Maryland General Assembly has, and will continue its unfaltering support for climate action and the RGGI program. We put our state into RGGI through the Healthy Air Act in 2006 and we just set a new course of direction under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act in 2016. The state of Maryland is ready to stand up for a strong RGGI program that its people clearly want and support."
Based on a description provided to voters, 79 percent of Marylanders polled support their state’s participation in the RGGI program. Additionally, when asked if they support strengthening carbon pollution limits from power plants to five percent annually throughout the region, over 8 in 10 voters in Maryland approved, tying with Massachusetts as a state showing the most support for the change.
“Marylanders support the environment whether it is advocating for a stronger RGGI program, protecting the Chesapeake Bay or reducing green
According to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in 2009 alone, Marylanders suffered from almost 40,000 Emergency Dehouse emissions which causes climate change, ” Bob Carpenter of Chesapeake Beach Consulting and a resident of Maryland said. “Support for the environment is not a Republican ideal or a Democratic ideal, but a Maryland ideal and the strong bipartisan numbers in this poll prove it.”partment visits and over 11,400 hospitalizations due to asthma, costing families and the state over $99 million. With 75 percent of Marylanders living in areas that receive D or F air quality ratings from the American Lung Association, it is no surprise that 8 in 10 of voters polled believe strengthened limits on carbon pollution through RGGI would have a positive effect on air quality and people’s health.
“Power plants within our state and our region are huge sources of unhealthy air in Maryland,” David Smedick, Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign Representative in Maryland said. “When you reduce climate pollution from power plants using RGGI, you typically get the added benefit of lowering other pollution levels as well. That’s a win-win scenario, and one that Marylanders clearly would like to see. Weeks after he was inaugurated Governor Hogan said he would be the best environmental governor our state has seen. It’s time he actually makes good on that promise and gets behind a strong RGGI plan.”
For the past ten years, the RGGI states have worked together to set and achieve carbon pollution reductions from power plants, while generating billions of dollars in savings for customers and thousands of new jobs for workers through energy efficiency and clean energy investment in communities throughout the region. Analysis by Synapse Energy Economics shows that a five percent carbon pollution reduction from power plants annually by 2030, along with other actions to reduce climate-disrupting pollution from the transportation and heating sectors, would generate nearly $3 billion in overall energy savings to Maryland consumers including heating and electricity.
The poll comes as participating RGGI states review the program this year and set the next phase of carbon reduction goals. With a new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act target but recent actions against clean energy, Marylanders are left wondering what direction Governor Hogan will take with RGGI. Today’s poll shows overwhelming support from Maryland voters for the RGGI program and strong backing for continuing carbon pollution reductions of five percent annually from 2020 through 2030. This reduction would create thousands of jobs in the state and provide clean air for all while helping the state meet its climate goal.
*The poll surveyed 203 Maryland voters and the margin of error is +/- 6.9 percent.