Save the RENEW Act – Make Polluters Pay!

With sea levels rising and Maryland experiencing one of the hottest years on record, it's clear that climate change is already here.

From improved flood gates to air conditioning in schools, we've got to be prepared for climate change impacts and the costs of addressing them. Taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook for damage caused by fossil fuel companies.

Last legislative session, the RENEW Act passed Maryland’s House and Senate with a supermajority. It called for a study into how much Maryland’s biggest fossil fuel companies have cost the state with their carbon dioxide pollution as a first phase into requiring these companies to pay billions of dollars to fund projects that address climate impacts. In a shocking move, Governor Wes Moore vetoed the RENEW Act and several other bills, so now it's up to legislators to override the governor’s vetoes.

Urge your legislators to override vetoes of the RENEW Act and other bills to help address the climate crisis and hold polluters accountable.

Your Message

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I urge you to support a veto override of the RENEW Act ( SB149/HB128), a bill that passed last year with supermajorities in both chambers, then was vetoed by Governor Moore.

By calling for a study, the bill was an important first step in determining how much Maryland’s biggest polluters, the fossil fuel companies, have cost us with their contributions to climate change via their carbon dioxide emissions. From rising sea levels, to worsening damage from storms and much hotter summers, the effects of climate change are all around us. It should not be on taxpayers to foot the bill for the massive costs to address and prepare for the impacts of the climate crisis.

We should be making polluters pay and holding them accountable for funding the projects we need to protect public health and the environment. A study is a first step that must be followed with a requirement that fossil fuel companies pay their fair share.

The RENEW Act study passed the House and Senate with a clear supermajority before being vetoed by Governor Wes Moore. Long term, the bill will help with raising revenue in the future, which would benefit Maryland’s Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Fund. From this fund, we would be able to fund projects like:

- Building seawalls to prevent flooding along our coasts
- Installing air conditioning in schools to combat rising temperatures 
- Constructing climate shelters to provide resources during climate events like hurricanes

I urge you to support an override of the RENEW Act veto because Marylanders need climate resiliency programs and fossil fuel companies must be held accountable to pay for them. That starts with a study showing how much harm their pollution has caused us. Please also override vetoes that stopped a study on data centers (SB116/ HB 270) and long term energy planning in the state (SB909/ HB1037)!

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
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{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Ghost Zip Code}

Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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