Climate change: What Maryland leaders are doing about it

By Tashi McQueen AFRO Political Writertmcqueen@afro.comAs weather patterns drastically shift and rising sea levels threaten whole communities and cities, climate change policies are becoming more crucial throughout America.Maryland legislators and leaders are increasingly giving focus to the impacts of climate change, pushing for a better tomorrow through legislation.Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) speaks to a large crowd on June 4 at the Henderson-Hopkins School in Baltimore before signing an executive order that aims to assist the state’s climate goals. (Photo courtesy of the Maryland Office of the Governor)“We are only on pace to reach about 7 percent solar energy by 2030, when we were supposed to meet 14-½ percent. We’re only on pace to maybe meet half of what our goal was,” said state Sen. Sarah Elfreth (D-Dist. 30) during a hearing on her solar energy bill during the 2024 Maryland General Assembly session, emphasizing the importance of acting now.Elfreth’s bill creates a Small Solar Energy Generating System Incentive Program, establishes the Customer-Sited Solar Program in the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), makes changes to solar property tax incentives and more.& “It extends a sunset for tax incentives for certain projects, serving low- and moderate-income communities in Maryland,” said Elfreth. “It...