* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Burnett
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Supporting Coal Community Transition Legislation in Maryland
For the purpose of urging the Maryland General Assembly to pass and the Governor to sign legislation establishing a clear and enforceable commitment to finally move Maryland beyond coal-fired power plants, and to create a Coal Community Transition Fund to support impacted communities and workers.
body
Recitals
In 2016, Maryland enacted a law requiring the state to reduce climate pollution 40% below 2006 levels by 2030. Despite these long-term efforts, the City is presently in non-attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground-level ozone pollution.
Currently, there are 6 remaining coal-fired power plants in Maryland, including two coal plants operating in close proximity to Baltimore, the Herbert Wagner Plant and the Brandon Shores Plant, located in Anne Arundel County. Together, all 6 plants emitted 9 million metric tons of climate disrupting carbon pollution, equivalent to over 40% of passenger vehicles on the road in Maryland.
Four of the state’s remaining coal plants, including the Brandon Shores plant, routinely discharge arsenic, selenium, and mercury in concentrations that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's Effluent Limitation Guidelines. In fact, a 2011 Natural Resources Defense Council report found that the Brandon Shores plant released the second highest amount of toxic air pollutants annuall...
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